HOKA Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB
HOKA Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB – UTA100
Scenic World, Katoomba
Race guide
Updated 18 July 2026
The HOKA Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB UTA100 is a 101 km single-loop ultra out of Scenic World in Katoomba, deep in the Blue Mountains. With 3,876 m of vertical gain and a high point of only 1,072 m, this is not an altitude race but a relentlessly undulating one, stitched together from escarpment tracks, fire trails and steep staircases carved into the sandstone. Starting and finishing at 956-960 m, the course drops repeatedly into forested valleys and hauls back up to the clifftop plateau. What defines UTA100 is not any single mountain but the accumulation: nine timed checkpoints, a series of long descents that trash the quads, and a finish that saves its cruelest climb for last. It rewards runners who pace the middle honestly and keep something in reserve for the wall at the end.
The Course: Escarpment Loop From Scenic World
The loop begins at Scenic World (960 m) and heads out along the plateau before shedding altitude toward the valley floor. From the start the route works down to Tarros at 13.8 km (925 m) and then plunges to Foggy Knob at 23.8 km, where the elevation has fallen to 621 m. The next stretch delivers you into the Six Foot Track corridor, with the aid station at 37.4 km sitting at just 576 m and the return water point at 45.7 km at the same 576 m. From that low point the character of the race flips. The course climbs back to the Katoomba plateau, reaching Katoomba Aquatic Centre at 56.2 km (984 m), then rolls along the escarpment through Fairmont Resort (68.3 km, 913 m) and Queen Victoria Hospital (79.3 km, 837 m). This middle-to-late section is classic Blue Mountains running: constant short climbs and drops with almost no flat, all under 1,072 m. Nothing here is technical mountaineering, but the sheer repetition of ascent and descent is what wears runners down over 101 km.
Where the Race Is Won or Lost: The Furber Steps Finish
The decisive section comes in the final 8.5 km. After Queen Victoria Hospital the course descends hard to the Emergency Aid Station at 92.5 km, which sits at only 413 m, the lowest point of the entire back half. From there the route claws back up to the finish at 956 m, roughly 543 m of climb crammed into the last stretch and capped by the notorious staircase back up to Scenic World. This is where UTA100 is decided. Runners who spent their legs on the earlier descents into Foggy Knob and Six Foot Track arrive at 92.5 km with nothing left for the final wall, and the climb turns into a slow grind. The smart play is to descend the first half under control, protecting the quads for exactly this moment, then treat the climb out of the Emergency Aid Station as the real race. Everything before it is positioning; the last 8.5 km is where places change hands.
Pacing and Fuel: Reading the Cut-offs
The timing structure gives you a clear map. Early cut-offs come quickly, Tarros at Sat 12:30 (13.8 km) and Foggy Knob at Sat 14:30 (23.8 km), so you cannot afford to dawdle in the opening descents. The crew-accessible Six Foot Track at 37.4 km closes at Sat 17:20, and Katoomba Aquatic Centre at 56.2 km at Sat 22:20. The back half stretches into the night: Fairmont Resort (68.3 km) closes Sun 02:05, Queen Victoria Hospital (79.3 km) Sun 05:55, and the final cut-off at the finish is Sun 12:30. The longest carry between staffed stations is manageable, with checkpoints spaced roughly every 10-15 km, but note the gap from Queen Victoria Hospital (79.3 km) to the Emergency Aid Station (92.5 km) is 13 km and lands right before the hardest climb. Fuel and top up water aggressively at QV Hospital knowing that the next section is long and ends with the steep haul to the line. Crew can meet you at Six Foot Track, Katoomba, Fairmont, and QV Hospital, so build your calorie and hydration plan around those hubs.
Conditions to Expect
UTA100 runs low, entirely beneath 1,072 m, so altitude is not a factor, but the Blue Mountains bring their own weather. The long descents into the Six Foot Track valley can be warm and still by day, while the exposed clifftop sections around Katoomba and the escarpment can be cold, damp and windy, especially once you are running into the night through Fairmont and Queen Victoria Hospital. The sandstone staircases and fire trails become slick when wet. Because the race pushes deep into darkness for most of the field, plan for a significant temperature swing and carry proper night kit. The valley floor at the Emergency Aid Station (413 m) will feel very different from the plateau finish at 956 m. Layer for the cold clifftop hours, protect your feet on the long rocky descents, and expect the final climb to Scenic World to be done under headtorch for all but the fastest runners.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-17) · official source
0 km · 960 m · —
13.8 km · 925 m · Sat 12:30
23.8 km · 621 m · Sat 14:30
37.4 km · 576 m · Sat 17:20
45.7 km · 576 m · —
56.2 km · 984 m · Sat 22:20
68.3 km · 913 m · Sun 02:05
79.3 km · 837 m · Sun 05:55
92.5 km · 413 m · —
101 km · 956 m · Sun 12:30
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