Kullamannen by UTMB
Kullamannen by UTMB – Seventh Seal
Båstad Skansen Beach → Båstad Race Center
Race guide
Updated 18 July 2026
The Seventh Seal is the 53 km distance at Kullamannen by UTMB, a coastal race on Sweden's Bjare peninsula that runs from Bastad Skansen Beach to the Bastad Race Center, taking in the dramatic cliffs of Hovs Hallar along the way. With 553 m of climbing and a high point of only 160 m, it sits in the sweet spot between the short North Shore and the full 100 km Sprint Ultra: long enough to demand real endurance, gentle enough in profile to stay fast and runnable. What defines the Seventh Seal is its shoreline character and its late rise into Hovs Hallar, the rocky headland that gives the course its most distinctive stretch. The rest of the route hugs low, near sea-level ground, so the race becomes a test of sustained running over 53 km rather than of climbing strength, with two intermediate cut-offs to keep honest along the way.
The course and terrain
The Seventh Seal covers 53 km from Bastad Skansen Beach (5 m) to the Bastad Race Center (11 m), with checkpoints at Glimminge at 18.9 km (5 m) and Hovs Hallar at 36.5 km (42 m). For most of its length the route runs close to sea level, and with a high point of just 160 m there is nothing resembling a mountain climb anywhere on the course. The defining terrain is the coastline itself and the headland of Hovs Hallar, reached at 36.5 km, where the ground rises from the flat opening kilometres into the rockier, more scenic cliffs of the Bjare peninsula. The 553 m of total climbing is concentrated in the middle and later parts of the route rather than in the flat run out to Glimminge, so the character shifts from fast and easy early on to more varied ground as you approach Hovs Hallar.
Where the race is decided
The opening 18.9 km to Glimminge is almost entirely flat and sits right at sea level, which makes it dangerously easy to run too hard. The race is really shaped in the middle third, between Glimminge at 18.9 km and Hovs Hallar at 36.5 km, where most of the climbing arrives and the terrain becomes rockier as the route reaches the headland at 42 m. From Hovs Hallar it is 16.5 km to the finish at the Bastad Race Center, and this closing stretch is where the day is won or lost. Runners who paced the flat early kilometres with restraint will have the legs to keep running the final section strongly, while those who spent themselves before Glimminge will find the low, unrelenting ground gives no chance to recover. Treat the arrival at Hovs Hallar as the point where the real work begins rather than as the end of the effort.
How to pace and fuel it
There are two support points, at Glimminge (18.9 km) and Hovs Hallar (36.5 km), dividing the course into legs of roughly 19 km, 18 km and 16.5 km. Those are substantial gaps for a coastal race, so carry enough fluid and calories to cover close to 19 km between stations, and top up fully each time you reach one. A vest with two flasks and a handful of gels or bars suits the spacing well. The intermediate cut-offs are Glimminge by Saturday 16:00 and Hovs Hallar by Saturday 20:00, with the finish at the Bastad Race Center closing at Sunday 02:00. That gives a generous overall window, but the Glimminge cut-off at 18.9 km is the one to note early: it means the flat opening leg still has to be covered at a purposeful pace. Aim for an even effort you can hold across all three legs, use each aid station to eat and drink properly, and keep something in reserve for the final push from Hovs Hallar to the finish.
Conditions to expect
This is a Swedish coastal ultra, and the exposed shoreline of the Bjare peninsula means sea wind and weather can be a significant factor, particularly across the flat, unsheltered early kilometres to Glimminge. The high point of 160 m at Hovs Hallar rules out any altitude concerns, and there are no long technical mountain descents, so the demands stay on endurance and pacing over 53 km. The rocky headland of Hovs Hallar is the scenic and physical highlight, offering the most varied terrain of the day before the run back into Bastad. Come prepared for changeable coastal conditions, manage your fuelling carefully across the two-station spacing, and respect the deceptively fast opening ground so that you reach Hovs Hallar with the legs to finish strong.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-17) · official source
0 km · 5 m · —
18.9 km · 5 m · Sat 16:00
36.5 km · 42 m · Sat 20:00
53 km · 11 m · Sun 02:00
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