Vaarojen Maraton (Ultra Trail Tour Finland finale)
Vaarojen Ultra 130 km
Koli
Race guide
Updated 29 June 2026
The Vaarojen Ultra 130 km is the grand finale of the Ultra Trail Tour Finland series, taking runners on a double loop through the rolling forested vaara (hill) landscape centred on Koli, one of Finland's most iconic national parks. At 130 km with 3,069 m of cumulative elevation gain, this is not a high-alpine sufferfest — the high point sits at just 332 m — but do not be lulled into complacency. The terrain is relentless boreal forest: rooted single-track, boggy sections, and two river crossings at Herajoki that you will wade on both the outbound and return legs. The race starts and finishes at Koli, and the course is essentially run twice, with the halfway hub at Kolin luontokeskus Ukko (65 km) serving as the main crew and cut-off point before you turn around and do it all again.
Course & Terrain
The route unfolds as two near-identical halves, each roughly 65 km, through the distinctive vaara landscape of North Karelia — long, rounded ridges and dense taiga punctuated by lakes and wetlands. From the start at Koli (310 m), the course descends into the valley before reaching the Herajoki ford at 19 km (97 m), a genuine river crossing that will soak your feet. From there the trail climbs gently back through forest to Kiviniemi (39 km, 104 m) and then rises to Peiponpelto (54 km, 172 m) before the final climb back up to the halfway hub at Kolin luontokeskus Ukko (65 km, 294 m). You then retrace the same checkpoints on the return leg — Herajoki ford again at 84 km, Kiviniemi 2 at 104 km, Peiponpelto 2 at 119 km — before climbing back to the Koli finish at 293 m. The ground underfoot is predominantly soft forest trail and roots; wet weather turns boggy sections into calf-deep mud. Poles are worth serious consideration for the repeated short climbs and descents.
Decisive Climbs & Where the Race Is Won or Lost
With a high point of only 332 m, individual climbs are modest in altitude but they accumulate across 130 km to 3,069 m D+. The most psychologically demanding stretch is the return journey from the Herajoki 2 ford (84 km) onward. By this point your feet have been wet twice, your legs have covered marathon-and-a-half distance, and you still face the long climb from the valley back up through Kiviniemi 2 (104 km) and Peiponpelto 2 (119 km) toward the finish at Koli. Runners who go out too hard on the first half — seduced by the gentle gradients — tend to fall apart between 90 km and 110 km. The second ford crossing at Herajoki (84 km) is a genuine morale test; have dry socks ready in your pack or at a crew hand-off point if possible. The final 11 km from Peiponpelto 2 back to Koli involves meaningful climbing and should not be written off as a victory lap.
Pacing & Fuelling Strategy
The out-and-back structure gives you a clear pacing framework: treat the first 65 km as controlled effort, arrive at the halfway hub at Kolin luontokeskus Ukko feeling strong, resupply fully, and then race the second half. The cut-off at the halfway hub is Saturday 07:30, the Kiviniemi 2 cut-off is Saturday 17:00, and the finish cut-off is Sunday 00:00 — giving roughly 9.5 hours for the second half if you reach Ukko on the cut-off. Build in meaningful buffer at Ukko; arriving close to the cut-off leaves almost no margin for trouble on the return. Water points are well spaced — at 19, 39, 54, 65, 84, 104, and 119 km — so you do not need to carry enormous volumes between stops, but in warm Finnish summer conditions you should still carry at least a litre between points. Crew access at the start, halfway hub and finish means you can plan hot food and a full kit change at Ukko; use it. Calorie density matters: target 200–300 kcal per hour and plan real food at the halfway hub to reset your stomach for the second loop.
Conditions to Expect
Koli and the wider North Karelia region in summer delivers long daylight hours — often near-continuous twilight rather than true darkness — but the race nonetheless runs through at least one night section given its duration, so a head torch is mandatory kit. Temperatures are typically cool to mild, ranging from around 5–15 °C overnight, but Finnish summer weather is changeable and rain is common. The Herajoki ford crossings mean wet feet are essentially guaranteed regardless of weather; budget for this and protect against blisters from the outset with appropriate sock and lubrication choices. Insects — particularly mosquitoes — can be significant in the boreal forest in midsummer; insect repellent is a practical necessity, not a luxury. Trail surfaces drain slowly after rain, so expect mud and standing water across many sections even after a dry start to race day.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-05) · official source
0 km · 310 m · —
19 km · 97 m · —
39 km · 104 m · —
54 km · 172 m · —
65 km · 294 m · Sat 07:00
84 km · 99 m · —
104 km · 106 m · Sat 17:00
119 km · 164 m · —
130 km · 293 m · Sun 00:00
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