Tarawera Ultra-Trail by UTMB
Tarawera Ultra-Trail by UTMB – T50
Te Puia, Rotorua
Race guide
Updated 19 July 2026
The Tarawera Ultra-Trail T50 is the 52 km distance of the by UTMB event in New Zealand's Rotorua lakes district. It covers 52 km with 1236 m of climbing and a high point of 560 m, starting from Te Puia in Rotorua at 310 m. The gentle climb-to-distance ratio makes it a runnable lakes-and-forest ultra rather than a steep mountain race, and a strong step up from the shorter Tarawera distances. This is a fast, flowing course that rewards steady running over the many small undulations between the region's famous lakes. Passing Green Lake and Blue Lake before finishing in the Redwoods, the T50 is a genuine 50 km endurance test built on rhythm and consistency rather than vertical gain.
The course: Rotorua lakes and forest
From the start at Te Puia (310 m) the route runs to Puarenga at 10.5 km (338 m), staying low and runnable through the opening leg. It then climbs gradually into the lakes country, reaching Rotokakahi, or Green Lake, at 21.4 km (439 m) and the well-known Tikitapu, or Blue Lake, at 35.2 km (427 m). The course's high point of 560 m falls within this rolling central section. With 1236 m of climb spread over 52 km, there are no big mountain ascents; instead the profile undulates between lakeside and forest checkpoints. After Blue Lake the trail drops through the Redwoods at 45 km (329 m) and runs in to the finish at 285 m. This is smooth, flowing Rotorua singletrack throughout, so the emphasis is on continuous, efficient running rather than climbing.
Where the race is decided
Because the climbing is moderate and evenly spread, the T50 is won and lost on pacing rather than on a single decisive climb. The gradual gain from Puarenga (338 m) up toward Green Lake (21.4 km, 439 m) and the 560 m high point is where the day's altitude is quietly accumulated, and it arrives as the distance begins to tell. The stretch from Green Lake to Blue Lake at 35.2 km is the heart of the race, and the descent through the Redwoods (45 km) to the finish at 285 m is runnable enough to reward anyone who has held back early. Runners who overcook the fast, low opening kilometres to Puarenga tend to fade across this middle-to-late section, so patience through the first half sets up a strong finish.
Pacing and fuelling to the cut-offs
The cut-offs suit a steady runner while still requiring forward progress. The gates fall at Puarenga (10.5 km, closing Saturday 10:25), Blue Lake (35.2 km, Saturday 17:00) and the Redwoods (45 km, Saturday 19:45), with the finish closing Saturday 21:36. Puarenga, Blue Lake and the Redwoods are crew points, so plan resupply and pacing around them. Aid spacing is comfortable, with the longer runnable carries being the roughly 11 km leg from Puarenga to Green Lake and the stretch on to Blue Lake. On a fast, low-vertical course the fuelling trap is under-eating because you feel good and are running well early; hold a consistent hourly intake so the closing forest kilometres hold together. Use the crew points to refresh nutrition and, given the low elevations, to manage hydration and heat rather than cold.
Conditions to expect
The T50 runs at low elevation, between 285 m and 560 m, through the forest and lakes around Rotorua, so altitude is not a factor. The variables that matter are ground conditions and temperature. New Zealand forest trail can hold moisture, so expect potentially soft or damp footing in places alongside the smooth, fast singletrack the region is known for. With a start earlier in the day and cut-offs running into Saturday evening, plan for a temperature swing from warm, exposed running around the lakes to cooler, shaded forest later on. Carry a headlamp in case the closing kilometres run late, and favour light, grippy shoes for the flowing terrain. Overall the T50 is a runner's ultra where smart, even pacing and steady fuelling matter far more than any climbing kit.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-17) · official source
0 km · 310 m · —
10.5 km · 338 m · Sat 10:25
21.4 km · 439 m · —
35.2 km · 427 m · Sat 17:00
45 km · 329 m · Sat 19:45
52 km · 285 m · Sat 21:36
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