Wörthersee Trail Festival.
The Wörthersee Ultra is the long distance of the Wörthersee Trail Festival: a lap of the lake that starts and ends in Pörtschach and collects just over 1,800 metres of climbing along the way. No single big mountain settles the day; what counts is what your legs can still do when the last two climbs arrive after 50 kilometres.
Wörthersee Trail Festival 2027: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
Naturfreunde Kärnten run the festival over two days, with trail running and hiking on existing paths around the lake. The Ultra alternates between trail, forest road and panorama sections. It is the only one of the three races to start in Pörtschach itself and the first to leave, early in the morning; the Speed Trail and Short Trail come in later from Maria Wörth and Velden to the same finish.
The ground turns restless quickly. Two short climbs at kilometres 5 and 8 lift you to around 600 metres, then the course drops in waves back to start level by kilometre 18. From there it gains about 200 metres in two kilometres, with a short, steep ramp following at kilometre 23. The centrepiece begins at kilometre 31: about five kilometres and just over 300 metres of ascent to the high point above 830 metres.
By kilometre 44 all of that height is gone again, and the low ground stays rolling for several kilometres. The closing act opens at kilometre 50 with almost 180 metres at around eleven percent, adds a shorter step at kilometre 55, and ends with six kilometres downhill into Pörtschach.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 5 | 1 km | 11.9 % | 28.7 % | +116 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 7.9 | 1.4 km | 8.1 % | 13.3 % | +111 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 18.9 | 2.1 km | 9.6 % | 24.2 % | +199 m | Cat. 3 |
| km 22.7 | 0.7 km | 13.5 % | 23.9 % | +88 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 31.8 | 1.1 km | 8.9 % | 20.4 % | +95 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 34 | 1 km | 9.6 % | 20.7 % | +96 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 50.6 | 1.7 km | 10.8 % | 17.5 % | +179 m | Cat. 3 |
| km 54.9 | 0.7 km | 10.8 % | 15.4 % | +73 m | — |
Climb categories follow the road-cycling convention and rate the terrain itself (length and gradient) regardless of sport: Cat. 4 marks the easiest rated climbs, Cat. 1 the hardest, and HC (hors catégorie, “beyond categorization”) is reserved for the most brutal ascents. Short climbs below the Cat. 4 threshold stay unrated.
How to pace Wörthersee Trail Festival.
Start under control
Only about a sixth of the course is flat, so you steer this day by effort, not by kilometre splits. None of the steep sections runs much beyond two kilometres, and that is exactly what tempts you to run them. Hike the ramps from the start, above all at kilometres 5 and 23, and let the easier ground between them flow instead.
Hold your rhythm
The trap sits behind the high point. The long descent to kilometre 44 carries you down quickly, and any price paid there in braking or bravado shows up later rather than on the spot. The rolling kilometres afterwards then invite you to win back lost time just before you will need that energy most.
Spend what is left
The race is decided between kilometres 50 and 57. That climb lifts you from the low point of the second half back above 600 metres, with more than 50 kilometres already in your legs. Get through it at an even rhythm and the final downhill is something you can actually run.
Training plan for Wörthersee Trail Festival: 12-week build
Build the base
Age-group runners will be out for roughly 7.5 to 10.5 hours, depending on form. This is above all a long aerobic effort, broken every few kilometres by short, hard spikes because the course almost never stays flat for long. There is about as much steep ground going down as going up.
Train race pace
The key to that rhythm is everything after kilometre 36: eight kilometres downhill, a stretch of rolling ground, then two climbs on tired thighs. That sequence is what to rehearse. Finish long runs with a brisk descent followed directly by a steep climb, rather than spreading the ascent evenly through the session.
Rehearse the course
Two skills carry the whole race. Fast power hiking on short ramps of ten percent and more saves a great deal of strength across eight climbs, and legs conditioned to absorb downhill loading decide whether you are still running in the second half. So make downhill running a regular session, and build your longest outings carefully to several hours with plenty of small climbs.
Arrive fresh
With the race in May, those long days fall in March and April, so plan them early. Train on a mix of trail and forest road so the constant change underfoot is nothing new. The early-morning start belongs in the dress rehearsal too: breakfast, fuelling and pace feel different in the first hour than they do in late morning.
Courses
Download the Wörthersee Trail Festival course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Wörthersee Trail Festival dynamically
Ben connects your goal, the course, current load, recovery, and calendar. Your plan stays pointed at race day even when real life is not perfectly plannable.
Everything about Wörthersee Trail Festival.
How long is Wörthersee Trail Festival?
Wörthersee Trail Festival is 64 km long. That distance shapes how much aerobic endurance, pace durability, and race-specific work belong in the training plan.
How much elevation gain does Wörthersee Trail Festival have?
Wörthersee Trail Festival has around 1,839 m of elevation gain over 64 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Wörthersee Trail Festival?
Wörthersee Trail Festival is classified as Hilly, averaging 29.1 vertical metres per kilometre. 16% of the route is flat, 25% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 15% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does Wörthersee Trail Festival have?
The hardest climb of Wörthersee Trail Festival starts at kilometre 18.9, runs for 2.1 km at an average of 9.6% and gains 199 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 3. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is Wörthersee Trail Festival a loop course?
Yes, Wörthersee Trail Festival is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the Wörthersee Trail Festival course?
Yes. The Wörthersee Trail Festival course is on this page as a free GPX download — ready to import into Garmin, Wahoo, Komoot, Strava or any other app that reads GPX.
How should I prepare for Wörthersee Trail Festival?
Preparation for Wörthersee Trail Festival should account for 64 km, 1,839 m of elevation gain, current training load, and available training time. An adaptive plan helps place key sessions without ignoring recovery and real life.
What pacing strategy works for Wörthersee Trail Festival?
The pacing strategy for Wörthersee Trail Festival should reflect 64 km, 1,839 m of elevation gain, and your current fitness. Start controlled and keep margin for sections where the profile or fatigue makes target pace harder.
When does Wörthersee Trail Festival take place?
Wörthersee Trail Festival takes place on May 8, 2027.
Where does Wörthersee Trail Festival take place?
Wörthersee Trail Festival takes place in Pörtschach am Wörthersee, Austria.
Which distances does Wörthersee Trail Festival offer?
Wörthersee Trail Festival offers 3 distances — Wörthersee Ultra: 64 km; Speed Trail: 32 km; Short Trail: 14 km.
How do I register for Wörthersee Trail Festival?
Registration runs through the organiser: woerthersee-trail.at. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
