Whakatāne’s Daniel Jones will be the runner to beat tomorrow when he lines up for his T102 title defence at the 2026 Tarawera Ultra-Trail by UTMB.

Jones collected his third T102 win last year in Rotorua and returns as hot favourite.

The Tarawera Ultra-Trail is the second UTMB World Series event of 2026, part of a global circuit of the best trail running events in the world. The top three female and male finishers in the T102 will qualify directly for the CCC race (100km) at the 2027 UTMB World Series Finals in Chamonix, France.

The T102 race also returns a HOKA Golden Ticket qualifier for the 2026 Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run in California, USA – giving the top two female and male finishers a direct path to the start line.

Jones has won the past three T102 races on the bounce, finishing between 15 and 30 minutes ahead of his closest competitors. He returns to Tarawera seeking a fourth title on a course that has repeatedly showcased his technical skill and speed. Jones says he builds his season around opening the year at Tarawera and believes the race continues to elevate his performance.

“Tarawera is a great season opener for me. We’re pretty lucky to have a summer here in New Zealand, training on mainly dry trails and building fitness for the year ahead. It’s always a privilege to test that fitness out at Tarawera, a race I’ve become very proud to be a part of,” said Jones.

Each year it seems the T102 attracts deeper and more competitive fields, and Jones welcomes the rising level of international talent — seeing it as a reflection of just how prestigious the T102 has become.

“It makes me incredibly proud to see the growth of this event. I remember way back in the day having trail running discussions with the founder of Tarawera Ultra, Paul Charteris. It’s very cool that his passion has continued and helped form such a special race for this community,” said Jones. “The Tarawera 102km continues to grow in competitiveness. I like to test out new training stimuli and race day approaches. What better way to try these out against the best athletes in the world.”

While Jones’ past dominance would once have made him the overwhelming favourite, the 2026 field brings a new level of international firepower – led by Sweden’s Petter Engdahl, who will race the T102 for the first time.

Engdahl is no stranger to winning on the world stage. The 2022 CCC champion and 2023 OCC fourth place finisher is one of Europe’s most dynamic athletes. Despite a winter spent training in Norway – with plenty of snow and treadmill sessions – he feels ready.

“Training has been going good. I’ve been trying to prepare as well as possible at home in Norway, running in the snow or on the treadmill, but I am in good shape, so looking forward to kick off the 2026 season,” said Engdahl.

This trip marks the Swede’s first visit to New Zealand, something he has wanted to experience for years. The country and the course have made an immediate impression.

“It is my first time in New Zealand. I always wanted to come here to experience the nature and beautiful landscape and this year it fitted well into my calendar, so I am so happy to be here, and it has definitely lived up to my expectations,” he said.

And when it comes to race goals, he is unambiguous.

“My goal for the race is to perform as well as possible and win the race. It will be tough, it is a stacked field, but I will try my best, push hard and have some fun on the way,” he said.

With Jones aiming for a historic fourth title and Engdahl set to challenge him with a big race pedigree of his own, the men’s T102 shapes as one of the most compelling matchups in Tarawera history. Adding to the intriguing dynamic in the men’s race is the Chinese trio of Ji Duo, Jiasheng Shen, Canhua Luo, America’s Cole Watson, Japan’s Rui Ueda, and Rotorua runner Michael Voss (NZL).