Bucovina Ultra Rocks by UTMB
Bucovina Ultra Rocks by UTMB (100M 114K)
Câmpulung Moldovenesc
Race guide
Updated 29 June 2026
Bucovina Ultra Rocks by UTMB (100M 114K) is a 114 km mountain ultra with 6501 m of climbing that loops out of Câmpulung Moldovenesc in the Bucovina region of north-east Romania. Starting and finishing at Platoul Central (646 m), the course weaves through some of the most remote forested ridgelines and rocky massifs in the Eastern Carpathians, peaking at 1843 m. With back-to-back ascents of the Rarău and Giumalău massifs and a cumulative cut-off window that stretches across three calendar days, this is a race that demands respect from the first kilometre — not just from the final third.
Course & Terrain
The route is structured around two major massif loops that leave and return to the valley of the Moldova river. The first loop climbs from Câmpulung Moldovenesc to Rarău Ski Resort (6 km, 842 m), then pushes higher to the Rarău plateau at 12 km (1264 m) before dropping steeply to Slătioara at 795 m by km 25. A second hit of Rarău follows immediately, climbing to 1550 m by km 32 and descending again to the Zugreni checkpoint at km 41 (854 m). The second loop is longer and higher: Pietrosu Bistriței (1672 m at km 48), a valley crossing through Rusca (808 m at km 58), a long haul up to Giumalău 1 (1705 m at km 67), a descent to Valea Putnei (992 m at km 77), then a second assault on Giumalău peaking at 1787 m by km 89. A final ridge traverse leads to Transrarău at km 94 (1304 m) before the long descent through Pârâul Mesteacăn and Runc back to the finish. Underfoot conditions vary from rocky ridge trail and rooty forest single-track to grassy alm and rocky scree near the summits. Expect technical footing on the upper Rarău and Giumalău sections and runnable — but deceptive — valley trails.
The Decisive Climbs & Where the Race Is Won or Lost
The race does not have one crux — it has four, and they arrive in pairs. The repeated climb to Rarău in the first 32 km is the race's first test of ego: the ascents feel manageable early, the ridgeline views are rewarding, and the descents back to the valley are long enough to trash quads if you bomb them. Save your legs here. The true crucible is the Giumalău double: climbing to 1705 m at km 67, dropping to 992 m at km 77 (with a hard cut-off of Day 2 19:00), and then re-climbing to 1787 m by km 89 on legs that have already covered some 85+ km. Anyone who has gone out hard through the Rarău section will be paying for it acutely on that second Giumalău ascent. The Transrarău checkpoint at km 94 (1304 m) is the psychological watershed — from here the route is predominantly downhill for the final 20 km — but 'downhill' on tired legs across 10+ km of mountain descent to Pârâul Mesteacăn can still break you if you have nothing left.
How to Pace It
The valley sections in the opening kilometres are a classic trap. They feel free — runnable, undemanding, almost social — and that freedom will cost you dearly if you spend it recklessly. The winning approach here is to treat the first half as a deposit, not a race. Go easy enough that you could hold a conversation through Slătioara, through Zugreni, even on the lower slopes of Pietrosu Bistriței. The second half of this course — particularly the Giumalău double from km 67 to 89 — is where the real race begins, and the runners who appear to 'do nothing' in the first 50 km are precisely the ones who can move purposefully when others are reduced to a shuffle. When fatigue accumulates in the back half, break the remaining distance into small, managed chunks: summit to summit, checkpoint to checkpoint. Two more climbs and you're home. That framing — managed, not feared — is the difference between a finish and a DNF.
Fuelling & Crew Strategy
With crew access at Rarău 1 (km 12), Rarău 2 (km 32), Zugreni (km 41), Rusca (km 58), Transrarău (km 94) and the finish, you have meaningful resupply windows across the whole course. The Rusca checkpoint at km 58 is the only designated drop-bag location, making it the most important resupply point on the course — arrive with a clear plan for what you need for the Giumalău double, including night kit if you will be on the upper ridges after dark. Caloric demand climbs sharply once you hit the second massif loop; do not wait until you feel hungry to eat on the Giumalău ascents. Hydrate aggressively at valley checkpoints (Slătioara, Zugreni, Rusca, Valea Putnei) because the exposed ridge sections above 1600 m can be dry and wind-exposed. Plan your crew meetings to be brief and purposeful, especially at Zugreni (cut-off Day 2 09:00) and Rusca (cut-off Day 2 13:00), where time margins may be tighter than they look on paper.
Conditions to Expect
Bucovina sits in a continental mountain climate with real variability. The Rarău and Giumalău massifs are exposed above treeline and can carry strong winds and rapid temperature drops even in summer race conditions. Runners should carry a wind layer and waterproof from the start — the high-point at 1843 m is not a place to be under-dressed when a front rolls in. Nights in the valleys can be cool and damp; fog is common in the forested descents. Conversely, the mid-day hours on Day 2 — when the course passes through the open lower valleys around Rusca and Valea Putnei — can bring genuine heat load. Plan your effort in those sections accordingly: use shade where it exists, moderate your pace, and treat any significant warming as a signal to rehydrate rather than push harder. The combination of cool nights on the ridges and warm valley afternoons means layering flexibility is essential, and your drop bag at Rusca (km 58) is the last realistic opportunity to adjust your kit before the final push.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-05) · official source
0 km · 645 m · —
8.1 km · 811 m · —
14.2 km · 1624 m · —
26.5 km · 809 m · —
34.1 km · 1618 m · —
43.1 km · 799 m · Sat 09:30
48.6 km · 1753 m · —
51.3 km · 1462 m · —
58.6 km · 770 m · Sat 13:30
65.6 km · 1539 m · —
67.1 km · 1835 m · —
78.9 km · 910 m · Sat 19:30
89.1 km · 1565 m · —
90.5 km · 1835 m · —
95.5 km · 1339 m · Sun 02:00
105.3 km · 736 m · —
111.4 km · 710 m · Sun 06:00
112.6 km · 1023 m · —
115.1 km · 645 m · Sun 07:30
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