About Kepler Challenge
Kepler Challenge is the ultra trail at Kepler Challenge 2027 (Control Gates, Te Anau, New Zealand). The race starts on December 4, 2027. It starts in Control Gates, Te Anau.
Race strategy
Run hard on the first mountain, but save energy for the second.
- Big early climb with 1200m gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
- 1075m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
- Steep 27% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
- The finish is runnable. Save your legs to run it all the way.
- Ease into the early runnable section, save your quads on the descents until 29.6km, then run your race pace.
- 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–16.3km · Climb of 1199m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.
- Work · 16.3km–29.6km · Descent of 213m averaging 9%, high point 1407m, descent of 1075m averaging 11%. Plus 1 more climb. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. This descent is hard on the legs: short steps, stay in control, poles if you have them. Hike the steepest pitches.
- Home · 29.6km–59.2km · 29.6km of runnable trail. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.
Course
By gradient, 22% of the distance is uphill, 20% downhill and 58% flat. The longest climb runs 11.0km at an average 10.9% grade (1199m of vertical). The longest descent runs 9.4km at an average 11.4% grade (1075m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 23.6% over 0.2km. The steepest descent drops at 27.0% over 0.6km. Surface: 94% trail and 6% extreme.
Poles
Poles bring little benefit here: only about 4.7km of pole-friendly terrain.
Quad damage
Quad damage risk is moderate (index 22 of 100), with 87% of the load in the first half: 1 descent deserves a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.
- Ease into the early runnable section, save your quads on the descents until 29.6km, then run your race pace.
- #1 · 20.1–29.6 km · 1075 m D−, -11.4% · 29.6 km ahead → control
This page has a pacing and nutrition planner, a gradient matrix, an interactive elevation profile and historical weather for Kepler Challenge.
Other editions of Kepler Challenge2026
Official websitekeplerchallenge.co.nz
