Oman by UTMB®
Oman by UTMB® – SKYWARD CANYON
Izki → Birkat Almouz
Race guide
Updated 18 July 2026
The Skyward Canyon is the 50 km race at Oman by UTMB, a demanding point-to-point line from Izki to Birkat Almouz. Across its 50 kilometres it delivers 2,258 m of positive gain and a high point of 2,079 m, and its signature is a colossal early climb straight out of the wadi that lifts runners more than 1,400 m to the roof of the course inside the opening 15 km. What defines this race is that front-loaded vertical: rather than spreading the climbing evenly, the route hurls you up onto the high plateau early, holds you there through the middle, and then hands back nearly all of that elevation in a long descent to the finish. It rewards strong, patient climbers who can also protect their legs for a punishing drop to Birkat Almouz.
The Course: Izki to Birkat Almouz
Skyward Canyon covers 50 km from Imti (609 m), near Izki, to Birkat Almouz (575 m), with 2,258 m of total ascent and a high point of 2,079 m. The route opens gently to the Wadi Entrance at 4.6 km (645 m), then explodes upward: Alrufaisa Mosque at 11 km sits at 1,793 m and Road Cross at 14.7 km at 2,060 m. From there the course traverses the high ground through Alaqar (22.4 km, 1,971 m) and Saiq (26.9 km, 1,900 m) before the long descent. The back half sheds altitude relentlessly, dropping through Sallut at 29.8 km (1,543 m), Masirat Ruwajih at 33.6 km (1,028 m) and Almuaydin at 41.6 km (676 m), then Tawi Sada at 46.5 km (613 m) before the finish at Birkat Almouz. With named waypoints across canyon, plateau and village terrain, this is a course of two very distinct halves: up and over early, then down and out to the line.
Where the Race Is Won and Lost
The defining effort is the wall from the Wadi Entrance to Road Cross. In roughly 10 km you climb from 645 m to 2,060 m, more than 1,400 m of gain, with the steepest concentration between the Wadi Entrance and Alrufaisa Mosque at 1,793 m. Pace this climb wrong and the rest of the day unravels; climb it with discipline and you reach the high plateau with legs intact for the long traverse through Alaqar and Saiq. The second decisive phase is the descent. From Saiq at 1,900 m the course loses well over 1,300 m to Almuaydin at 676 m and keeps falling to the finish at 575 m. That sustained downhill is where quads are destroyed and time is quietly lost by runners who blew up on the ascent. Managing the pounding through Sallut, Masirat Ruwajih and Almuaydin, and still having something for Tawi Sada into Birkat Almouz, separates a strong finish from a survival march.
Pacing and Fuelling with the Cut-Offs
Three hard gates shape the day. Road Cross at 14.7 km closes at Fri 12:15, Saiq at 26.9 km at Fri 15:30, and the intermediate gate at Almuaydin at 41.6 km at Fri 20:30, with the finish at Birkat Almouz (50 km) closing at Fri 22:00. The first cut-off comes right at the top of the monster climb, so your climbing pace out of Izki has to be strong enough to clear Road Cross with margin, not just reach it. Fuel and hydration strategy should match the profile. Eat and drink steadily on the long ascent even though it is hard to take on calories while climbing, because Saiq at 26.9 km is a crew point where you can resupply before the descent. Carry enough between the widely spaced checkpoints, and use the crew stop at Saiq to load fluid and food for the long drop through Almuaydin and Tawi Sada. Save a mental and nutritional reserve for the closing kilometres into Birkat Almouz after Fri 20:30's gate at Almuaydin.
Conditions to Expect
Skyward Canyon spans a huge altitude range, from 575 m at the finish to a high point of 2,079 m, so runners move from warm, dry wadi ground into notably higher, more exposed mountain terrain near Road Cross, Alaqar and Saiq before descending again. That range means conditions can shift on the plateau, and the exposed high traverse offers little shelter. With cut-offs running from Friday midday to Fri 22:00, the race covers the heat of the day on the big climb and the descent into evening and darkness on the way down to Birkat Almouz. Prepare for strong sun and heat low down, cooler and windier conditions up high, and a long descent run partly in the dark, which places a premium on secure footing and a reliable light for the drop through Almuaydin and Tawi Sada to the finish.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-17) · official source
0 km · 609 m · —
4.6 km · 645 m · —
11 km · 1793 m · —
14.7 km · 2060 m · Fri 12:15
22.4 km · 1971 m · —
26.9 km · 1900 m · Fri 15:30
29.8 km · 1543 m · —
33.6 km · 1028 m · —
41.6 km · 676 m · Fri 20:30
46.5 km · 613 m · —
50 km · 575 m · Fri 22:00
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