All your options, ranked
There are more legitimate routes than most runners realise. The problem is most people head straight to Facebook groups, where they're just as likely to find a scammer as a genuine seller. Here's the full picture:
Community transfers — the most common route
For most sold-out Australian events, a community transfer is the most realistic path to the start line. The running community generates thousands of genuine transfer requests every year — people who entered in good faith and then faced injury, illness, work commitments, or life simply getting in the way.
The key is finding these runners through legitimate channels and completing the transfer safely. The official transfer portals exist precisely for this purpose — they protect both parties, ensure the entry is legally in your name on race day, and create a clear audit trail.
BibBuddy (launching soon) is built specifically for this — verified profiles, community trust ratings, and safe transfer guidance built in. In the meantime: event-specific Facebook groups, running club noticeboards, Strava clubs for your target event, and the race organiser's own social channels are your best sources.
Join the BibBuddy waitlist
We're building the place where Aussie runners buy, sell, and transfer race entries safely. Join the waitlist to be first when we launch.
Join the Waitlist — Be First to Know →Launching soon · Built by runners, for runners
How to do a community transfer safely
Community transfers are safe when done correctly — and genuinely risky when done incorrectly. Scammers target desperate runners in the weeks before major events, and the combination of urgency and large sums of money creates the perfect conditions for fraud.
- Verify the entry is real — ask to see the confirmation email. No confirmation email means no confirmed entry.
- Agree on price first — before either party takes any action in the portal.
- Seller initiates the official transfer — through Active Network, Race Roster, or Update My Entry. You should receive an official invitation email from the platform.
- You accept through the official invitation — not any link the seller sends directly.
- Pay only after the invitation arrives — never pay before you have it in your inbox.
- Use PayPal Goods and Services — not bank transfer, PayID, cash, or PayPal Friends and Family.
Payment requested before the transfer is initiated. Anyone refusing to use the official portal. PayID or bank transfer requests. "I have multiple entries available." Urgency pressure — "another buyer is waiting." Brand new profiles with no running history. Read our complete safe transfer guide for the full red flag list.
Transfer rules by event
Not all Australian events allow peer-to-peer transfers. Check the specific rules for your target event first:
| Event | Transfers | Platform | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Coast Marathon | Yes | Active Network | Window opens ~3 months out |
| Melbourne Marathon | Yes | Race Roster | ~4–6 weeks deadline |
| Brisbane Marathon | Yes | Active Network | ~4–6 weeks deadline |
| Sunshine Coast Marathon | Yes | Active Network | Check race website for window |
| Sydney Marathon | No | N/A | World Major — transfers closed |
| Noosa Triathlon | Check | Triathlon Australia | Ballot system, limited transfers |
| Ultra-Trail Australia | Yes | Update My Entry | Check window — fills fast |
| Ironman events | Yes | Ironman platform | Fee applies, deadline varies |
| City2Surf | Yes | Active Network | Large field, straightforward |
Charity bibs
Charity bibs are a reliable but underused route. The structure is simple: commit to raising a minimum for a nominated charity, receive a confirmed entry even when the public ballot is closed.
The minimum varies by event — Gold Coast Marathon charity partners typically require A$1,500–2,500, Melbourne runs higher at A$3,000+. The process takes 2–4 weeks to set up, so if you're looking for an entry with less than 6 weeks to race day, this may not be your fastest route.
Contact the race organiser early if you're going this route — charity bib allocations also have limits. Email the organiser as soon as you decide to pursue this option.
How official waitlists actually work
Most Australian event waitlists work as a pool, not a queue. When an entry is returned to the organiser, it gets offered to a random selection of people simultaneously — first to accept gets it. Being on the waitlist for 6 months doesn't give you priority over someone who joined yesterday.
Practical advice: join the waitlist immediately, stay alert, and check your spam folder regularly. Waitlist notifications often have short acceptance windows — 24–48 hours — and more than a few runners have missed offers because the email landed in spam.
Running club entries
Major events allocate guaranteed entries to affiliated running clubs. If you're a member of an Athletics Australia affiliated club, ask your secretary or president whether your club has an allocation. Many clubs receive entries they struggle to fill — a direct conversation often reveals options that never get publicly advertised.
Your last-minute checklist
Do all of these simultaneously — not one at a time:
For most Australian events outside Sydney Marathon, a determined runner who starts looking early enough will find an entry. The community is generally honest and helpful — there are many runners who genuinely need to transfer and want it to go to someone who will actually race. Start early, be genuine, follow the safe process.