Man who died during Motatapu race was a newlywed who buried his son three weeks ago

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from Otago News

From reporter Olivia Caldwell:

When Peter Murphy stood at the starting line of Queenstown’s Motatapu​ mountain bike race on Saturday, he had just buried his son three weeks earlier.

The cause of the 58-year-old’s own unexpected death, 10 minutes into the 47km race, is unknown, with an autopsy on Monday coming back inconclusive.

On February 10, Murphy’s 23-year-old son, Daniel, died from a rare cancer – a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour.

Doctors had said his leg would need to be amputated, ending his professional dancing career. The cancer spread too quickly for radiation therapy to keep on top of it.

Jo Fuller said Murphy was heartbroken about losing his son.


The couple had been looking forward to a lot in 2023 – moving into their dream home in Wānaka in five weeks, and enjoying life as newlyweds.

They had been together eight years and married in Wānaka on December 22.

The sun shone for the ceremony, but just as Murphy was about to deliver his “off the cuff speech” a loud crack of thunder filled the air, lightning hit the sky and a downpour of torrential rain followed.

“It was an amazing day. We had the absolute time of our lives.”

Murphy and his brother-in-law, Jim Fuller, planned to do the Motatapu race in 2020 before it was cancelled because of Covid-19. Murphy had completed the race five times before.


The mates started the race together on Saturday.

“I thought he will catch me up because he’s fitter, so I went off, and then I slowed down and ... I kept looking back for him,” Jim Fuller said.

When he reached the finish line, he was told Murphy had died.

His death was a shock to those who knew him. He took medication for a heart arrhythmia, but was fit.


Jo Fuller said she snuck a hug, kiss and reluctant photo of her new husband in his lycra when she dropped him off at the start line on Saturday.


Murphy, too, snuck in one last romantic act – one he’d been doing since their first car ride together.

“He was a gentleman. I used to go and open the door to the car, and he would open it ... it took me probably six months to stop opening it myself. He did it right up until Saturday.”


The race began 9am. At 10am, Fuller was called and told there had been an “incident”.

A doctor was one of the first to find Murphy on the gravel road and attempted over 45 minutes of CPR until an ambulance arrived.

“I just thought Pete was going to be in one of the ambulances, so I ran and there was no-one in it,” Fuller said.

“I came around the corner and there was Pete lying on the road with a white cloth over him ... I just stood there and collapsed.”


Murphy and Fuller first met 30 years ago at an antenatal group – both attending with their partners of the time.

In 2014, after both relationships had ended, they ran into each other at a friend’s party.

“He said ‘look we've got 20 years of stuff to catch up on’.”

They caught up as friends, Fuller said, though Murphy had other plans.


Murphy invited himself to meet her in Singapore on her way home from running the Paris Marathon, so she couldn’t really turn him down, she said.

“That’s how he weaselled himself into my life when I made it very clear I was not interested.”

Murphy, who had a big smile, was kind, easygoing, welcoming, and a bit cheeky, Fuller said.

It would have been Murphy’s 59th birthday on Sunday. The couple were going to go to their favourite restaurant Francesca’s for pizza.


Murphy has two other children, Georgia and William. His ex-wife Robyn Murphy is based in Christchurch.

On Monday, police said they wanted to hear from anyone who saw Murphy before the race, or saw what happened.

“We know that there would have been competitors and supporters in the bike race who had travelled to Wānaka from all parts of the country,” Senior Sergeant Chris Brooks said.

“So we are asking anyone – whether you are currently in the Wānaka area or have since returned home – who may have information to please let us know, so we can help get some answers for this man’s family.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 105 or fill out a report online at 105.police.govt.nz/ using 'Update Report' and the file number 230304/1913.