The Rock Ultra
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Mountain Trail Running at Paarl Mountain
The Rock Ultra is a trail running event held on the slopes of Paarl Mountain in the Western Cape, South Africa. The race starts and finishes at the Afrikaans Language Monument, providing a central race village overlooking the Drakenstein Valley. The terrain is characterized by granite outcrops, fynbos-covered slopes, and a combination of jeep tracks, singletracks, and technical sections. This ITRA-listed event features routes designed to flow across the natural contours of the mountain.
Participants can choose from several distance options:
- 100 km - An overnight mountain ultra for experienced runners with a 25-hour cut-off.
- 44 km - A mountain marathon distance across granite slopes with an 11-hour cut-off.
- 22 km - A mid-distance mountain route with a 6-hour cut-off.
- 12 km - A short route suitable for hiking with a 4.5-hour cut-off.
- 5 km - A family-friendly route with proceeds supporting the Anna Foundation.
The event follows a leave-no-trace approach to respect the mountain environment. The race village at the Taal Monument serves as the primary gathering point, featuring community-crewed aid stations. Spectators may access the race village for a small entrance fee, while runners enter using their race numbers. Finishers across various distances receive medals and specific race amenities such as event socks or apparel depending on the category. The 100 km distance includes additional support services such as a drop bag service and a recovery massage voucher. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
