Arc of Attrition by UTMB®Perranporth, United Kingdom🇬🇧
About Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027
Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027 is a trail race held from Fri, Jan 22, 2027 to Sun, Jan 24, 2027 in Perranporth, United Kingdom; the start is at 13:00.
Registration is taken on the official site; no deadline has been announced. Dates, registration windows and fees on this page are refreshed every morning by scanning federation, timing and organiser sites; registration always happens on the official race site.
Someone running 30 km a week needs 28 weeks, about 6.5 months, to prepare for the 173K course of Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027; that start day was Fri, Jul 10, 2026, so the window has passed with 14 weeks left to the race.
Arc of Attrition by UTMB is one of the UK's premier coastal ultra marathons. Race 25km, 50km, 100km or 100 miles along Cornwall's spectacular South West Coast Path.
Courses
| Course | Distance | Elevation Gain | Km-effort | Course file |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 173K | 173 km | 5507 m D+ | 228 | GPX |
| 82.7K | 82.7 km | 2708 m D+ | 110 | GPX |
| 49.4K | 49.4 km | 1458 m D+ | 64 | GPX |
| 22.1K | 22.1 km | 744 m D+ | 30 | GPX |
There are 4 courses: 173K (5507 m D+); 82.7K (2708 m D+); 49.4K (1458 m D+); 22.1K (744 m D+).
Course map and elevation profile
What the weather is usually like here
- Over the last 5 years this week typically ran 6°C to 9°C here, with a high of 13°C and a low of 0°C.
- 43% of those days saw rain. A real forecast lands about two weeks out and will appear here then.
- Typical daily maximum wind was 31 km/h (a strong wind), with 67 km/h the highest value in the sample.
- Sunrise 09:06, sunset 17:58.
The race is more than two weeks out, so these are averages of recent years for the same week, not a forecast. A real forecast appears here closer to the day.
Race briefing
173K course172 km · 5511 m gain · 17% uphill · 20 aid stations
- Steep climb (10%+)
- Climb (3-10%)
- Flat
- Descent
The published GPX measures 172 km with 5511 m of climbing, 32 m per km. The course sits between -1 m and 121 m of altitude. 48% of the gain sits in the first half.
- 0-11 km · Start → Cadgwith: 365 m up / 371 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 11-17 km · Cadgwith → Lizard Point: 240 m up / 233 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 17-28 km · Lizard Point → Mullion: 309 m up / 291 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 28-40 km · Mullion → Porthleven: 315 m up / 354 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 40-48 km · Porthleven → Praa Sands: 329 m up / 315 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 48-58 km · Praa Sands → Marazion: 279 m up / 292 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 58-65 km · Marazion → Penzance: 15 m up / 18 m down; close to flat.
- 65-69 km · Penzance → Mousehole: 68 m up / 38 m down; gently rolling.
- 69-80 km · Mousehole → Penberth: 496 m up / 474 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 80-83 km · Penberth → Porthcurno: 107 m up / 132 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 83-90 km · Porthcurno → Land's End: 292 m up / 263 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 90-92 km · Land's End → Sennen: 39 m up / 67 m down; gently rolling.
- 92-100 km · Sennen → Cape Cornwall: 308 m up / 277 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 100-107 km · Cape Cornwall → Pendeen: 150 m up / 181 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 107-119 km · Pendeen → Zennor: 522 m up / 534 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 119-135 km · Zennor → Lelant: 486 m up / 501 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 135-138 km · Lelant → Hayle: 19 m up / 4 m down; close to flat.
- 138-145 km · Hayle → Godrevy: 128 m up / 129 m down; gently rolling.
- 145-157 km · Godrevy → Portreath: 493 m up / 452 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 157-163 km · Portreath → Porthtowan: 250 m up / 237 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 163-172 km · Porthtowan → Finish: 301 m up / 275 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
The first 5 km roll: 137 m up and 118 m down. You will not hold one rhythm here, so treat the early climbs as a warm-up.
There is no single defining climb; the gain is spread across 25 separate hills. A typical hill rises about 60 m and the biggest gains 97 m around km 106. This profile keeps breaking your rhythm, so hold a steady effort on the rises, recover on the drops and switch to hiking without hesitation.
