Matterhorn Ultraks Active

Race strategy

Run hard on the first mountain, but save energy for the second.

• Start easy and control your HR up to the aid station at 8.0km.
• Hold your race pace up to 12.4km, but stay in control.
• Final 690m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 12.4km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.7km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.7km–8.1km · Climb of 647m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Work · 8.1km–12.4km · Climb of 262m, high point 2272m. Plus 1 more descent. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Home · 12.4km–18.9km · Descent of 690m averaging 11%. Build to the finish: leave whatever you have left out on the course. Very long descent: first half under control, then even, let go only near the end.

Course

The course climbs 1150m+. With 61m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 57% of the distance is uphill, 36% downhill and 7% flat. The longest climb runs 8.1km at an average 8.0% grade (647m of vertical). The longest descent runs 6.4km at an average 10.8% grade (690m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 14.8% over 1.4km. The steepest descent drops at 28.7% over 0.4km. Surface: 58% trail, 24% smooth, and 15% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 25.7 FlatKM.

Poles

The course is runnable enough that trekking poles are not needed.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is low (index 14 of 100): a few descents worth noting, none of them decisive.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 12.4km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• 12.4–18.9 km · 690 m D−, -10.8% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 8°C to 16°C, with around 12°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 45%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 7% of days around this date.

Results

1,309 finishers completed the 2026 edition. Men's winner: Cédric Lehmann (Switzerland) in 1:30:20. Women's winner: Nathalie Geiser (Switzerland) in 1:43:11.