International Competitors — NZ Silver Fern Rally (Gravel Marathon, Shipping & Classes)

International competitors on NZ gravel at the Silver Fern Rally

International Competitors: Plan Your Silver Fern Rally

Q: Is Silver Fern Rally suitable for my first international gravel marathon?

Yes. Many overseas crews choose the NZ Silver Fern as their first week-long gravel rally. The event is run with military precision, road books are clear, and the paddock culture is welcoming. The key is choosing the right format, preparing the car for seven days and travelling with or sharing a service crew.

Q: Which class is best for my car as an international entrant?

Historic Competition suits pre-1985 period-correct rally cars; the Challenge Trophy is ideal for modern 2WD builds; Classic 4WD is for pre-1996 four-wheel-drive cars; and the Silver Fern Time-Trial offers the full route with precision driving against a target time and a 130 kph speed cap.

Q: How much preparation does my car need for a seven-day gravel rally?

A week-long rally demands more than a standard road car. You’ll need strong, well-maintained suspension, brakes and cooling, correctly fitted roll cage, seats, belts and safety gear where required by your class, along with sufficient spares and attention to dust protection, lighting and in-car communication.

Q: What licence and documentation do I need to compete in New Zealand?

You will need an appropriate competition licence from your home ASN and, for Historic cars, an FIA Historic passport or Motorsport New Zealand Certificate of Description (CoD) or equivalent. Proof of ownership and authority to use the car is also required. Final details are confirmed in the Event Regulations.

Q: How early should I plan shipping and travel for me and my crew?

Planning should start many months in advance, particularly from Europe or North America. Talk to your shipping agent once you lodge an Expression of Interest, aim to have the car in New Zealand well before documentation day in Rotorua, and book flexible flights and accommodation around the overnight towns.

Q: Can Silver Fern help with service crew, accommodation and local support?

Yes. While you book your own arrangements, the organisers can provide the overnight towns and likely schedule, introduce you to local service providers and shared service options, and connect you with previous competitors who can recommend tyre, parts and workshop contacts.

Join New Zealand’s world-famous gravel marathon. Seven days, huge scenery, friendly paddock — and door-to-door help to ship your car.

Why Silver Fern Rally?

The Silver Fern is a North Island gravel epic: ~1,050 km of special stages and ~1,650 km of touring over seven days. Legendary forest and hill roads, run with military precision so you spend your time where it counts — on closed gravel.

Start/finish in Rotorua; visit the East Coast, Hawke’s Bay, Central Plateau and more.
Early starts, multiple stages daily, tight services and included lunches.
No reconnaissance and clear road books — a purer test of driver + co-driver with typically lower wear.

Tip: Many overseas teams ship cars to NZ just for Silver Fern — our preferred logistics partner can handle door-to-door worldwide.

New Zealand Roads: Gravel Perfection

Expect grippy volcanic pumice, cambered sweepers, technical switchbacks and proper elevation. It’s fast where it’s safe and demanding where it should be — a driver’s heaven and a co-driver’s joy.

Choose Your Silver Fern Format

See full class detail →

Historic Competition

Period-correct pre-1985 heroes (A–D capacity classes). The overall winner is crowned here.

Learn more

Challenge Trophy (Modern 2WD)

Same marathon route with accessible modern 2WD builds (E–H classes). Big value, big mileage.

Learn more

Classic 4WD (Pre-1996)

Early Audi/Subaru/Mitsubishi/Toyota era — FI cars run a 36 mm restrictor.

Learn more

Silver Fern Time-Trial

Maintain a target average speed on closed roads with RallySafe monitoring; 130 kph cap.

Learn more

Shipping Your Car to New Zealand

Silver Fern has supported international competitors for over two decades. Our preferred motorsport specialist is G-Force Logistics (Phil Gibbs) — fully door-to-door with customs and paperwork handled.

G-Force Logistics

Preferred shipping agent for motorsport vehicles

Contact: Phil Gibbs
Phone: +64 21 366 638
Email: [email protected]

Talk to Phil early so your car, spares and paperwork line up with the rally schedule.

When should I ship?

Plan several months ahead so your car arrives in time for NZ customs, compliance checks and any shakedown.
Your agent will advise ideal vessel dates based on where you’re shipping from.
We recommend having the car in NZ well before documentation day in Rotorua.

Paperwork & insurance

Your shipping agent will guide you on the right temporary import pathway for your situation.
Always arrange transit and event insurance for the car and spares.
We can share contacts for motorsport-friendly insurers on request.

Unsure where to start? Contact the Silver Fern team and we’ll point you in the right direction.

A Day in the Life at Silver Fern

06:00 breakfast & checks → morning stages → short service → more stages → included lunch for driver + co-driver → afternoon stages → community car wash → Parc Fermé → prep for tomorrow. It’s intense, friendly and unforgettable for crews and supporters.

What makes Silver Fern special

More closed-road km per day than most events
Varied, flowing gravel with real elevation
Legendary camaraderie and operational polish

Ready when you are

Classic, modern 2WD, pre-’96 4WD or Time-Trial — we’ll help you arrive prepared and compliant.

