ONE of Coffs Harbour’s biggest annual athletics events is set to be held in September.

The 2021 Bendigo Bank Coffs Harbour Running Festival will be held on Sunday, 12 September.

The annual event is held on a bush trail on the Coffs Creek walkway, with the flat, shady course being ideal for runners.

The picturesque track hugs the beautiful Coffs Creek and competitors run over floating boardwalks, through swamp forests of mangrove, casuarina and paperbark trees from the centre of town to the coast and back.

The Bendigo Bank Coffs Harbour Running Festival is a community event for people of all ages and abilities and consists of a 21.1km Half Marathon, 10km Fun Run, 5km Fun Run and a 3km Family Fun Run/Walk.

The event raises funds for local children’s charities including Life Education Australia, Coffs Coast Autism, Camp Quality and Early Connections Coffs Harbour.

Former Olympian Steve Moneghetti will once again be participating and celebrating in the 10th Annual Event.

Moneghetti has been a regular participant in Coffs over the last 10 years and says that the Coffs course and event is one of the best he has run.

Like a lot of sporting events in 2020, last year’s Bendigo Bank Coffs Harbour Running Festival was cancelled due to COVID-19.

The 2019 event raised $20,000 for local charities and community groups, thanks to the organising efforts of the Rotary Club of Coffs Harbour and Village Sports.

Since 2011, the event has raised over $200,000 for local charities and community groups.

 

By Aiden BURGESS