The streets of Noosa welcomed thousands of runners from across Australia and around the world on Saturday morning for the sold out 2025 ASICS Runaway Noosa Marathon.
More than 8,500 runners took on either marathon, half marathon, 10km or 5km distances at the 2025 editions of the event, the biggest in its history.
It was a welcome hometown champion in the men’s marathon, with Noosa’s Alex Harvey crossing the finish line in 2:28:26, more than six minutes clear of Ben Cook in second, with Andrew Dey third.
Harvey hit the front within the first handful of kilometres and never looked back, extending his lead throughout the four-lap marathon, adding Saturday’s win to his 2024 Runaway Noosa Half Marathon win.
“Feeling pretty good, I came into this one as more of a training run today, I started in the second wave so I gave the guys in front about a 15 second head start and that was probably my hardest k, that first one, and then I just ticked off the ks on my own and it was good,” he said. “I live in Noosa so it’s good to run these streets that I always do, and to have my family on the line is a special moment.
Sydney’s Olivia Beck was victorious in the women’s marathon, taking the tape in 2:54:54, two minutes ahead of Eleanor Goldrick, with Hannah Brellisford rounding out the podium.
The top three were close together throughout the opening stages of the race, with Beck not hitting the lead until the final 10km and from there she pushed ahead to the top step of the podium.
“I’m exhausted but really happy, it was a really fun race and just happy to be finished. I started off more conservative and trying to stick to my pace and then in the last bit I was feeling good so I just thought I might as well increase for the last 10ks,” said Beck. “I hit the lead on the last lap with maybe eight ks to go, then I was like I’ve only got eight ks to go I might as well push it, I raced here last year and absolutely love it, I love Noosa, it’s such a great place to be, it’s such a nice track because everyone does it at the same time, you run past people and people are cheering you along the way which makes it fun.”
In the men’s half marathon Hamish Hamilton from the Sunshine Coast edged out former champion Kieran Perkins, with Craig Davis third.
Hamilton and Perkins were glued together for all but the final stages of the 21.1km run, before Hamilton charged ahead to take a 20 second win.
“It was just one and two from the start, a good battle with Kieran all the way until the end, we stuck together the whole time just surging each other out and then in the last three ks I tried my best to put a bit of a kick in and somehow it worked a little bit so I’m pretty stoked, it was a great race,” said Hamilton. “I knew for a fact that if I tried to drop back I wouldn’t have the legs to have a kick at the end so I knew I had to go a bit sooner so three k to go was the plan.”
“There were so many people on course, all cheering, even though you don’t know them they’re cheering your name, giving you a clap, you really appreciate it, it’s a great atmosphere,” he said.
Sydney-based New Zealander Samantha Vance added the women’s half marathon title to the third place she claimed at the Runaway Sydney Half Marathon at the start of the month.
The women’s Half Marathon was the tightest race of the day, with Vance winning in a sprint finish from Ella McCartney, with just two seconds separating them on the line. Vance claimed the win in 1:18:08, ahead of McCartney, with Alexandra Cawthra third.
“It was high energy out there, a good run and good weather as well which helps. I’m not very experienced so I just go out there and run and see how it goes so I enjoyed it, at about the 10k mark I was a bit marginal but I pulled through,” she said. “It was super fun, I think because I’m new it was exciting, I’ve only started racing this year so I enjoyed it.
Tom Bowers won the men’s 10km in 30:00, with Sebastian Asher second and Louise McAfee third. In the women’s 10km Siobhan Sefton took the win in 36:37, ahead of Mishy Canning and Ellie Ryan.
In the men’s 5km Matthew Turner was first in 15:28, in front of Kotaro Nihei and Sam Newsham. Harriet Smith won the women’s 5km, crossing the finish line in 17:42, with Indiana Voss and Mia Caple second and third respectively.
The Runaway Marathon Series also takes runners to Queenstown and Hawke’s Bay in New Zealand and Sydney in Australia, all destinations where natural beauty, world class running, local hospitality and food and wine options make for so much more than just another running event.
The Runaway Marathon Series rewards runners who complete any distance in all four events, making them Runaway MVPs. Runaway Noosa welcomed 24 new MVPs, who have taken part in runs in both Australia and New Zealand.
For more information visit runawaynoosamarathon.com.au/