Start your EOI

Talk to a human

Silver Fern Office · Contact page
Shipping: [email protected]

International Entrant FAQs

These are common questions from overseas crews. For more answers, see the full Silver Fern FAQ.

Is Silver Fern Rally suitable for my first international gravel marathon?

Yes — many overseas crews choose the NZ Silver Fern as their first week-long gravel rally. The event is run with military precision, road books are clear, and the paddock culture is famously welcoming. The key is to:

Choose the right format (Historic, Challenge Trophy, Classic 4WD or Time-Trial).
Prepare the car for seven days and ~1,000 km of special stages.
Travel with a service crew, or share support with another team.

Talk to us early and we can connect you with previous international entrants who can share their experience.

Which class is best for my car as an international entrant?

It depends on what you already own and the style of rallying you enjoy:

Historic Competition: For period-correct pre-1985 rally cars (FIA Historic / MSNZ CoD compliant) — this is where the overall winner comes from.
Challenge Trophy (Modern 2WD): Ideal if you have a modern front- or rear-wheel-drive rally car and want big mileage with modern reliability.
Classic 4WD: Pre-1996 4WD cars (early Audi/Subaru/Mitsubishi/Toyota etc.), with forced-induction cars running a 36 mm restrictor.
Time-Trial: Best if you want the full route and atmosphere but prefer precision against a target time with a 130 kph cap.

If you email us details of your car, we can confirm which class it fits and what paperwork you’ll need.

How much preparation does my car need for a seven-day gravel rally?

A week-long rally is very different to a single-day event. A car straight off the lot will struggle — some preparation is essential:

Strong, well-maintained suspension, brakes and cooling.
Correctly fitted roll cage, seats, belts and safety gear where required by your class.
Enough spares (wheels/tyres, fluids, basic suspension and driveline parts) to keep you going for the full distance.
Thought given to dust protection, lighting and in-car communication (intercom strongly recommended).

We can share a starter checklist for first-time Silver Fern entrants on request.

What licence and documentation do I need to compete in New Zealand?

You’ll need an appropriate competition licence from your home ASN and, in many cases, supporting documentation for the car:

A valid national or international rally licence (depending on your class and regulations for that year).
For Historic cars, an FIA Historic passport or Motorsport New Zealand Certificate of Description (CoD), or accepted equivalent.
Proof of ownership and authority to use the vehicle.

The final requirements are confirmed in the Event Regulations. If you’re unsure, send us your licence details and we’ll confirm what’s needed.

How early should I plan shipping and travel for me and my crew?

We recommend starting planning many months in advance, especially from Europe or North America. As a guide:

Talk to your shipping agent as soon as you lodge an Expression of Interest.
Aim to have the car arrive in NZ well before documentation day in Rotorua so there’s time for customs clearance and any final prep.
Book flexible flights and accommodation around Rotorua, Gisborne, Napier, Palmerston North and Ohakune, based on the route outline.

Your agent and our team can help you align vessel dates, delivery windows and rally timing.

Can Silver Fern help with service crew, accommodation and local support?

Yes. While you book and manage your own arrangements, we can:

Provide the overnight towns and likely schedule so you can plan hotels and Airbnbs.
Introduce you to local service providers and potential shared service arrangements.
Connect you with previous competitors who can recommend tyre, parts and workshop contacts.

Many international teams comment that the Kiwi hospitality and paddock camaraderie are a highlight of the event.

Scenes from the Stages

Bring your car. We’ll help with the rest.

Send an Expression of Interest and we’ll guide you through shipping, paperwork and class selection.

International Entrants

Shipping Options & Key Fee Information

We work with experienced motorsport freight partners to move cars to and from New Zealand in shared 40" containers. Pricing below is per entry and based on how many vehicles are shipped in the same container.

Shipping in a 40" Shared Container

Region	Route	Container Share	Return Shipping (NZD)
Australia	East Coast ⇄ Auckland (return to port of origin)	3 vehicles per container	NZ$6,000 per entry
Australia	East Coast ⇄ Auckland (return to port of origin)	2 vehicles per container	NZ$9,000 per entry
UK / Europe	UK / Rotterdam ⇄ Auckland (return to port of origin)	3 vehicles per container	NZ$14,000 per entry
UK / Europe	UK / Rotterdam ⇄ Auckland (return to port of origin)	2 vehicles per container	NZ$19,000 per entry

Note: Pricing is indicative and based on shared containers. Final quotes depend on availability and timing.

Important Fee Notes

All fees are exclusive of GST (New Zealand GST is 15%).
The Medical Levy, Health & Safety Levy and RallySafe fees are payable in addition to the Standard Entry Fee.
Standard Entry Fees (Competition and Time-Trial) include two tickets to the prize-giving function. Additional tickets can be purchased by completing a Function Form for each event.
Monthly payment plans are available – please email [email protected] to discuss a plan that suits you.
Credit card payments incur a merchant fee of 3% for NZ cards and 4% for international cards.