Two University of Otago students, Luke Beer and Levi Milton, raced each other on e-scooters at noon from the intersection of Duke and Castle Sts, through the University of Otago, to Leith St Liquorland.
The field of entrants was significantly smaller than the Facebook event page indicated, after 656 people clicked attending.
Initially, the police and Dunedin City Council had raised concerns about the event and said they would monitor the race.
The course was altered after safety concerns.
"As you can tell, it's pretty safe,'' Mr Beer said before the race yesterday.
He was not surprised people did not turn up.
It was an example of people getting excited about a "meme'' on the internet, but that not translating to actually attending, he said.
Victory in the race was claimed by Mr Beer.
