Every Athlete to use RaceRanger at Tauranga Half and Challenge Wānaka 2027

May 5, 2026

First whole-field rollout brings drafting detection, live tracking and a new safety dimension to age-group racing

CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – RaceRanger has reached agreement with the Loan Market Oceanside Tauranga Half and the Gallagher Insurance Challenge Wānaka to fit every athlete in both 2027 races with the RaceRanger system. These are the first two events to commit to whole-field amateur-level use of the technology, and they mark RaceRanger’s first deliberate step out of pro-only racing. Entries for both events open this month.

At the Loan Market Oceanside Tauranga Half in January 2027 and Challenge Wānaka in February 2027, every entrant — professionals, age groupers, team cyclists and aquabikers — will race with RaceRanger fitted to their bike. The same system has been used in the pro ranks at more than 100 events since 2023, including the IRONMAN Pro Series, the T100 World Tour, the 2024 Paris Paralympics and Challenge Roth.

The whole-field rollout is enabled by a substantial scale-up of RaceRanger’s operational capability. The company is now deploying its third-generation devices at selected pro events, and fleet capacity has grown past 1,000 sets — enough hardware to put RaceRanger on every bike at events of this size, with capacity to spare.

“We’re really pleased to get the ball rolling with age groupers — this is what we’ve been working towards for a long time,” said James Elvery, RaceRanger CEO and Co-founder. “With experience gained operating at more than 100 pro events now, we’ve learnt a huge amount about what transfers, and what needs to be different to operate at the scale of large age-group fields. We’ve made a lot of background changes to make this possible — moving to a QR-code device management system instead of race-number stickers, rigorous waterproofing so units can be bulk machine-cleaned between events, and simplifying the fitting process so athletes can largely do it themselves.”

For these first two events, the system will operate exactly as it does for the pros today: each athlete will be issued two devices (one front, one rear), and the drafting lights system is unchanged. However, in the age-group context, RaceRanger will add value not just in a drafting detection capacity, but also as a live tracking system, giving athletes’ families and supporters a moving dot to follow around the bike course in real time, alongside a number of other metrics.

The same live tracking opens up a meaningful safety dimension for event organisers. Race control will have a live view of every athlete’s location on the bike course at all times. If an athlete stops, comes off or is otherwise in difficulty, organisers can see it immediately and respond — particularly valuable on long, remote courses where riders are spread out over many kilometres of road.

“We were the first event in the world to trial RaceRanger back in January 2023, so being the first to use it across the whole field feels like the natural next chapter for us and a really exciting prospect for age groupers to use this technology,” said Lauren Watson, Event Director, Loan Market Oceanside Tauranga Half. “The safety side is just as important to us as the drafting fairness. Knowing where every athlete is on the bike course at all times is a meaningful step forward for any event director.”

Following Challenge Wānaka’s successful 275-athlete age-group trial in 2025, the move to full-field implementation was a natural progression. Jane Sharman, Race Director, Challenge Wānaka, added:

“Our age group trial with RaceRanger in 2025 showed us quickly that athletes were ready for this. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, particularly around fairness, confidence, and the overall race experience.

Delivering a world-class athlete experience is hugely important to us. With our bike course, the ability to track every athlete in real time also adds an important safety dimension. We’re proud to be one of the first events globally to deliver RaceRanger across the whole field.”

Operationally, athletes will fit their own devices, as has been the case at pro events since the start of 2025. Devices will be distributed in athlete race packs at registration, with each pair sealed in a padded envelope carrying a QR code that links to a PDF and video fitting guide. RaceRanger staff will be in the race village area in the days before each race to assist and answer questions. At bike racking every device will be double-checked for fit and function. Once the bike leg is done, the devices are retrieved from the bikes while athletes are out on the run.

Looking further ahead, RaceRanger’s intention in age group racing is to operate the system slightly differently. The field would be split into two categories: a competitive group, who would use two devices each and be more actively policed, including live remote monitoring by officials; and a participation group, who would be issued a rear unit only. Those rear-unit lights would stay off for most of the race, only activating if the athlete moves in front of a competitive athlete who’s then following them. Every athlete in the field would still get the live tracking and safety benefits. For these first two events, however, everyone will be treated the same for simplicity.

“There’s strong demand for the drafting detection side of the system, particularly from the competitive end of the field,” Elvery added. “The live tracking is something that everyone can appreciate, but hasn’t been made widely available in triathlon to date. In everything we’re doing we’re laser focussed on elevating the athlete race experience, and are in conversation with a number of other events and series globally about how to bring whole-field RaceRanger to the sport as soon as possible.”

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About RaceRanger

RaceRanger is the world’s first electronic drafting detection system for triathlon, designed and manufactured in New Zealand. The system uses a pair of small, internet-connected devices fitted to each athlete’s bike to measure following distances accurately, alerting both athletes and race officials when an athlete is too close to the rider in front. RaceRanger was co-founded by former pro triathletes James Elvery and Dylan McNeice, and has been used at more than 100 of the world’s leading pro triathlon events since 2023, with 63 races scheduled for 2026.

About Loan Market Oceanside Tauranga Half

One of the longest running and most popular triathlon events in New Zealand, this event has had a rich history in the Triathlon and Tauranga communities since 1990.

This is the pinnacle event at the Fulton Hogan Mount Festival of Multisport. The Loan Market Oceanside Tauranga Half will be your PB course. It’s fast, flat and boasts some of NZ’s most iconic scenery.

Annually around 2500 participants take on the boarder festival. www.mountfestival.kiwi About Gallagher

Insurance Challenge Wānaka

Gallagher Insurance Challenge Wānaka is New Zealand’s iconic middle-distance triathlon, set against the spectacular backdrop of Lake Wānaka and the Southern Alps.

In 2027, the event evolves to a refreshed 100km format featuring a 2km swim, 80km bike, and 18km run — delivering the same legendary challenge, breathtaking course, and unforgettable finish-line experience.

Owned and delivered by the Challenge Wānaka Sports Trust, a charitable trust focused on giving back to the local community, the event supports youth participation, community wellbeing, and positive regional impact through sport.

www.RaceRanger.com