Kerry Suter

About

Kerry Suter is a New Zealand ultrarunner and coach from Rotorua and one of the founding figures of the Australasian ultra trail running community. He won the inaugural Tarawera Ultramarathon in 2009 — completing the 85km course in approximately seven hours — and then won again in 2010 when the race extended to 100km, making him the event's greatest early champion. Alongside his partner Ali Pottinger, he co-founded Squadrun, which grew into the leading online ultra-distance coaching programme in Australasia, coaching 250 to 500 athletes at any given time. Suter's story took a devastating turn on February 26, 2022, when he crashed his mountain bike on a trail called Jekyll and Hyde in Rotorua — misjudging a drop, going over his handlebars, and breaking his neck. The accident left him paralysed from the chest down. The recovery and the outpouring of support from the trail running community that followed became one of the most powerful stories of collective care in the sport's recent history. Despite his injury, Suter and Pottinger have continued to lead Squadrun, coaching, inspiring, and maintaining their place at the heart of Australasian running culture.

Notable Wins

• — Tarawera Ultramarathon 2009 (inaugural)
• — Tarawera Ultramarathon 2010

Race History