The last 6 km drop 210 m first and then climb 206 m. Empty your legs on the descent and that final rise takes the payment.
The leg from Zennor to Lelant is long and unsupported: 16 km and 486 m of climbing with no aid in between, so leave Zennor with full capacity.
- Sunset is 17:58 and the finish cut-off is 02:30. A runner using the full time allowance spends the final 15 hours 8 minutes in darkness.
- Get the headtorch out before sunset and keep spare batteries or a power bank dry and immediately accessible. A spare buried at the bottom of the pack is not an emergency spare.
- Check reflective course markers regularly in the dark. If the markings disappear, stop moving forward, return to the last marker and confirm the route against the GPX or organiser app.
- At cut-off pace you run into a second night. Plan the sleep question before race day: an hour gained on the first night costs two on the second.
- Consider bringing poles. The course averages 32 m of gain per km; if you have trained with them and the organiser allows them, use them on the climbs and stow them on runnable ground.
- Point to point: the finish sits 34 km from the start as the crow flies. Sort the shuttle and your drop bag before race day.
Course-profile notes are generated from GPX grade data; terrain, rules, aid stations and weather are added only when separately sourced.
Aid stations
Key decision points
Lizard Pointkm 17
- Drinks only; arrive carrying your own food.
- A heavy leg is next: 11 km with 279 m of climbing.
- Cut-off: 3h 30m after the start.
Porthlevenkm 40
- Take hot food you digest easily and top up fluids.
- Crew access is allowed here.
- A heavy leg is next: 7.6 km with 315 m of climbing.
- Cut-off: 7h 30m after the start.
Land's Endkm 90
- Take hot food you digest easily and top up fluids.
- Your drop bag waits here; work off your prepared list.
- Crew access is allowed here.
- Cut-off: 18h after the start.
Pendeenkm 107
- Collect food and fluids and leave within 60-90 seconds.
- A heavy leg is next: 12 km with 498 m of climbing.
- A 17% pitch starts about 0.8 km after the station; do not enter it cooled down.
- Cut-off: 22h after the start.
Zennorkm 119
- No supplies, timing only.
- The heaviest leg is next: 16 km with 522 m of climbing.
- The longest unsupported stretch starts here: 16 km. Leave with full capacity.
Lelantkm 135
- Take hot food you digest easily and top up fluids.
- Crew access is allowed here.
- Cut-off: 29h after the start.
Godrevykm 145
- Collect food and fluids and leave within 60-90 seconds.
- A heavy leg is next: 12 km with 431 m of climbing.
- Cut-off: 31h after the start.
Portreathkm 157
- Drinks only; arrive carrying your own food.
- Crew access is allowed here.
- Cut-off: 34h 30m after the start.
- The longest stretch between official aid stations runs from Zennor (km 119) to Lelant (km 135): 16 km, with 522 m of climbing in between. Top up at Zennor and size what you carry to the expected duration and your own drinking rate.
- Drinks only, no food, at Lizard Point (km 17) and Porthcurno (km 83) and 1 more. Loosen the flask caps on approach; with no queue, refill and leave in 20-30 seconds. Carry the food you will need from the previous station.
- Cadgwith (km 11) is a timing point only, with nothing on the table.
- Hot food is served at Porthleven (km 40) and Penzance (km 65) and 2 more. If your stomach and race plan call for it, make this a deliberate 3-5 minute stop; do not sit down simply because hot food is available. Restart gently and let your stomach settle before lifting the effort.
- Food is available at Pendeen (km 107) and Godrevy (km 145). Decide what you need before reaching the table; without a planned special task, collect food and fluids and leave within 60-90 seconds. Finish eating on the next calm, suitable section.
- Drop bag at Land's End (km 90). Write down the equipment and food you expect to replace before the race so the decision is already made when you arrive.
- Crew support is permitted only at Porthleven (km 40), Land's End (km 90), Lelant (km 135), and Portreath (km 157). This is not the same as a drop bag: plan equipment and food hand-offs around these stations, then verify wristband, bag and transport rules with the organiser.
- The last aid station is Portreath (km 157), leaving 16 km to the finish. After that you are on what you carry.
- Another heavy leg runs from Pendeen (km 107) to Zennor (km 119): 12 km with 498 m of climbing. Treat it as the slowest part of your day and get your food out before it.
