Altai Ultra Trail in deep Siberian Russia was one of the more remote and mysterious Asia Trail Master Candidate Races this year, and we are happy to announce that the event will be an official Asia Trail Master points race in 2017. Altai Ultra Trail is the first mountain trail ultramarathon in Siberia. Organised by the Mountain Trail Sports Club, the race takes place on the territory of the Belukha Nature Park and it is part of the World Heritage Site entitled Golden Mountains of Altai. The trail route does not cross any terrain touched by civilization. To get there requires a significant amount of travel time, but your efforts will be duly rewarded. The event has actually been moved forward to the first weekend of July.

Altai Ultra Trail will consist of several different race categories and formats. You can opt for a 160 km duo team race over 3 days or you can also run individually in races over 105 km, 55 km and 35 km. The longer distances will lead uphill to the foot of Mt. Belukha (4509 m) - the highest point of Altai and all Siberia, the sacramental mountain for native Altai people.

The duo team race will be held on 29 June - 01 July:

1 day - 70km, 3500m elevation gain
2 day - 30km, 1800m elevation gain
3 day - 60km, 2000m elevation gain
Total 160km, 7300m ascent

The overnight stops are obligatory and will occur in the tourist camp provided by the local organizers. Transport of equipment to this tourist camp (and backward) will be organized also.

The individual races will follow more or less the same trails as in this year's first edition. For the Asia Trail Master championship point chasers, the 105 km individual race will be credited with maximum 400 performance points for the winner and act as the A-race, whereas the duo team race will have a maximum of 200 performance points and the 55 km 100 performance points for the fastest runners. Both the team race and the 105 k single race are also in the Grandmaster Quest. The 105 km race has a total elevation gain of 3700 hm.

International runners should fly into Novosibirsk first. A major hub in Siberia, Novosibirsk may well be worth a day of sightseeing before embarking on a 12-hour drive to Tyungur village in the Ust-Koksinsky district in Altai. One shorter alternative is to transit to domestic airport Gorno Altaisk first, and then do a 7-8 hour drive.

Registration for the event will open in January 2017. Stay tuned for further news, updates and prerequisites on the Altai Ultra Trail via this website cover page and our social media channels.

Please check out the trailer below of the 2016 edition.

Run for ATM points in the Altai Ultra Trail in Siberia