UTMB World Series Major ยท Katoomba, Blue Mountains, Australia
HOKA Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB
Ultra-Trail Australia is a UTMB World Series Major in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales. It is one of the largest trail festivals in the world, and it mixes runnable fire trails with long sandstone staircases.
- Where
- Katoomba, Blue Mountains, Australia
- Month
- May
- Region
- Oceania
- Longest race
- UTAMiler, 161.1 km, about 7,200 m of climbing
- Conditions
- Autumn: mild days, cold nights and a real chance of rain.
- Official site
- uta.utmb.world
Dates, distances and qualification rules change every year, so confirm on the official site before you plan.
What is the Ultra-Trail Australia course like?
The routes run through eucalyptus forest and along cliff-top lookouts, with steep stairs such as the Furber Steps. Fire trails are fast, so it is easy to run the flat parts too hard and reach the stairs with tired legs. This race has kept direct age-group places to Chamonix while the other Majors moved to a top 10 system, so check the official page.
What are the Ultra-Trail Australia distances?
| Race | Distance | Climbing | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| UTAMiler | 161.1 km | about 7,200 m | |
| UTA100 | 101 km | about 4,400 m | |
| UTA50 | 51 km | about 2,400 m | |
| UTA22 | 22 km | about 1,200 m | |
| 11.4K | 11.4 km | n/a | |
| 1K | 1 km | n/a |
How do you fuel the Ultra-Trail Australia?
Autumn: mild days, cold nights and a real chance of rain.
- Estimate your time honestly. Stairs and descents slow you down. Use last year's finishing times for your distance.
- Fuel on a timer on the fire trails. Take gels or chews on the clock. Eat before the stairs, not on them.
- Plan the night. Long races run through the night, when appetite drops. Plan warm, easy foods.
- Split the plan by station. Turn hourly needs into what to carry on each stretch.
Work out your numbers
- Ultra fuel plan calculator: A whole race plan: per hour, hour by hour, race totals and a rough fuel budget.
- Aid station and drop bag planner: What to carry between aid stations and what to pack in each drop bag.
- Carbs per hour calculator: How many grams of carbohydrate to take each hour of an ultra.
- Night ultra nutrition
- The ultra drop bag packing list
- Carbs per hour in an ultra
What does a Major give you?
Majors award double Running Stones for the UTMB World Series Finals in Chamonix. See the official Majors page for the current rules, and the comparison of all of them.
Frequently asked questions
When is Ultra-Trail Australia held?
In May.
Does it count towards the UTMB World Series Finals in Chamonix?
As a Major it awards double Running Stones, which are entries to the Finals lottery. The top 10 men and top 10 women in the 50K, 100K and 100 mile races also get automatic entry. Rules change, so check the official Majors page.
Is the direct age-group place still on offer?
Not for long. Ultra-Trail Australia is moving to the same system as the other Majors, so check the official page.
The other races
- HOKA Canyons Endurance Runs by UTMB (April)
- HOKA Val d'Aran by UTMB (July)
- Wildstrubel by UTMB (September)
- HOKA Kodiak Ultra Marathons by UTMB (October)
- HOKA Chiang Mai Thailand by UTMB (November)
- UTMB World Series Finals in Chamonix (August)
General information, not medical or dietary advice.