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If you recognise Gemma’s face that’s because you will have seen her around the Motatapu as previous Race Director for many years. Over 15 years ago Gemma was thrown into the deep end with sports event management and absolutely loved it, that event just happened to be the inaugural Motatapu in 2005. Gemma went on to spend 10 years working on Motatapu in various capacities, event coordinator, event manager, volunteer, race director, so you could say the race is in her blood. Gemma has a breadth of knowledge and passion for the event and is proud to be back at the helm as an owner and race director. In her break from Motatapu, Gemma was involved with Challenge Wanaka, Queenstown Winter Festival, NZ Rural Games, Queenstown Marathon and continues to be involved with Winter Games NZ and Kathmandu Coast to Coast.

Alex has worked in the communications industry for 15 years and is most at home in the mountains, whether it be on skis or her trusty ebike.  She was lucky enough to hone both her skiing and writing skills as Communications Manager at Snow Sports NZ and as the Media Liaison to the history-making 2018 New Zealand Olympic Winter Games Team. She is an experienced copywriter and loves a good yarn. Her favourite part of any event is meeting the wonderful competitors and having the privilege of sharing their inspiring stories and achievements. As well as high-profile international events like the Olympics and FIS World Cups, Alex has been involved with iconic Kiwi events like the Coast to Coast, NZ Mountain Film & Book Festival and Winter Games NZ. Having been part of the events day media team for past editions of the Motatapu, Alex is delighted to be joining us as the Communications and Marketing Manager in 2024. (She’s hopeful she’ll get a sneak peek at the course and a chance to sharpen her bike skills.)

Returning to the Motatapu after 5 years away Craig brings his operational skills and event management experience as a local owner. Settling in ‘The Adventure Capital of NZ’, Queenstown in 2011. He is driven for success in event management when he works on major events across the district including QLDCs New Year’s Eve and LUMA, and previously ODI Cricket and Queenstown Winter Festival for 8 years.

Carly is here to help make your Motatapu experience as smooth and memorable as possible. She loves helping our athletes prepare for their big day and to see you cross the finish line. Carly joined the Motatapu team in late 2020 and her favourite part is seeing athletes achieve their goals and the amazing comradery on course. You can find her behind the info emails, online or at the Info Tents on race day. Got a question? Get in touch and we will get you sorted!

Jo Guest is the go-to volunteer wrangler and community cheerleader. With a knack for bringing people together and turning volunteer efforts into meaningful, enjoyable experiences, Jo brings energy, snacks, spreadsheets, and a deep passion for fostering community spirit.

With over 15 years of experience in event management, Jo has worked with Winter Games NZ, Challenge Wānaka, Rhythm & Alps, Queenstown Marathon, Red Bull Defiance, TEDxWānaka, and Warbirds Over Wānaka. She’s also started her own events ventures, Mission WOW and BlackFox Ride. A founding trustee of Te Kākano native plant nursery, she now leads education initiatives, connecting local schools to nature.