Illustration of various sized and shaped east coast gravel stones with the text "East Coast Gravel" above them.

SATURDAY 14 MARCH 2026

Watch the full 2025 highlights video HERE

2027 RACE DATE COMING SOON!

Muddy Gumboot Events is excited to deliver the second edition of East Coast Gravel presented by Specialized, on Saturday March 14th 2026.

Based in North Canterbury, ECG starts in Cheviot and heads to the coastline before turning south. Traveling through Gore Bay, riders will then cross over the Hurunui River mouth and along undulating terrain towards Motunau before doing a loop and returning north again, crossing the same terrain in the opposite direction, finishing back in Cheviot. The course boasts 56% of glorious gravel roads over 118km, with 1600m of elevation gain over the undulating North Canterbury coastal roads. ECG is the perfect blend of unknown roads, stunning vistas and the crunch of gravel underneath your tyres.

New for 2026, we are stoked to introduce the East Coast Gravel Mini - offering all the same scenery, terrain and glorious gravel, just in a more compact dose. Designed so everyone can have a go, this shorter course comes in at just under 75km with approximately 1100m of climbing. It still delivers a solid challenge, but promises a fun, rewarding and more accessible day out for riders seeking a slightly smaller taste of the full East Coast Gravel experience.

Gravel is the hottest new form of racing globally and is beginning to take off around New Zealand. ECG represents the synergy between all cycling disciplines and rewards riders who have great base fitness and strong bike handling skills. At the same time, the event has been curated so that anyone is able to have a go and have a great day on two wheels. 

We look forward to welcoming you to the second edition of the event in March 2026! 

East Coast Gravel Race. Mountain Biking. Person in cycling gear crossing the finish line with arms raised in victory during a race.

Gravel racing at it’s finest in beautiful North Canterbury

Note: route is subject to change at the discretion of Muddy Gumboot Events in the lead up to the event

FULL COURSE

DETAILS:

Note: route is subject to change at the discretion of Muddy Gumboot Events in the lead up to the event

MINI COURSE

DETAILS:

  • 74km

  • 1100m of climbing

  • Mix of gravel and sealed roads

  • Riders will be transported from Cheviot to the race start (see map below for starting location) and finish Cheviot

  • Download the .gpx file here

Two male cyclists riding mountain bikes on a dirt trail in a rural landscape with hills and trees in the background. East Coast Gravel Muddy Gumboots Event in Cheviot South Island New Zealand

CATEGORIES

Junior (under 19)

Open (20 – 29) 

Masters 1 (30 – 39) 

Masters 2 (40 – 49) 

Masters 3 (50 – 59)

Masters 4 (60 – 69)

Veterans (70+)

E-Bike*

NOTE: 

  • E-Bikes must meet the legal requirements for New Zealand roads (i.e. governed to 32km/ph)

  • E-bikes are not eligible for overall results.

  • Age on race day will determine which category you race in.

  • Categories may be merged based off entry numbers on the day at the discretion of MGE.

  • Entries and Refunds are in accordance with the relevant MGE policies (see below).

PRICING

FULL COURSE:

$150 per person*

* Late entry pricing of $170 per person applies from 11:59pm Sunday 8th March

MINI COURSE:

$125 per person**

** Late entry pricing of $145 per person applies from 11:59pm Sunday 8th March

Please note: a 4% surcharge will apply for payments using credit and debit cards.

EVENT SCHEDULE

8:30 = Registration opens.

8:45am = ECG Mini riders to drop bikes at bus once registered (cut off for loading bikes is 9:30am).

9:30 = Registration closes.

9:45 = Mandatory race briefing for ALL riders.

9:55 = ECG Mini riders load into bus.

10:00 = Race Start (ECG Full).

~10:45 = Race Start (ECG Mini).

12:30 = Course cut off #1 at Aid Station at ~43km (ECG Full riders only).

2:00 = Course cut off #2 at Aid Station at ~75km (ALL riders).

4:00 = Prize giving.

CLICK BELOW TO DOWNLOAD THE MANDATORY GEAR LIST

2026 MANDATORY GEAR LIST
A large group of cyclists riding on a paved road surrounded by green trees and rolling hills on a sunny day.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • ECG starts and finishes at the Cheviot Area School.

    Cheviot is located in North Canterbury and is approx. 90min from Christchurch CBD.

    Please allow enough time to travel to the race, and most importantly drive safely.

  • Race registration opens at 8:30am on race-day at the Cheviot Area School.

    All athletes must register prior to the race.

    Please aim to arrive well before registration closes at 9:30am so the race can start on time!

  • The course can viewed via the link above.

    We recommend that you download this as a .gpx file and upload to your device

  • Please familiarise yourself with our race-day schedule above. The race day schedule also has a helpful table with average speeds with reference to our course cut-off points.

  • Your safety is our number one priority and to ensure the safety of all our competitors and the public, we have implemented 2 course cut-off points: 12:30pm at the first passing of the aid station (43km) and 2pm at the second passing of the aid station (75km). We will also have a tail end Charlie and follow vehicle for those that are not able to finish under their own steam.

  • We will have a sweep vehicle that will be at the rear of the field and will be able to collect any riders who wish to pull out whether that be due to a crash, a mechanical or don’t feel comfortable completing the course

  • THE ROADS ARE OPEN.

    Please keep left at all times and abide by all directions of marshals.

    We have traffic management in place for the entire course but the roads will remain live to all traffic. Please keep this in mind when racing.

  • We have an aid station at the top of the Motonau loop, which you will pass at the 43km and 75km mark. This aid station will be equipped with all kinds of refreshments to keep you going as well as a mechanic station to get you back going. Please be respectful of riders coming and going from the aid station.

  • We are lucky to have the team from Patrol and Rescue NZ to support us with medical services. Patrol and Rescue will be based at various places throughout the course. If you require any medical attention or come across anyone else that requires medical attention please notify the closest marshal and we will arrange a medical response. Any time lost to assist a rider in need will be reinstated. 

  • All participants are required to familiarise themselves with our Terms of Entry and Refund Policy prior to entry. If you have any further questions, please contact us.

  • We are INCREDIBLY grateful to our sponsors for supporting us. We would love the opportunity to discuss how we can promote your brand/services at our events. Please get in touch if you’d like to discuss further.

TERMS OF ENTRY AND REFUNDS 

Please ensure you have read our Terms of Entry prior to entering.

TERMS OF ENTRY

Refunds are subject to our Refund Policy and will be managed by MGE on an ad-hoc basis.

REFUND POLICY

Group of five cyclists riding on a gravel countryside road surrounded by grass and trees on a sunny day.

2026 EVENT SPONSORS

NAMING SPONSOR

Specialized Bikes Logo

EVENT SPONSORS

Easton Cycling logo with bold black text.
The image features the word 'Almighty' written in large dark blue letters on a transparent background. Almighty Drinks
Close-up of SMITH in large black capital letters on a white background.
PURE Sports Nutrition New Zealand Sponsor
Four Square Supermarket in Cheviot, with a large red number four outlined in yellow on the left, and green background with yellow and white text.
Maxxis logo in orange and black.
Soundbox logo in black text.
Close-up of a gold clock with Roman numerals
GroundEffect logo with three red wavy lines above the text.
Logo for Harris Farms, established in 1956, with a line drawing of a mountain peak above the text.
Colorful logo for Smith's Loos featuring two blue cartoon people, one holding their stomach, with bubbles and an abstract background.