Australian HOKA Ultra-Trail Blue Mountains event added to the UTMB World Series Major

By
published

The trail running event is the largest in the southern hemisphere and joins the run-up of existing UTMB Majors across Asia, Europe, and North America

A runner coming across the finish line of the Ultra-Trail Australia with a banner
The UTA race is the second largest trail running event in the world (Image credit: Getty Images)

Australia's premier trail running event, and the second largest in the world, has been named the newest race in the UTMB World Series Major.

It joins the global stage alongside existing Major ultra races in Europe, Asia, and North America that belong to the world circuit of trail running races.

HOKA Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB will be held from 15-18 May 2025 in the heart of the stunning Blue Mountains in New South Wales, Australia, just under an hour west of Sydney. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is known for its soaring sandstone ridges, native bushland, and breathtaking views, offering runners beautiful vistas along their routes.

A man running across a bridge with views of a mountain range in the distance

HOKA Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB offers beautiful views of the Blue Mountains (Image credit: Getty Images)

The inaugural Oceania Major, brings the UTMB World Series Major events up to four in total. Existing UTMB Majors include the HOKA Kodiak Ultramarathons in North America, HOKA Val d'Aran in the Pyrenees, and HOKA Chiang Mai in Thailand.

With these races, participants can earn double Running Stones, entry points needed to enter the lottery for the UTMB World Series Finals, and the famous Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, in the heart of the Alps. There will also be increased automatic qualification slots for the Finals, with 210 runners to secure their place on the start line in Mont Blanc the following May.

The trails on offer are as beautiful as you'd imagine them to be. The Blue Mountains are famous for the Giant Stairway, a popular walking track that descends 998 stairs over rugged terrain with viewpoints of the Three Sisters rock formations. There's a strong focus on national heritage, too, with routes following the footsteps of Australian Gundungurra ancestors and offering glimpses of famous Aboriginal sites.

A post shared by Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB (@ultratrailaustralia)

A photo posted by on

The Australian ultra running event, known as the UTA, has a rich 16-year history. Acquired by IRONMAN in 2018, it's hosted four races every year: UTA11, UTA22, UTA50 and UTA100 – all of which are now sold-out. Due to acquiring its new UTMB Major status, however, HOKA Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB has introduced a 100-mile (160km) race in 2025, with entries now open. Elite runners will also be competing for winnings within the $120,000 AUD ($78,225 USD) HOKA Prize Pool across all ultra races.

Tanya Carroll, Regional Director of HOKA Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB, announced in a press release that this new 100-mile event will provide an incredible test for runners. "It takes 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," she said.

CATEGORIES
Lilith Hudson
Lilith Hudson

Lilith is a freelance writer and trail runner based in the Derbyshire Dales. Living on the doorstep of Dovedale, she loves nothing more than heading out into the peaks to explore a new hill route. Besides running, she's also a keen hiker. Having finished the three peaks alongside her Dad, the pair are now turning their attention to the Lake District's Wainwrights and Scotland's Munros for 2025. At weekends, you'll likely find her running a fell race or scrambling up one of Derbyshire's limestone hills.