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One of the biggest names in the triathlon space, Ironman, is aiming to expand global interest in the Ultra-Trail Australia 100K as its new owner.

Ultra-Trail Australia, the second-largest ultra trail running event in the world, takes place each May in NSW Blue Mountains, attracting in excess of 6,000 competitors each year.

Explaining how acquiring the event diversifies its portfolio, Ironman Oceania Managing Director Dave Beeche stated “Ultra-Trail running is the new frontier of endurance sport, and Ironman welcomes the opportunity to be expanding its existing interests in triathlon, road running, cycling, and mountain biking and to be taking a step into this market.

“Ultra-Trail Australia has captivated runners locally and internationally and has quickly grown to become one of the most talked-about endurance events in Australia.”

The featured 100K trail running race is part of a four-day festival and exhibition based in Katoomba, NSW with the event winding through Australia’s World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains National Park, home to the stunning Three Sisters rock formation and a vast network of trails.

Ultra-Trail Australia’s main distance-running event is known for its vast views and challenging stair sections.

It also features other race distances for runners who haven’t trained for a 100K length or technical terrain. At half the length, the Ultra-Trail Australia 50K gains 2.4 kilometres of elevation and follows the second half of the 100K route through the Kedumba Valley.

Additionally, the shorter Pace UTA22 trail run rises 1,200 metre, councluding at Blue Mountains attraction Scenic World.

For families, there’s also a participatory trail race called the Injinji 1K-4-Kids at which every child receives a medal.

Beeche added “an integral part of its success is the camaraderie of the competitors, family, and friends, which we hope to preserve and build on.

“Our philosophy when taking on new events as iconic as Ultra-Trail Australia is to think of ourselves as custodians rather than owners, and, in doing so, ensure that we respect the history, the athletes, and the stakeholders to ensure that we continue its success and continue to improve the athlete experience.”

Applications for the 2019 Ultra-Trail Australia 100K will open in late September 2018.

Images: Racers navigate the Ultra-Trail Australia event. Courtesy of Lyndon Marceau Photography. 

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