Races
Ultra Trail Cape Town
South Africa, November. 100 mi on 75% trail. +1,949 ft of climbing. 45 hours cutoff.
100 mi+1,949 ft-1,726 ft45 hours3,330 ft to 3,671 fttech 5/10Checkpoints per race bookWSER qualifierNovemberRunning Stones · 4 stones
Distance100 mi
Gain+1,949 ft
Loss-1,726 ft
Altitude3,330 ft to 3,671 ft
Technicality5/10
Air55°F to 95°F
- Start3,330 ft
- High3,671 ft
- Low3,330 ft
- Finish3,553 ft
Field, 2025 · 4-year samplescraped
Starters99
Finish rate100%
Median36:32
Sub-244
Geometryderived
Steepest drop75 ft-0.7% over 2.1 mi
Night miles35 misunset near 19:00 local
Course records
Men20:48:17Fotios Zisimopoulos
Women24:40:58Nicolette Griffioen
The cruxHeat, vert, and remote ridgelines with thin aid (near mile 65)
Course DNA
The Course
Ultra Trail Cape Town runs 100 mi through South Africa. +1,949 ft gain and -1,726 ft loss. Surfaces skew 75% trail / 20% dirt road / 5% paved. Heat, vert, and remote ridgelines with thin aid. High point near 3,671 ft. Low near 3,330 ft. November temps run 55°F to 95°F. The course rewards patience early and punishes rushed descents after mile 50.
The Work
Train for 1,949 feet of climbing across 100 mi. Back-to-back long runs on trail. Practice power-hiking grades above 15 percent. 45 hours total means limited margin: rehearse fueling every 45 to 60 minutes and downhill eccentric work weekly. Technicality 5/10. Build a block that simulates the crux near mile 65.
Kit
November in South Africa: plan for 55°F to 95°F. Mandatory shell if rain is in forecast. Headlamp with spare batteries if 45 hours pushes past dark. Poles help on sustained climbs above mile 25. Vest capacity for 2 liters minimum. Shoes matched to 75% trail: lugs for mud, rock plate if the course turns technical after mile 50.
Race Day
Hold effort through mile 25. The field often splits on the first big climb after mile 50. Heat, vert, and remote ridgelines with thin aid near mile 65 is where time is won or lost. Walk the steep pinches. Run the flats and gentle downhills. Crew at major aids: socks, calories, ice if hot. Transitions under 5 minutes when possible. Final third is 33 miles of fatigue management. Finish with reserve for the last descent.
Results
Ultra Trail Cape Town finish lines.
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Sources (3)
- Field stats (2025): https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=129176
- Qualifier: utmb_stones: https://utmb.world/utmb-world-series
- Course record (M): https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=104828