Ultra-Trail Snowdonia-Eryri: 'Savage' race to tame Eryri

'Beautiful beyond belief, savage beyond reason’. The tagline for Ultra-Trail Snowdonia (UTS), which takes place this weekend on 10-12 May, says it all.

Some of the world’s best endurance athletes will take on Eryri by exploring its rugged peaks and epic landscapes, which makes for one of the world's most scenic yet gruelling running events .

As part of the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc World Series, 3,000 runners from 65 countries will descend on north Wales for one of the toughest ultra-trail events in the calendar.

There are four routes, with the 100-mile race getting under way from Llanberis on Friday, followed by the 100km, 50km and 25km races which set off in succession on Saturday.

The 100-mile race is the ultimate grand tour of the mountains of Eryri National Park, with an accumulated ascent of 10,000 metres.

Up to 3,000 runners get to the start line but not all finish

Many start, fewer finish

“Finishing is the dream but some people don’t make it to the finish,” says UTS event director Hayden Arrowsmith.

“When you see them looking nervous on the start line you can understand why, but when you see them on the finish line and they’ve been out for up to 48 hours, the emotions come out.

“The emotion, joy, elation and relief on people’s faces when they’re surrounded by a group of people cheering them on is what it’s all about and is what they’ll take with them.”

All races start and finish at the National Slate Museum in Padarn Country Park, Llanberis, which provides a warm welcome for the competitors who visit from all over the world.

“We’re really grateful for the support we get from the local community and the welcome we get here," Arrowsmith said.

“We know that we are bringing people to a sensitive, stunning landscape and we’re working with the National Park and are looking at ways we can host an event that is accepted and welcomed and leaves a positive legacy behind.”

Runners from all over the world will tackle Eryri's rugged peaks

A world-class field

The event attracts some of the world’s best ultra-runners as it provides an opportunity to qualify for the most famous Ultra race in the world, Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB), in August.

“It’s a big event and has grown over the years, and being on the UTMB World Series circuit means it’s up there with some of the best ultra-races in the world,” says elite runner Harry Jones.

“A lot of people are chasing the qualification for the UTMB World Championships in Chamonix, so it definitely attracts a lot of runners from across the globe who come to see Wales and experience the race and take on the trails.”

Jones, who is originally from north Wales, will be aiming for a top spot again after winning the 50km event in 2021.

“It’ll be great to win but I’d be really happy with a podium position," he said.

“There are some really strong guys racing it as always, but as long as I finish the race feeling like I’ve given it my all then that is all I can ask for.”

Not just for the elite

For the elite runners, the 100-mile route will be completed in less than 24 hours, but for most of the field the aim is to finish before the 48-hour cut-off period.

Runners from a wide range of backgrounds snapped up all 3,000 available entries quickly, with the event growing each year since the inaugural race in 2018.

“My goal is to just finish and that will be a great achievement,” says Louise Brookwell, who is taking on the 100 km route in what will be her first Ultra.

“It’s the biggest thing that I’ve attempted in my life really.

“I’ve done many of the sections in training as I have the benefit of being local, but really I’ve only done half of the distance. So that second half of the race will be the real test where I can see what’s happening with my mind and my legs.”

“I know that it’s going to be really tough and especially at night there might be times when I’m going to want to give up, but it will just be a case of keeping going.”