The Bondi to Manly Ultra Marathon returns this year, starting at Bondi Pavilion and finishing at Manly Beach, with registrations now open for the 80-kilometre solo ultra as well as two-person and four-person relay options that put the course within reach of runners who are not quite ready to tackle the whole thing alone.
For anyone who has walked the Bondi to Manly Walk and wondered what it would feel like to run it, that question now has a structured answer. The course follows the full 80-kilometre walking track, weaving south to north along clifftops, harbour foreshores, through national parks and past 49 beaches, the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and some of the most photographed coastline on the planet.
The 2026 edition marks a new chapter for the race. Global events company MARI, which also manages the Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival and the Great Ocean Road Running Festival, has taken on the custodianship of the event, while the Bondi to Manly Walk Supporters Group remains the event’s owner and an advisory partner.
“The Bondi to Manly Ultra is a defining expression of Sydney’s identity and the enduring human spirit of athletic endeavour,” said Marcus Gale, managing director of MARI Australia.
Founding CEO Elle Pacholski said the partnership would take the event to new heights while staying true to the landscape and communities it passes through.
Three Ways to Run the Same Course
The solo category is the headline act: 80 kilometres from Bondi Pavilion to Manly Beach, run as a continuous effort, open to participants aged 18 and over. It is widely considered one of the Southern Hemisphere’s most demanding urban endurance races, drawing elite ultramarathon athletes and determined recreational runners from around Australia and internationally.
But the relay options are where the 2026 edition opens the door considerably wider. A two-person team splits the course into two legs of roughly 40 kilometres each, while a four-person team tackles legs ranging from 17km to 23km, making the event a perfect fit for runners used to the half-marathon distance.
The four-person relay is open to runners aged 16 and over, while the solo and two-person categories remain an 18-plus challenge. Every finisher receives a t-shirt, race number with timing device and finisher’s medal. Entries are limited and the event historically sells out.
A Race That Gives Back to the Track
The Bondi to Manly Ultra is a not-for-profit event. All proceeds are donated to the Bondi to Manly Walk Supporters Group and reinvested into preserving and enhancing the walking track that the course follows. Every entry is a direct contribution to the coastal environment runners pass through on race day.
The 2026 Bondi to Manly Ultra will commence on Saturday 24 October 2026. To register for the event, click here. Follow the event on Facebook for course and logistics updates in the lead-up to October.
Published 30-April-2026
