First marathon of the new year?

At 12:01am on January 1, two local Queenstown runners, Michael Heyes and Hayley Holmes, set off into the dark, racing against the rising sun to be the first in the world to complete a marathon in 2025.

As fireworks lit up the sky, they began their journey from Queenstown to Arrowtown, determined to kick off the New Year with an unforgettable feat.

With a long, challenging morning ahead, they crossed the finish line back in Queenstown just as the first rays of sunlight greeted the dawn of the new year.