- Medical support is available at Perranporth Airfield (km 173). If something is wrong with your feet or your stomach, deal with it there rather than pushing on.
- About 0.8 km after Pendeen (km 107), a roughly 250 m section averaging 17% begins. Choose food you know you digest easily and fill the bottles, then enter the climb at a controlled effort.
- The overall cut-off is 37h 30m, including all checkpoint stops. Build the plan around the official leg budgets below, not a flat-course average pace.
- Relative to distance and climbing, the tightest official time budget runs from Lizard Point (km 17) to Porthleven (km 40): the official time budget is 4h for 23 km and 624 m of climbing. Station stops come out of that same budget, so do not enter the leg already behind schedule.
Official cut-off ladder
| Leg | Distance | D+ | Official time budget | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start → Lizard Pointpasses Cadgwith, which has no time limit | 17 km | 605 m | 3h 30m | start + 3h 30m |
| Lizard Point → Porthlevenpasses Mullion, which has no time limit | 23 km | 624 m | 4h | start + 7h 30m |
| Porthleven → Penzancepasses Praa Sands, Marazion, which has no time limit | 24 km | 623 m | 4h 30m | start + 12h |
| Penzance → Land's Endpasses Mousehole, Penberth, Porthcurno, which has no time limit | 25 km | 962 m | 6h | start + 18h |
| Land's End → Pendeenpasses Sennen, Cape Cornwall, which has no time limit | 16 km | 497 m | 4h | start + 22h |
| Pendeen → Lelantpasses Zennor, which has no time limit | 28 km | 1009 m | 7h | start + 29h |
| Lelant → Godrevypasses Hayle, which has no time limit | 11 km | 147 m | 2h | start + 31h |
| Godrevy → Portreath | 12 km | 493 m | 3h 30m | start + 34h 30m |
| Portreath → Perranporth Airfieldpasses Porthtowan, which has no time limit | 16 km | 551 m | 3h | start + 37h 30m |
Budgets are derived from the cut-off times published by the organiser; they are not a personal finish estimate.
| Station | Km | From previous | Supplies | Medical | Crew | Cut-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coverack | 0 | — | — | No | No | — |
| Cadgwith | 11 | 11 | None | No | No | — |
| Lizard Point | 17 | 5.8 | Drinks | No | No | Friday 16:30 |
| Mullion | 28 | 11 | None | No | No | — |
| Porthleven | 40 | 12 | Hot food | No | Yes | Friday 20:30 |
| Praa Sands | 48 | 7.6 | None | No | No | — |
| Marazion | 58 | 10 | None | No | No | — |
| Penzance | 65 | 6.3 | Hot food | No | No | Saturday 01:00 |
| Mousehole | 69 | 4.5 | None | — | — | — |
| Penberth | 80 | 11 | None | — | — | — |
| Porthcurno | 83 | 2.6 | Drinks | No | No | — |
| Land's EndDrop bag | 90 | 7.5 | Hot food | No | Yes | Saturday 07:00 |
| Sennen | 92 | 2 | None | — | — | — |
| Cape Cornwall | 100 | 8.1 | None | — | — | — |
| Pendeen | 107 | 6.1 | Food | No | No | Saturday 11:00 |
| Zennor | 119 | 12 | None | — | — | — |
| Lelant | 135 | 16 | Hot food | No | Yes | Saturday 18:00 |
| Hayle | 138 | 3.2 | None | No | No | — |
| Godrevy | 145 | 7.3 | Food | No | No | Saturday 20:00 |
| Portreath | 157 | 12 | Drinks | No | Yes | Saturday 23:30 |
| Porthtowan | 163 | 6 | None | — | — | — |
| Perranporth AirfieldDrop bag | 173 | 9.7 | Hot food | Yes | No | Sunday 02:30 |
Aid station details come from the list published by the organiser; confirm them at the official source before race day.
Plan your cutoffs for this course
82.7K course82 km · 2708 m gain · 17% uphill · 9 aid stations
- Steep climb (10%+)
- Climb (3-10%)
- Flat
- Descent
The published GPX measures 82 km with 2708 m of climbing, 33 m per km. The course sits between 2 m and 121 m of altitude. 55% of the gain sits in the first half.
