OMAN by UTMB becomes more challenging

Muscat: OMAN by UTMB® is a runner’s dream – an ultra-trail along mountain top ridges, through ancient villages, palm plantations, deep wadis and scenic gorges.
The journey leads runners off the tourist tracks, allowing them to explore the Sultanate’s hidden gems located deep within its atmospheric and untouched landscape.
In its second year, OMAN by UTMB® offers three rugged and challenging courses through the mountainous terrain around Jebel Akhdar, the famous Green Mountain, that will appeal to a broad audience of regional and international ultra-trail enthusiasts.
The extraordinary 137km mountain course at the heart of the 2018 event – hailed by National Geographic as the ‘world’s toughest adventure race’ – will remain. For 2019, it is joined by a 50km entry level course and an extended 170km challenge.
Once again OMAN by UTMB® will deliver a unique challenge in a spectacular environment, returning ultra-trail running to the Middle East from November 28 to 30.
“I described the 2018 course in Oman as ‘tough but wonderful’ and that view was shared by many of those taking part. OMAN by UTMB® has instantly established itself as a valued member of the international UTMB® family,” said Michel Poletti co-director of the UTMB®. “The new courses will dramatically increase the appeal of OMAN by UTMB® to both experienced and novice runners. I believe they will encourage many more ultra-trail athletes to come to Oman and take on a unique experience in an unforgettable landscape.”
OMAN by UTMB® is an ultra-trail runner’s paradise and all three race routes have been designed to maximise the enjoyment of Oman’s natural beauty and take runners off the beaten track and deep into the country’s dramatic Al Hajar mountain range with its soaring peaks, technical climbs, deep wadis and narrow gorges. Packed with variety, tough terrain and given the event’s remote and difficult to access sections, including exposed climbs, the three races require self-sufficiency and confidence at elevation. Runners will experience temperatures ranging from 25°C at low level to 10°C and less in the mountains and overnight.
The three race categories are JBS: Approx. 170km with 10,000+ metres of elevation gain. The new 170km course ascends to a height of 2,930m on the formidable Jebel Shams, Oman’s highest mountain. JBA: Approx. 130km with 7,000+ metres of elevation gain. The original OMAN by UTMB® JBA course climbs to a height of 2,200m on the slopes of Jebel Akhdar, the Green Mountain.
Both start on November 28 at Birkat Al Mouz and are only suitable for experienced ultra-trail runners. Athletes will require an official International Trail Running Association (ITRA) ranking to qualify to run in either distance. Participants will also have to have finished several qualifying races to take part and acquired a minimum number of qualifying points. AHM: Approx. 50km in length with 2,300+ metres of elevation gain. The shorter course climbs to 2,000m in the first half of the race to its highest point at Qiyut before a descent through Misfat. The race, which starts on November 29 from Al Hamra, is for runners who are new to the sport or less experienced and would like to take on the challenge of a tough, but fair, relatively short ultra-trail with limited technical sections.
Also on offer – and aimed at the next generation of trail runners – three new and shorter races of 10km, 5km and 2km in length provide a taste of the great outdoors for children, young people as well as adults. Last year’s first edition of OMAN by UTMB® saw hundreds of runners sign up from no fewer than 50 countries, including many of the best-known members of the close-knit ultra-trail international community.
The event saw a dramatic conclusion to the Men’s Race when ultra-trail friends and rivals Jason Schlarb (USA) and the extrovert Swiss athlete Diego ‘Zpeedy’ Pazos, crossed the finish line together as joint winners in a time of 20:45:37. Third place went to Russian ultra-trail regular Aleksei Tolstenko. The Women’s Race was won by British athlete Anna-Marie Watson in a time of 26:20:27. Hungarian runner Ildiko Wermescher was second with the well-known American Meredith Edwards third.
After last year’s OMAN by UTMB®, Schlarb said: “The course was unbelievably challenging, technical and exciting all at once. The people were hugely inviting and wonderful, shaking my hand, it was great!” Pazos added: “The course was more than challenging I think. It’s incredible – the most challenging race I have ever done that’s for sure.”