Organisers of a rapidly-growing marathon have made a significant change to the event, which is expected to take it to the next level.
The Sunshine Coast Marathon will include a single-lap course, starting and finishing at Alexandra Headland on August 3.
Runners will tackle a predominantly flat, fast, coastal route through Twin Waters and Mudjimba, crossing the Sunshine Motorway bridge twice for panoramic water views.
Atlas Events managing director Jason Crowther said the move to a single-lap course reflected the festival’s commitment to its runners and the broader community, as the Sunshine Coast looks forward to hosting the 2032 Olympic marathon.
“This course has been designed to offer an enjoyable and seamless experience for everyone, from elite athletes chasing fast times to first-time marathoners taking on a personal challenge,” he said.
“We understand what makes this event special and this change ensures we continue delivering on that promise.”
The marathon course previously consisted of one lap of the half marathon course and two laps of the 10km course.
“Since launching in 2012, my vision has always been to create a single-lap course,” Mr Crowther said.
“Now, with the right numbers and the perfect route, we can finally bring that goal to life.
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“We’ve created a course that showcases the beauty of the Sunshine Coast and meets the needs of today’s runners, focusing on comfort, flow, and a great race day atmosphere.”
The EVA Air Sunshine Coast Marathon Festival includes a marathon, half marathon, 10km, 5km and 2km.
The festival attracted more than 12,000 participants last year and generated significant economic benefits through tourism and community engagement.
This year’s marathon’s single-lap design will enable greater capacity. The festival is expected to host up to 15,000 runners.
The existing marathon course records (2hr16min18sec set by Japanese marathoner Saeki Makino in 2019 and 2:37.07 set by Olympian Milly Clark in 2024) are expected to threatened on the new, faster course.
“I’m confident the new course will push our elite runners to new levels, not just for our event but for their own personal bests,” Mr Crowther said.
“We expect to see some of the country’s top distance athletes step up to challenge those record times.
“There’s been a remarkable rise in participation in recent years and we’re proud to provide a course that reflects that growth and love for this sport.
“Whether you’re here to push your limits or soak up the supportive atmosphere, this is an event that has something for everyone.”
The new course will hold international significance as an Association of International Marathons and Distance Races-certified course and a potential qualifier for World Marathon Majors, providing participants with the opportunity to achieve personal bests and global qualification standards.
The festival has raised millions of dollars for local charities during the past 12 years, and is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland and by Sunshine Coast Council.
The new marathon course
Runners will start on Alexandra Parade, heading south to Mooloolaba, turning around on Brisbane Road.
They then return north via Alexandra Parade, through Cotton Tree and onto Bradman Avenue before crossing the Sunshine Motorway Bridge into Twin Waters and Mudjimba via Mudjimba Esplanade.
The turnaround is near David Low Way, with runners returning through Mudjimba and Twin Waters, crossing the Sunshine Motorway Bridge again.
They then head west on Bradman Avenue, making a final turn just before Fishermans Road, before continuing through Cotton Tree and finishing on the red carpet at Alex Surf Club, Alexandra Headland.
