The inaugural Snowdonia Slate Trail Ultra Marathon will take place on 22nd of February 2019, a gruelling 89 mile (144 Km) race around Snowdonia which has to be completed within 48 hours.
Combined with the rugged terrain and harsh North Wales winter weather, this race could be a contender for one of the World’s toughest endurance challenges.
The route starts and finishes at Porth Penrhyn in Bangor, and passes through a number of villages including Bethesda, Ffestiniog, Penmachno, Capel Curig and Betws-y-Coed, race organisers have warned competitors “Don’t be fooled, this event is going to be tough.”
The race starts at 7pm on Friday the 22nd February and has a 48 hour time limit (7pm on Sunday the 24th February). This means competitors must average 1.9 miles (3km) per hour to complete the race.
The route follows the newly opened Snowdonia Slate Trail, with a total ascent of almost 17,000ft, around Snowdonia through farmland, forest, villages and mountains.
There are three race checkpoints on route that all competitors must pass through within a time limit. At each checkpoint there is a community hall/leisure centre that is well stocked with food, hot drinks and water for competitors to recharge and re-supply. There will also be floor space at some checkpoints for competitors to sleep if they want to.
Competitors must be equipped with a map, compass, survival bag and first aid kit, and race organisers have warned competitors they “must be prepared to be in remote locations for long periods with adverse weather and probably on your own.”
The terms of entry into the race also stated: “By entering the race you are stating that you deal with the conditions you will face in Wales in February. You are also stating that you can employ a level head in difficult conditions and not take unnecessary risks.“
Every competitor will be given a GPS tracker so the event organisers can see where they are at all times during the race, this also gives family and friends the opportunity to watch how the competitors are progressing online.
The GPS tracker is also equipped with a SOS button, so if competitors have a problem they can be found more easily. The event has full medical support provided and competitors can withdraw from the event at any time, being transported to the nearest checkpoint.
For more information about the event visit the website here:
https://www.uphilldowndale.com/events/snowdonia-slate-trail-ultra
