Wanaka, New Zealand · Saturday, March 6, 2027

Fixed Distance 50K

Motatapu Rab Ultra

171 days away

52.5 km Distance

3,330 m Climbing

7.6 Grit · Hardcore

44.7000° S, 169.1500° E© OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap

What the course asks

Climbing rate 63 m / km Mountain. Significant climbing. Steep sections will require power hiking.

Time limit 14 hours 16:00 min/km average. Generous. Walkable throughout for most of the field. More forgiving than 84% of 50K races. Measured against 1007 races of the same distance. Cut-off calculator →

Field size ~193 Mid-sized. Company early, well spread out by halfway.

DUV results for the 2026 edition (52.5km) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

Typical conditions, March

Daytime high 15°C

Night low 5°C

Rainfall Showers likely

Daylight 12 h 57 m of light

Regional 2001-2020 average for March — NASA POWER, grid elevation 924 m. Not a forecast.

The Aid Station

Course-specific beta from the community

⛰️ terrain

This is a mountain course. Poles are highly recommended for the sustained climbs.

By UltraHub Expert

👟 gear

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

By UltraHub Expert

Gear for this race

Chosen for 53 km of trail with 3,330 m of ascent.

Trail Running Shoes63 m of climb per kilometre — grip and rock protection before cushioning.
Race Nutrition53 km of self-supported fuelling between aid stations.
Hydration VestsPole attachment and chest-strap stability on steep ground.
Trekking Poles3,330 m of ascent to walk up.
HeadlampsA 14 h limit puts you out there after dark.

Adidas

Terrex Speed Ultra

★★★★★ 4.5

La Sportiva

Prodigio Pro

RunRepeat found the La Sportiva Prodigio Pro to have a secure, locked-in fit due to its premium upper, and also praised the shoe's energetic ride, particularly…

$225 ★★★★★ 4.6

Maurten

Gel 100

Hydrogel technology for 25g carbs per gel with minimal GI distress.

$3.5 ★★★★★ 4.7

Nathan

VaporKrar 12L

12L race vest co-designed with ultra champion Rob Krar, with insulated bladder pocket.

$170 ★★★★★ 4.6

LEKI

Ultratrail FX.One

Ultra-light carbon folding poles (135g each) designed for mountain ultra racing.

$200 ★★★★★ 4.6

Petzl

NAO RL

1500-lumen reactive lighting headlamp with 15-hour runtime. Automatic brightness adjustment.

$150 ★★★★★ 4.7

All gear guides →

Course Notes

The Motatapu Ultra Run traverses the absolutely stunning ridges and valleys of the Harris Mountain Range between Wānaka and Arrowtown, covering 52.5km of exposed and physically challenging back-country terrain across the Motatapu and Soho Stations.

Similar races

Other 50K trail ultras, closest in distance first.