Hannah Lund’s journey to becoming one of the leading contenders for the 2026 Kathmandu Coast to Coast women’s Longest Day title has been anything but conventional — and that’s exactly what makes it compelling.

Now 32, Lund is ranked second heading into the iconic multisport race, a position built on grit, consistency, and a rapid learning curve since her debut just a few years ago. Originally from Dannevirke and now based in Methven, she has quietly developed into one of the most formidable all-rounders in New Zealand multisport.

Lund first lined up at the Kathmandu Coast to Coast in 2019 at just 26 years old, tackling the Two Day event with minimal expectations — and minimal gear.

“I had zero expectations,” she recalls. “I walked away from it thinking, wow, maybe I could be quite good at this.”

Underprepared by her own admission, Lund finished an impressive third.

“I was pretty clueless, pretty rookie,” she said. “I bought a boat for $200 and borrowed the rest of the kayak gear from friends.”

She repeated that third-place Two Day finish in 2020, before making the jump to the Longest Day — a move that would fast-track her into the elite ranks of the sport.

In 2022, Lund announced herself on the biggest stage, winning the women’s open category in the Longest Day and finishing fifth overall. 

The following seasons only reinforced her credentials: fourth in the elite women’s race in 2023, and second in 2024.

Her comments after the 2024 race summed up her gratitude and perspective.

“I feel like I’ve won,” she said. “Second is amazing.”

That grounded approach extends to her training philosophy.

“To have a good day you’ve got to be pretty strong across each discipline. You have to aim to have no weakness,” Lund explains. “I pour most of my effort into the run and kayak.”

The results speak for themselves. In the lead-up to the 2026 season, Lund has delivered a string of standout performances: wins at the Rakaia Salmon Run, Mission Mt Somers Half Marathon, Valley Ultra Half, and the Feel The Burn 20km trail run, alongside a third-place finish in the open women’s field at the Waimakariri Classic, behind winner Rebecca Kingsford.

“It’s exciting to put into practice everything you’ve learnt from prior races,” she says. “Not just for race day, but for the preparation and the lead-up.”

In the 2024 event Lund enlisted specialist endurance coach James Roderick who has previously coached Braden Currie to a number of victories in the Kathmandu Coast to Coast This meant she left no stone unturned and she has again done this for the 2026 event.

Race director Glen Currie said Lund now has the experience and knowledge to be considered a serious contender for the top spot.

“To win the Kathmandu Coast to Coast you can't afford to have a weak discipline, Hannah seems to have nailed this proving that she is super strong over all three disciplines now,” said Currie.

Multisport has been part of Lund’s life for as long as she can remember. Growing up in Dannevirke, she watched her parents compete in the Akitio Challenge — a formative experience that planted the seed for Coast to Coast dreams.

“That’s where I learnt about Coast to Coast, because the big hitters often used it as a training run,” she says. “Way back when I was little, it ignited this idea.”

Still, the dream simmered quietly until later in life.

“It wasn’t until I finished vet school that I thought, maybe I could give it a go.”

Now, five Kathmandu Coast to Coast campaigns later, Hannah Lund is no longer just “giving it a go.” She’s a genuine title threat — and one of the most consistent performers the race has seen in recent years.

With her sights firmly set on improvement — and ultimately the top step — Lund isn’t shying away from the challenge ahead. “I’m here to do better than I have before,” she says. “It’s an awesome line-up, but I’m here to give it my very best.”