Hundreds of competitors of all ages will pound the pavement as they participate in a western Cape York institution, the Weipa Running Festival, on 20 July. Photo: Cape York Weekly.
A feeling of community before, on and after race day is one of the factors driving what is shaping up as a record number of participants for the 2025 Weipa Running Festival (WRF), according to the committee steering the popular annual event.
With three weeks to go until participants of all ages pound the pavement in the marathon, half marathon, 10-kilometre, 5km, 2.5 and family fun run categories, almost 300 people have already put their hand up to don a race bib on 20 July.
“Registrations are looking fantastic, well ahead of previous years, with close to 300 registrations already,” WRF president Rose Robins told Cape York Weekly.
“Who knows what the last flurry will be like as race day fever builds but there will be no race day registrations, so you’d better be quick.”
Ms Robins said she believed the event’s reputation as a supportive, inclusive event for competitors of all running abilities was what kept local and visiting participants coming back year after year.
“I think it’s a combination of the mutual respect as runners, mixed with our Cape York sense of community that gives WRF the name it has,” she explained.
“The feeling and display of community of our event is always mentioned by the out-of-town runners.”
Ms Robins said while each runner would be working on their own preparation with less than a month to go until the starter’s pistol fires, support events like yoga sessions in Kumrumja Park and group runs had proved extremely popular with experienced and novice competitors alike.
“We are pleased that we are able to build on our participants journey to race day,” she said.
“We’ve had big numbers for the afternoon yoga sessions – there is something very special about Kumrumja Park late in the afternoon.
“The women’s health session was very informative and welcomed from our women runners … and the group runs are cementing solid running friendships; we’ve also received lots of positive feedback about the course familiarisations.”
Registrations for the marathon, half marathon and 10km events close on 18 July, while runners have until the following day to get their names in for the 5km, 2.5km and family fun run.
For more information about one of Weipa’s must-try events, go to the Weipa Running Festival website.
