Waitaki, New Zealand · Saturday, May 9, 2026

Backyard

Best Dam Backyard Ultra

Race completed

not publishedn/a Distance

20 m Climbing

not publishedn/a Grit

We hold no course length for this race — a timed or backyard event is measured by the clock, not the kilometre — so there is no Grit score to give you.

What the course asks

Field size ~76 Mid-sized. Company early, well spread out by halfway.

DUV results for the 2026 edition (46h) — ranked runners only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

Typical conditions, May

Daylight 10 h 06 m of light

The Aid Station

Course-specific beta from the community

👟 gear

With trail terrain, choose a shoe with moderate cushioning for optimal performance.

By UltraHub Expert

Gear for this race

Chosen for this trail race with 20 m of ascent.

Trail Running ShoesCushioning on trail that is still there in the last quarter.
Race NutritionSelf-supported fuelling between aid stations.
Hydration VestsFlask capacity without the bounce.
HeadlampsA 43 h limit puts you out there after dark.
GPS WatchesBattery life first — an ultra outlasts most full-GPS modes.

Adidas

Olympus 6

Zero-drop max-cushion trail shoe with wide toe box for ultra distances.

$170 ★★★★★ 4.6

Spring Energy

Awesome Sauce

Real food gel with 180 calories. Rice-based with natural flavors.

$4 ★★★★★ 4.6

Salomon

ADV Skin 12

Industry-standard 12L race vest with front flask pockets and minimal bounce.

$180 ★★★★★ 4.8

Nitecore

UT32

Dual-beam trail running headlamp (1100 lumens) with spot and flood beams.

$100 ★★★★★ 4.5

Suunto

Vertical

Titanium GPS watch with solar charging, offline maps, and 140-hour GPS battery.

$630 ★★★★★ 4.5

All gear guides →

Course Notes

It’s a 6.7 km route with about 20m of vert through the beautiful Otematata Wetlands. The trail is very runnable. Mostly it is firmly packed fine gravel with a small (200m) section of single track and some grass.

Similar races

Other trail ultras of the same format.