Hannah Wall: Racing to Victory On & Off the Track!

Otago Polytechnic student Hannah Wall has achieved an extraordinary feat at the 2025 Motatapu Ultra, securing first place in the women’s category and an impressive fifth overall with a remarkable finish time of 6 hours, 57 minutes, and 52 seconds. Competing in the 52km mountain race, which traverses the rugged Harris Mountain Range between Wānaka and Arrowtown, Hannah’s performance showcased incredible endurance, skill, and determination.

The Motatapu Ultra is renowned for its physically demanding terrain, with competitors ascending 3,000 meters over four peaks, including the highest point at 1,270m (Jack Halls Saddle). Hannah’s outstanding effort makes her only the second woman in history to complete the race in under seven hours!

A Back-to-Back Champion

Hannah’s success at Motatapu comes just two weeks after another dominant performance at the Shotover Moonlight Ultra, where she claimed first place in the women’s category and second overall, setting a new course record with a time of 7:50:52 in the 18-39 Female group.

Reflecting on her Motatapu performance, Hannah shared:
"I was feeling a bit tired going into the first climb as I had run the Shotover Moonlight Ultra two weeks prior, did alright in that one, 1st woman and 2nd overall, set a new CR while I was at it. But the plan was to try and forget about the previous race and approach this one as its own thing, go out fast to get ahead before the narrow sections and just push hard on the climbs. It really was a special day out."

What an absolute machine! Back-to-back wins in two of New Zealand’s toughest ultra races, with course records and top overall placements—Hannah is proving to be a force to be reckoned with in endurance running.

A Balance of Study and Sport

Currently enrolled in the Level 3 Certificate in Automotive Engineering, Hannah balances her passion for endurance racing with her studies and an apprenticeship at Shotover Jet. Her ability to excel in both fields is nothing short of inspiring.

Otago Polytechnic is incredibly proud of Hannah’s success and looks forward to seeing what she accomplishes next—both in her studies and on the racecourse!