- 0-2 km · Start → Sennen: 27 m up / 79 m down; gently rolling.
- 2-10 km · Sennen → Cape Cornwall: 301 m up / 266 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 10-16 km · Cape Cornwall → Pendeen: 170 m up / 150 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 16-29 km · Pendeen → Zennor: 503 m up / 495 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 29-45 km · Zennor → Lelant: 515 m up / 588 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 45-48 km · Lelant → Hayle: 3 m up / 4 m down; close to flat.
- 48-55 km · Hayle → Godrevy: 138 m up / 126 m down; gently rolling.
- 55-67 km · Godrevy → Portreath: 472 m up / 433 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 67-73 km · Portreath → Porthtowan: 242 m up / 243 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 73-82 km · Porthtowan → Finish: 336 m up / 290 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
The first 5 km roll: 91 m up and 137 m down. You will not hold one rhythm here, so treat the early climbs as a warm-up.
There is no single defining climb; the gain is spread across 15 separate hills. A typical hill rises about 70 m and the biggest gains 97 m around km 17. This profile keeps breaking your rhythm, so hold a steady effort on the rises, recover on the drops and switch to hiking without hesitation.
The last 6 km drop 210 m first and then climb 206 m. Empty your legs on the descent and that final rise takes the payment.
A steep pitch starts within about 0.7 km of Pendeen; keep the stop short and do not enter it on cooled-down legs.
A steep pitch starts within about 0.7 km of Zennor; keep the stop short and do not enter it on cooled-down legs.
The leg from Zennor to Lelant is long and unsupported: 16 km and 515 m of climbing with no aid in between, so leave Zennor with full capacity.
- Sunset is 18:00 and the finish cut-off is 02:30. A runner using the full time allowance spends the final 8 hours 30 minutes in darkness.
- Get the headtorch out before sunset and keep spare batteries or a power bank dry and immediately accessible. A spare buried at the bottom of the pack is not an emergency spare.
- Check reflective course markers regularly in the dark. If the markings disappear, stop moving forward, return to the last marker and confirm the route against the GPX or organiser app.
- Consider bringing poles. The course averages 33 m of gain per km; if you have trained with them and the organiser allows them, use them on the climbs and stow them on runnable ground.
- Point to point: the finish sits 47.6 km from the start as the crow flies. Sort the shuttle and your drop bag before race day.
Course-profile notes are generated from GPX grade data; terrain, rules, aid stations and weather are added only when separately sourced.
Aid stations
Key decision points
Pendeenkm 16
- Collect food and fluids and leave within 60-90 seconds.
- A heavy leg is next: 12 km with 498 m of climbing.
- A 17% pitch starts about 1.8 km after the station; do not enter it cooled down.
- Cut-off: 3h 30m after the start.
Zennorkm 29
- No supplies, timing only.
- The heaviest leg is next: 16 km with 522 m of climbing.
- The longest unsupported stretch starts here: 16 km. Leave with full capacity.
Lelantkm 45
- Take hot food you digest easily and top up fluids.
- Your drop bag waits here; work off your prepared list.
- Cut-off: 9h after the start.
Godrevykm 55
- Collect food and fluids and leave within 60-90 seconds.
- A heavy leg is next: 12 km with 431 m of climbing.
- Cut-off: 10h 30m after the start.
- The longest stretch between official aid stations runs from Zennor (km 29) to Lelant (km 45): 16 km, with 522 m of climbing in between. Top up at Zennor and size what you carry to the expected duration and your own drinking rate.
- Drinks only, no food, at Portreath (km 67). Loosen the flask caps on approach; with no queue, refill and leave in 20-30 seconds. Carry the food you will need from the previous station.
- Sennen (km 2) is a timing point only, with nothing on the table.
- Hot food is served at Lelant (km 45). If your stomach and race plan call for it, make this a deliberate 3-5 minute stop; do not sit down simply because hot food is available. Restart gently and let your stomach settle before lifting the effort.
- Food is available at Pendeen (km 16) and Godrevy (km 55). Decide what you need before reaching the table; without a planned special task, collect food and fluids and leave within 60-90 seconds. Finish eating on the next calm, suitable section.
- Drop bag at Lelant (km 45). Write down the equipment and food you expect to replace before the race so the decision is already made when you arrive.
