EVENT PREVIEW WORDS: KATE DZIENIS IMAGES: TIM BARDSLEY-SMITH, GRAEME MURRAY
ULTRA-TRAIL AUSTRALIA THE BLUE MOUNTAINS, NSW AUSTRALIA ALMOST everyone and anyone who’s hit the trails across the Tasman has heard of Ultra-Trail Australia, and to be fair it’s on a lot of bucket lists.
four separate distances – 11km, 22km, 50km or 100km, and no fewer than 29 countries will be represented this year. One of the most amazing announcements of late by UTA is that 2022 will be the first time ever more women than men will be heading to the trails of the Blue Mountains for the race, while at the same time an estimated 44 per cent of entrants will be first-time participants. Every single entrant will get a chance to race along a variety of trails and terrain across some of the most beautiful and breathtaking natural landscape anywhere in Australia – or around the world.
Known to be the biggest trail running event in the southern hemisphere, well known athletes like Matt Crehan, Lucy Bartholomew, Ruth Croft and Vajin Armstrong have all raced and left lasting impressions on those with future prospects of entering. As part of the UTMB World Series, the 2022 UTA event will be held in mid-May with nearly 7500 runners provided an opportunity to test themselves across
EVENT
Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB
WHEN
12-15 May, 2022
DISTANCE
UTA11 | UTA22 | UTA50 | UTA100
WHERE MORE
The Blue Mountains, New South Wales ultratrailaustralia.com.au
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Known to be an intense challenge, many use the mantra ‘I love hills, I love stairs’ when training for UTA, but once you get cracking from the start line the adrenaline kicks in and everything you’ve worked hard for is put to the test. Granted, a lot of preparation does need to go in to racing UTA, but whether you’re chasing a podium finish or simply aiming to get through the distance, the terrain and the atmosphere are both something you’ll be talking about for days, months, even years after you’ve run it. Hands down, UTA is one of the most challenging, yet most rewarding events you’ll ever check off your bucket list.
