RMB Ultra-Trail Cape Town
Ultra-Trail Cape Town 100M (UTCT)
Cape Town (Gardens Rugby Club)
Race guide
Updated 19 July 2026
The RMB Ultra-Trail Cape Town (UTCT) 100M is one of Africa's most spectacular and logistically complex ultras, covering 163 km and 5687 m of climbing as it loops around the Cape Peninsula from the Gardens Rugby Club in central Cape Town. Starting and finishing at the same city-centre venue, the route traces the spine of Table Mountain National Park, threading through iconic landmarks — Signal Hill, Llandudno, Hout Bay, Silvermine, Kalk Bay, Simon's Town, Scarborough, Kommetjie and Noordhoek — before climbing back through the Alphen Trail and Newlands to the finish line. Runners have until 13:00 on Day 3 to complete the course, making time management as important as fitness. The race sits at the intersection of mountain running and classical ultra distance: the high point reaches 1092 m, coastal sea-level sections demand fast flat running to bank time, and the technical fynbos singletrack in between punishes anyone who underestimates its footing.
Course & Terrain Overview
The course begins at 131 m in Gardens, climbs immediately to Signal Hill (342 m, 8 km) and then drops back to Kloof Nek (195 m, 15 km) before the long southwestern traverse to Llandudno at 41 km, where you first touch sea level at 12 m. From Llandudno the route pushes over the Hout Bay mountains — the highest and most sustained climbing block on the course — reaching the Hout Bay checkpoint at 642 m and 59 km. A descent into Silvermine (121 m, 76 km) is followed by more rolling fynbos terrain to Kalk Bay (30 m, 90 km) and the long False Bay coastal corridor through Simon's Town (14 m, 107 km) and Scarborough (70 m, 118 km) to Kommetjie (303 m, 127 km). The final 36 km from Kommetjie back to the finish involves a climb through Noordhoek (156 m, 136 km), the sustained ascent to Alphen Trail (421 m, 147 km) and a high traverse through Newlands Picnic Site / UCT (445 m, 157 km) before the descent to the finish at 134 m. Underfoot, expect technical rocky singletrack on the mountain sections, compacted gravel fire roads on the lower slopes, and some short sealed road connectors near the coastal villages. Trail shoes with good grip and reasonable protection are essential.
Decisive Climbs & Descents — Where the Race Is Won or Lost
Three sections define whether you finish with energy to spare or crawl to the cut-off. First, the climb into Hout Bay: arriving at 642 m at the 59 km mark means the ascent from sea level at Llandudno (41 km) is relentless — this is where overcooked pacing in the first 40 km destroys races. Second, the Kommetjie-to-Alphen block in the final third (127 km to 147 km) climbs from 303 m back up to 421 m deep into the night or early morning when glycogen reserves are lowest; runners who have not been disciplined with food and pace through the False Bay coast will be reduced to a walk here with no time buffer left. Third, the Newlands approach (445 m at 157 km) is the race's highest crew-accessible point and your last real elevation before the finish — a strong run from here to Gardens is possible if you have legs, but it requires you to have respected every climb before it. The descent off the upper mountain sections into Hout Bay and later into Kalk Bay are technical enough to cause falls and trashed quads if you attack them recklessly; controlled, rhythmic descending saves your legs for the back half.
Pacing & Race Strategy
With a Day 3 13:00 cut-off for a 163 km course, the effective time window is roughly 48–52 hours for mid-field runners. Treat the race in three blocks. Block one (start to Hout Bay, 0–59 km): run conservatively on the early climbs to Signal Hill and Kloof Nek; you are burning matches in the dark or early morning with 100+ km ahead. Bank time on the runnable descent corridors and coastal flats between Kloof Nek and Llandudno. Block two (Hout Bay to Simon's Town, 59–107 km): this False Bay coastal arc from Silvermine through Kalk Bay to Simon's Town is your best opportunity to move efficiently and eat consistently. The terrain is lower and more runnable; use it. Do not skip food at Kalk Bay (90 km) — the gap to the next crew point at Simon's Town is 17 km and the gap after that to Scarborough is another 11 km. Block three (Scarborough to finish, 118–163 km): the race becomes a time-management exercise. Calculate your buffer against the Day 3 cut-off at each checkpoint from Scarborough onward and be honest about whether you need to increase effort or simply maintain. Pacers are permitted from Llandudno (41 km) to Alphen Trail (147 km), a 106 km pacing zone — use a pacer who knows the terrain for the night sections through the False Bay coast and the final mountain push.
Fuelling & Crew Access
The UTCT 100M offers exceptional crew access: 12 of the 14 checkpoints are designated crew points, meaning your support team can meet you at Signal Hill (8 km), Kloof Nek (15 km), Llandudno (41 km), Hout Bay (59 km), Kalk Bay (90 km), Simon's Town (107 km), Scarborough (118 km), Kommetjie (127 km), Noordhoek (136 km), Alphen Trail (147 km), Newlands Picnic Site / UCT (157 km) and the finish. This is a genuine luxury for an ultra of this distance — plan a detailed crew sheet with drop bags, hot food, shoe changes and kit for temperature transitions. Despite the crew access, self-sufficiency between points remains critical: the 18 km from Hout Bay to Silvermine, the 14 km from Silvermine to Kalk Bay, and the 9 km from Kommetjie to Noordhoek all pass without crew. Target 200–300 calories per hour once moving and prioritise real food and liquids at every crew stop rather than relying solely on gels. Sodium and electrolyte intake becomes critical if temperatures climb — carry electrolyte tabs between crew points.
Conditions to Expect
Cape Town's mountain weather is notoriously changeable. The race runs along the Cape Peninsula where the Atlantic and Indian Ocean coastlines create micro-climates that can shift within minutes. On the exposed ridgelines above Hout Bay and in the Silvermine plateau expect strong south-easterly or north-westerly winds that will chill a sweat-drenched runner rapidly; a waterproof shell and warm mid-layer are mandatory kit, not optional. The coastal sections at Llandudno, Kalk Bay and Simon's Town can be calm and warm even while the mountain above is in cloud. Night temperatures drop significantly, particularly on the upper mountain sections between Kommetjie and Alphen Trail — this is where runners in only summer kit get into trouble. Start with more layers than you think you need and use crew stops to adjust. Trail conditions after rain become technical and slippery on the fynbos singletrack; trekking poles are strongly recommended for the mountain ascents and technical descents. Sun exposure on the False Bay coastal corridor mid-race (Kalk Bay to Simon's Town) can be intense during daylight hours — sunscreen, a hat and consistent hydration through this section are essential.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-05) · official source
0 km · 131 m · Fri 17:00
7.9 km · 342 m · —
16.1 km · 209 m · Fri 20:30
21 km · 1068 m · —
27 km · 778 m · —
37.5 km · 25 m · Sat 04:00
43.3 km · 164 m · —
53.3 km · 2 m · Sat 08:30
64.1 km · 288 m · —
70.7 km · 91 m · —
81.3 km · 189 m · —
90.4 km · -17 m · Sat 18:30
97.8 km · 112 m · —
106.9 km · 14 m · —
115.7 km · 19 m · —
134.9 km · 173 m · —
139.3 km · 118 m · Sun 07:00
143.9 km · 273 m · —
151 km · 249 m · Sun 11:00
158.9 km · 515 m · —
161.8 km · 259 m · Sun 14:00
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