We are under strict directions from NSW Police and the RMS to ensure the total time set for each event is adhered to in order to reopen roads for public use. What this means is that we have to implement a series of cut-off points and redirections to ensure that the slowest runners don’t impede on our road re-opening schedule.
Will this impact me?
This year we will be continuing the same system of cut-off and redirection points along the course in order to control the event cut-off times. If a participant fails to reach the designated point by the time indicated they will be given the option of pulling out or continuing by being redirected on a section of the course. Anyone who takes the ‘redirection’ option will have their number marked and will not be regarded as an official finisher.
| Distance | Race Time Cut-Off | Time of Day | ||
| Official cut-off time - 2hrs:45min - participants to maintain 7min:49sec per km or better | ||||
| 1 | College St and Art Gallery Rd (redirection point) Runners redirected along College St (missing Royal Botanic Gardens Loop) |
6.0km | 47min | 7.27am |
| 2 | Phillip St at Drink Station 3 (cut-off point) Runners to be taken off the course and directed to the Finish Line |
10.1km | 1hr:18min | 7.58am |
| 3 | Cadmans Cottage, Overseas Passenger Terminal at Drink Station 13 (redirection point). Runners to be taken off the course and directed to the Finish Line | 11.5km | 1hr:29min | 8.09am |
| 4 | King St & Sussex St - outbound (redirection point) Runners redirected to return north along Sussex St (missing Pyrmont) |
14.3km | 1hr:51min | 8.31am |
| 5 | Pyrmont St at Drink Station 15 (cut-off point) If you make it to this point by the cut-off time you will be allowed to finish the event in as long a time you like. You will not be disqualified after this point. But if you do slow down a lot at further points you may be asked to move to one side allowing leading wheelchair athletes to pass. |
16.1km | 2hr:06min | 8.46am |
| 6 | King St & Sussex St - inbound (directional information point) At this point if you have slowed down you will be asked to move to one side if leading wheelchair athletes are coming up behind you. If you have slowed considerably you will be asked to walk alongside the main running track if it is deemed to be unsafe amongst large packs of runners. But you will be able to finish without being disqualified. |
17.5km | 2hr:16min | 8.56am |
| 7 |
From Park Hyatt onward (under direction of Course Officials) |
18.9km | 2hr:31min | 9.06am |
Start window
Each event is allocated a start window, which is a specific period of time when runners must cross the start line within. For the half marathon, the start window is 20 minutes. No-one will be permitted to cross the start line after 6.40am (unless for some reason the organisers delay the start). Any athlete who’s timing chip is activated after the start window and / or doesn’t activate their timing chip at the start line will be disqualified.
Tail control & tail pick-up
We will have a tail vehicle controlling the event cut-off time and event officials will also be located at each of the designated cut-off and redirection points noted below. Participants must follow the directions of event staff at all times and failure to do so will mean immediate disqualification and may prevent participants being allowed entry in future years.
Participants must also note that the tail vehicle will be issuing late timing warnings to runners throughout the course to help you manage your pace and meet cut-off times. Any runner who is behind the official cut-off time at the cut-off point(s) may be asked to leave the course or take a redirection.