Mayrhofen Ultraks Zillertal

Q: How hard is the Mayrhofen Ultraks Z101? A: Extremely hard. The Z101 covers 101km with 7,600m of elevation gain (75.2m per km). The final descent drops 2,134m back to Mayrhofen — the 3rd largest single descent of 386 European trail distances tracked. Historical finish rates have been below 50%. The 2025 edition was cancelled mid-race at roughly km 35–40 due to snow. The course requires GPS self-navigation with no additional trail markings, adding significant pressure at night and above 3,000m.

Q: What does self-navigation mean for the Z101? A: The Z101 route runs on signposted hiking trails but is not additionally marked for the race. Runners must navigate independently using GPS and a downloaded GPX file — at night, over block fields, and above 3,000m. A mandatory race briefing on Thursday evening covers navigation specifics. Rescue insurance with Austrian coverage and a GPS tracker (provided by the organiser) are both compulsory.

Q: Is the Z101 sold out for 2026? A: Yes. The 2026 Z101 sold out with no waiting list offered. Maximum field size is exactly 101 runners — matching the race name — making it one of the smallest-cap 100km races in Europe. Entry requires proof of a completed ultra of at least 80km in the last three years. Check mayrhofen.ultraks.com for future edition registration windows.

Q: What happened at the 2025 Z101? A: The 2025 edition was cancelled mid-race at the Friesenberghaus hut (approximately km 35–40) due to deteriorating snow and weather conditions. The Schönbichler Horn summit (3,123m) had already been rerouted before the start due to snow. The race was delayed one hour due to torrential rain at the start. Mountain rescue coordination was efficient; all runners descended safely. Weather cancellation risk is real at this altitude in early September — the mandatory cold weather kit requirement reflects it.