悉尼

Sydney became the seventh Abbott World Marathon Majors race in 2025, taking the series to four continents. The course starts on the north shore of the harbour, crosses the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and finishes at the Opera House.

The course

The race begins on Miller Street in North Sydney and climbs gently towards the bridge. Crossing the Harbour Bridge is the defining moment of the race: the road deck is closed to traffic and the views run from the Opera House to the heads of the harbour.

After the bridge the route turns south through the city, passing Hyde Park and working through the eastern suburbs, before a section through Centennial Park that brings the only sustained hills of the day. The closing kilometres return to the harbour and finish on the forecourt of the Sydney Opera House.

Aid stations and the half split

Aid stations are placed at regular intervals, with the park section carrying fewer spectators and more of the load on official stations. The half marathon split falls in the Centennial Park section, which is also where the hills and the timing mats sit.

What to watch for

• The bridge climb. The ramp onto the bridge is the first real effort of the day, and it comes early.
• Park hills. Centennial Park is not mountainous, but the rolling roads arrive in the second half.
• Southern hemisphere spring. The race runs in August or September, when Sydney weather can swing from 10 °C and rain to 22 °C and sun.
• Time zone. Most of the field travels in from overseas, so plan the arrival a few days ahead.

Records

Practical notes

• Race day: August or September. The next announced edition is 29 August 2027.
• Entry: online ballot plus charity and tour operator places, with a qualifying standard for the fast waves.
• Getting there: the start in North Sydney is a short walk from North Sydney station. The finish at the Opera House is served by Circular Quay station and ferries.
• Field size: about 20,270 finishers in the 2025 edition, its first as a Major, which makes it the smallest of the seven.