More than 11,000 runners and walkers descended on the resort over the weekend to take part in the full marathon, from Millbrook Resort, the half marathon, from Speargrass Flat, or the 10km, from Frankton Reserve.
The vast majority of all distances were run on the Queenstown Trail.
However, in several instances, supporters, residents and unsuspecting visitors were refused access to parts of the trail, with volunteers informing them they’d been told not to let anyone but athletes on the track.
That caught out Ride to the Sky e-bike tour guide, long-time local Shay Muddle, who
tried to get his tour party — which had travelled from Hansen Rd’s Country Lane over the hill through the Hansen farm down to Tucker Beach — over the historic Shotover Bridge.
He’d received an email informing him he was able to use the bridge for his commercial tour on marathon day.
But when they arrived, they were told by a volunteer they couldn’t cross.
"The problem is, we arrived there and we couldn’t go left or right, so the only way to go was back ... because we weren’t allowed to go on the trails."
As to who told him that, Muddle responds: "Just a marshal."
Eventually, having sighted the email granting permission to cross the bridge, the volunteer allowed Muddle’s group to cross the bridge.
However, nearby residents weren’t allowed across, nor were a group of international tourists who’d driven specifically to see it.
Queenstown council chief executive Mike Theelen says the advice was for volunteers to advise people the marathon was on, "but not to restrict access to the public".
In a statement, a Queenstown Marathon spokesperson says the local trail networks "remain open to the general public for the duration of the event".
"All known operators are contacted prior to the event to advise them that the event is on and taking place on the trails, so they are aware in advance of the increased foot traffic."
The spokesperson says the volunteer course marshals are briefed during race week and told the trails are a "shared space on race day and therefore not to restrict access to the general public".
"In this particular instance it is likely a case of miscommunication and organisers have already begun the process of identifying what may have led to this ... to ensure it doesn’t happen again next year."
