UTA22

Race strategy

Run the downhill at race pace, but focus on the climb.

• 654m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Steep 33% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• Go easy on the first downhill, save your quads on the descents until 8.1km, then run your race pace.
• Start · 0.0km–1.9km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.9km–8.1km · Descent of 654m averaging 8%. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. This descent is hard on the legs: short steps, stay in control, poles if you have them.
• Home · 8.1km–21.5km · Climb of 1126m, high point 961m. Build to the finish: leave whatever you have left out on the course. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Hike the steepest pitches.

Course

The course climbs 900m+. With 41m/km of climbing, this is a rolling, mostly runnable course. By gradient, 47% of the distance is uphill, 43% downhill and 10% flat. The longest climb runs 13.4km at an average 8.4% grade (1126m of vertical). The longest descent runs 8.1km at an average 8.1% grade (654m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 33.4% over 0.5km. The steepest descent drops at 24.1% over 0.3km. Surface: 65% smooth and 33% trail. Flat-equivalent effort: 27.7 FlatKM.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 2.9km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is low (index 16 of 100): a few descents worth noting, none of them decisive.

• Go easy on the first downhill, save your quads on the descents until 8.1km, then run your race pace.
• #1 · 0.0–8.1 km · 654 m D−, -8.1% · 13.4 km ahead → control

Results

2,354 finishers completed the 2026 edition. Men's winner: Benjamin Duffus (Australia) in 1:38:45. Women's winner: Bridget Lunn (Australia) in 2:01:10.