Runners experience the beauty of the South African coastline while tackling the UTCT
In this interview series, Ahotu will be speaking with the people behind some of the most unique races across the globe. We’ll be discussing the history of the event, challenges and how to overcome them, attracting sponsors, reaching new runners and more!
We are delighted to be working with UTCT for 2023 to help you reach more international participants. For those who aren’t familiar, could you introduce yourself and UTCT?
Hi, my name is Stuart McConnachie. I am the Race Director of the RMB Ultra-trail Cape Town (UTCT). UTCT is one of the most competitive and sought after races in the world. It runs on one of the seven wonders of this beautiful planet, Table Mountain. It’s hosted by one of the most beautiful and diverse Cities. This all provides so much more than simply a trail run, it’s a bucket list experience which attracts participants from all over the world.
When did the race first take place and how did you get involved?
2014 – Nic Bornman, the founder of the race, after getting the race approved needed help. I had grown up around running and was lucky enough to know Nic well. We both had similar visions and ideas for the race. It was a crazy, challenging and demanding first edition but we managed to get through it and the rest is history.
The race has a growing reputation in the trail / ultra scene, why do you think the event has been so popular?
The race has a unique landscape which is really demanding, being surrounded by a City like Cape Town offers the support and interaction with the many layers this landscape provides. We’ve also got one of the best running community culture’s in the world here so tapping into all of these factors creates a powerful concoction.
You have an impressive field of participants from across the globe. How many countries do you normally have represented at UTCT?
Usually we have 50+ countries represented and this is growing year on year, Cape Town has always been a travellers port so it has a natural attraction for many people from around the world. It also happens to be one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. We are looking forward to growing our international participation through our partnership with Ahotu & World’s Marathons and likewise to seeing more runners from across the world taking part.
The race covers a lot of challenging terrain and with multiple courses must have a lot of moving parts. What are the most challenging aspects of the weekend for you as organisers?
Like any event we have aspects that create challenges, I think having a City on the doorstep of a natural wonder is our biggest, the interaction between being truly alone and wild, then stepping out of that into a suburban landscape needs intricate planning with multiple players to ensure things run smoothly. Of course there are also the on course challenges with the climate, elevation and terrain, given the fact the race largely takes part in the Table Mountain national park.
Runners experience varied terrain on the 23k, 35k, 55k, 100k & 100m courses.
With a range of distances on offer, from 23k up to 100 miles… what can participants expect from the course(s)?
The variety of terrain at UTCT is unparalleled, we have over 1000 plant species on the Cape Peninsula alone. The juxtaposition between mountains and ocean are a highlight for any runner. This is where the challenge lies, moving across these landscapes is tough, the terrain is rocky and technical at times. The climbs are not long but there are many and the descents take the sting from your legs due to their technical nature.
What advice would you have for those tackling UTCT for the first time?
Try to get onto the trails and experience the terrain before race day, it’ll also allow you to soak up the views as sometimes during the race we forget that we’re out in mother nature. The weather can change in a matter of minutes, so expect to be hot and cold no matter what the temperature says in the weeks leading up to the race.
Cape Town is a hugely popular destination city, what else would you recommend participants do during their time in the Western Cape?
First off we’d say come run with Tuesday Trails (our run club which is open to all) then make sure you get to experience some of the more eclectic areas of the City, eating out is a treat and then post race enjoy the more indulgent lifestyles on the wine estates or beaches along the Peninsula. Cape Town has tonnes to offer so you’ll have loads to do either side of the race!
You have some awesome sponsors including Salomon, Suunto, Maurten and more… what has been your approach with securing such a strong lineup of brands to support the event?
We have focused on partnerships with strong brands that eschew similar visions for the sport, community and are all in this for the long term. We have been patient in waiting for the right brands before partnering and runners appreciate the approach and support from our partners.
Runners enjoying the atmospheric start / finish area in the 2022 edition of the UTCT
What are your ambitions for the race over the coming years?
We will continue to sustainably help in growing the sport in South Africa, we want to remain a quintessentially Cape Town and South African race that is truly unique in so many ways. Our community who are the custodians of this event play such an important role for us so we aim to remain closely connected and for them to feel like it’s our race.
Any races, partners or companies you would like to shout out?
We just want to thank our partners for believing in UTCT, for seeing the potential and helping us put Cape Town trail running on the world stage.
The next edition of the Ultra Trail Cape Town takes place from the 24th to the 26th of November 2023, you can follow our journey on our Instagram @UTCT
Interested in taking part? You can register for the 2023 edition of the UTCT on Ahotu – Ultra-Trail® Cape Town
To feature in our interview series you can drop us an email on [email protected]
Interested in promoting your race with World’s Marathons or Ahotu? Contact us on [email protected]