19 Nov 2024
HOKA Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB Elevates to UTMB World Series Major Status with New 100-Mile Race
HOKA Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB, the largest trail running festival in the Southern Hemisphere, has today been announced as the newest UTMB World Series Major and is set to take its place on the global stage in 2025 as one of four pinnacle events.
The Oceania race joins three other UTMB World Series Majors across Asia, Europe and North America, showcasing the very best of each region’s natural beauty, local hospitality and community spirit.
The World Heritage listed Blue Mountains, less than an hour west of Sydney, Australia, will host the biggest-ever Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB from 15-18 May 2025.
Traditionally, the event has consisted of four races, UTA11, UTA22, UTA50 and UTA100 – all of which are now sold-out – but due to its new Major status, Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB will introduce a 100-mile (160km) race in 2025, challenging runners to experience life in a day as they tackle one of the most beautiful courses in the world.
Set to the backdrop of the awe-inspiring Blue Mountains, the UTAMiler takes runners through the Grand Canyon, down more than 2,000 stairs past the Blue Gum Forest, along cliff tops, through lush valleys, and across scenic ridges, with expansive vistas rewarding runners along their journey.
Tanya Carroll, Regional Director of Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB, says everyone involved in the event, from the organising team to its partners and stakeholders, are thrilled to join the UTMB World Series Majors in 2025.
“Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB has become an iconic event on the global trail running calendar and we’re excited to become a UTMB World Series Major next year,” said Carroll. “Since it began back in 2008 UTA has become a bucket-list event for trail runners from Australia and around the world and we can’t wait to take the event to the next level in 2025.
“In becoming a UTMB World Series Major we have added a new and exciting challenge for runners, the UTAMiler,” she said. “This 100-mile event will provide an incredible test for runners, taking them on a journey along some of the best trails on offer in the region, with the new distance set to attract existing runners looking for their next challenge along with some of the top trail runners from around the world.”
With Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB joining the ranks of the UTMB World Series Majors, the 2025 event is set to draw in more elite runners from Australia and around the world than ever before thanks to the lucrative AUD$120,000 HOKA Prize Pool on offer. Fans of the sport are also set to benefit, with three days of action beamed into households globally as a live broadcast of Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB transports viewers to the stunning Blue Mountains.
Australian professional ultra runner Lucy Bartholomew, a former UTA100 champion who has completed Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB seven times, says the event is a perfect fit for a UTMB World Major.
“I couldn’t think of a better place to showcase a UTMB World Major than the Blue Mountains. This land is so special and to be able to run it, share it, and move through it in race distances from the kids race all the way up to the new 100-mile distance is a privilege and a blessing. For the fast runners it’s exciting to see an increase in prize purse across all distances but for every runner it is exciting to bring the community together and share a weekend in the iconic Blue Mountains and do something special. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in May,” said Bartholomew.
For the almost 7,000 runners already set to race in 2025, Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB will now offer double the amount of Running Stones compared to other UTMB World Series Events for the UTMB World Series Finals lottery, as well as increased automatic qualification slots for the UTMB World Series Finals, with 210 runners to secure their place on the start line in Mont Blanc, France, via Australia next May.
Racing at Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB begins on Thursday 15 May 2025, with UTA11. The 11km event starts and finishes at Scenic World in Katoomba, providing a stunningly beautiful course that takes in the highlights of the area and is the ideal entry point for those new to trail running.
The following day sees runners in the UTA22 take to the trails, with the 22km course a fun and achievable introduction to distance trail running.
Also getting underway on Friday 16 May is the pinnacle event, the brand new UTAMiler, with runners beginning their 100-mile journey in the pre-dawn hours and given 42 hours to complete their race.
On the morning of Saturday 17 May UTA50 and UTA100 get underway, with runners covering 50km and 100km respectively, finishing at the iconic Scenic World on the edge of the Blue Mountains National Park.
Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB is proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
For more on Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB visit https://uta.utmb.world/
ENDS
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Ruth Bowerman
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