Bucovina Ultra Rocks by UTMB
Bucovina Ultra Rocks by UTMB – ROCKY
Câmpulung Moldovenesc → Campulung Moldovenesc
Race guide
Updated 19 July 2026
ROCKY is the 33 km distance at Bucovina Ultra Rocks by UTMB, a loop out of and back to Campulung Moldovenesc with 1,873 m of climbing. It sits neatly between the short RADICAL and the summit-heavy longer races, offering a proper mountain day built around a single dominant climb to the Rarau massif rather than the repeated summits of the FOUR SUMMITS and LADY'S ROCKS. The course delivers the signature Bucovina experience in a more accessible package: one big ascent to genuinely high, rocky ground near 1,617 m, followed by a long descent and a short final climb back to town. It is a strong choice for runners stepping up to Carpathian mountain terrain, or for those wanting a hard but manageable single-climb race with a clear tactical shape.
The Course and Terrain
ROCKY starts and finishes in Campulung Moldovenesc at 646 m. The defining feature is the early climb: from the town the route ascends past Bucovina Eco Retreat at 8.1 km (805 m) all the way to Varful Rarau at 14.3 km, reaching 1,617 m, which is close to the day's high point of 1,625 m. From the summit area the course descends to Transrarau at 19.6 km (1,369 m), drops further through Prasca at 25.5 km (1,054 m) and Paraul Mesteacan at 30.4 km (719 m), then climbs briefly over Runc at 31.7 km (1,102 m) before returning to the finish. With 1,873 m of gain across 33 km, the climbing is concentrated in the long pull to Rarau in the first half, after which the course trends downhill with one late kicker. Expect rocky, technical footing on the Rarau high ground, steep gradients on both the main climb and the descent to Transrarau, and more runnable forest trail on the valley sections toward Paraul Mesteacan and the run-in.
Where the Race Is Won and Lost
ROCKY is a race built around one climb, and how you ride it decides your day. The ascent from the 646 m start to Varful Rarau at 1,617 m by 14.3 km is nearly a thousand metres of sustained gain, and it comes early while the legs are fresh, which makes it dangerously easy to overspend. Climb it at a controlled, repeatable effort and you reach the high ground with plenty left for the second half. From Rarau the character flips. The descent to Transrarau at 19.6 km (1,369 m) and the longer drop through Prasca to Paraul Mesteacan at 30.4 km (719 m) is where a confident downhill runner recovers time and rhythm, but only if the quads survived the climb. The sting in the tail is Runc: after bottoming out at 719 m you face a short, sharp climb to 1,102 m at 31.7 km before the finish. It is exactly the kind of late rise that catches out runners who emptied the tank on Rarau, so keep a small reserve for it.
How to Pace and Fuel It
Two cut-offs frame ROCKY: Transrarau at 19.6 km closes Saturday 14:00, and Paraul Mesteacan at 30.4 km closes Saturday 16:15, with the finish back in Campulung Moldovenesc by Saturday 18:00. The Transrarau gate sits just after the Rarau summit, so the key is to climb efficiently enough to clear it comfortably rather than arriving already against the clock. Bank a sensible margin on the first half and the descent-heavy back section should come more easily. Transrarau at 19.6 km is the crew point on the loop, so plan your resupply around it and run self-sufficient on the long Rarau climb and the valley section that follows. Fuel steadily on the ascent rather than waiting for the top, and take on a full water load before the climb since the biggest effort comes early. Eat and drink properly at Transrarau to set up the descents, and save a gel for the Runc climb near the end. For a 33 km mountain race the demands are real but manageable if you respect the front-loaded vertical.
Conditions to Expect
ROCKY reaches genuinely high, exposed ground near 1,617 m on the Rarau summit while starting and finishing in the valley at 646 m, so expect a real difference in temperature and wind between the town and the tops. The Rarau high ground can be cold and blustery even on a mild day, and Carpathian mountain weather can change quickly, so carry a waterproof shell and a warm layer as standard kit for the summit section. As the name suggests, the terrain on the high ground is rocky and technical, and the steep descent from Rarau to Transrarau will test footwork and tired legs on uneven ground. Most runners will complete the course in daylight given the Saturday 18:00 finish cut-off, so lighting is unlikely to be a concern, but conditions underfoot can turn slick after rain, particularly on the steeper descents. Confident, careful descending on rocky trail is the skill that will most improve your time on this course.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-17) · official source
0 km · 646 m · —
8.1 km · 805 m · —
14.3 km · 1617 m · —
19.6 km · 1369 m · Sat 14:00
25.5 km · 1054 m · —
30.4 km · 719 m · Sat 16:15
31.7 km · 1102 m · —
33 km · 648 m · Sat 18:00
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