- The last aid station is Portreath (km 67), leaving 16 km to the finish. After that you are on what you carry.
- Another heavy leg runs from Pendeen (km 16) to Zennor (km 29): 12 km with 498 m of climbing. Treat it as the slowest part of your day and get your food out before it.
- Medical support is available at Perranporth Airfield (km 83). If something is wrong with your feet or your stomach, deal with it there rather than pushing on.
- About 2 km after Pendeen (km 16), a roughly 250 m section averaging 17% begins. Choose food you know you digest easily and fill the bottles, then enter the climb at a controlled effort.
- The overall cut-off is 16h 30m, including all checkpoint stops. Build the plan around the official leg budgets below, not a flat-course average pace.
- Relative to distance and climbing, the tightest official time budget runs from Lelant (km 45) to Godrevy (km 55): the official time budget is 1h 30m for 11 km and 141 m of climbing. Station stops come out of that same budget, so do not enter the leg already behind schedule.
Official cut-off ladder
| Leg | Distance | D+ | Official time budget | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start → Pendeenpasses Sennen, Cape Cornwall, which has no time limit | 16 km | 498 m | 3h 30m | start + 3h 30m |
| Pendeen → Lelantpasses Zennor, which has no time limit | 28 km | 1019 m | 5h 30m | start + 9h |
| Lelant → Godrevypasses Hayle, which has no time limit | 11 km | 141 m | 1h 30m | start + 10h 30m |
| Godrevy → Portreath | 12 km | 472 m | 3h | start + 13h 30m |
| Portreath → Perranporth Airfieldpasses Porthtowan, which has no time limit | 16 km | 578 m | 3h | start + 16h 30m |
Budgets are derived from the cut-off times published by the organiser; they are not a personal finish estimate.
| Station | Km | From previous | Supplies | Medical | Crew | Cut-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Land's End | 0 | — | — | No | No | — |
| Sennen | 2 | 2 | None | No | No | — |
| Cape Cornwall | 10 | 8.1 | None | No | No | — |
| Pendeen | 16 | 6 | Food | No | No | Saturday 13:30 |
| Zennor | 29 | 12 | None | — | — | — |
| LelantDrop bag | 45 | 16 | Hot food | No | No | Saturday 19:00 |
| Hayle | 48 | 3.2 | None | No | No | — |
| Godrevy | 55 | 7.3 | Food | No | No | Saturday 20:30 |
| Portreath | 67 | 12 | Drinks | No | No | Saturday 23:30 |
| Porthtowan | 73 | 6 | None | — | — | — |
| Perranporth AirfieldDrop bag | 83 | 9.8 | Hot food | Yes | No | Sunday 02:30 |
Aid station details come from the list published by the organiser; confirm them at the official source before race day.
Plan your cutoffs for this course
49.4K course49 km · 1458 m gain · 19% uphill · 8 aid stations
- Climb (3-10%)
- Flat
- Descent
The published GPX measures 49 km with 1458 m of climbing, 30 m per km. The course sits between 2 m and 101 m of altitude. 58% of the gain sits in the first half.
- 0-4 km · Start → Trevose Head: 107 m up / 52 m down; gently rolling.
- 4-11 km · Trevose Head → Porthcothan Bay: 166 m up / 221 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 11-18 km · Porthcothan Bay → Mawgan Porth: 274 m up / 268 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 18-25 km · Mawgan Porth → Porth: 302 m up / 305 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 25-27 km · Porth → Newquay: 35 m up / 30 m down; gently rolling.
- 27-34 km · Newquay → Polly Joke: 171 m up / 166 m down; gently rolling.
- 34-37 km · Polly Joke → Holywell Bay: 55 m up / 62 m down; gently rolling.
- 37-42 km · Holywell Bay → Perran Sands: 137 m up / 101 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 42-49 km · Perran Sands → Finish: 211 m up / 161 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
The race climbs from the gun: 60 m over the first 3.9 km. Do not chase the crowd, the two minutes you win here get taken back with interest.
There is no single defining climb; the gain is spread across 6 separate hills. A typical hill rises about 60 m and the biggest gains 90 m around km 44. This profile keeps breaking your rhythm, so hold a steady effort on the rises, recover on the drops and switch to hiking without hesitation.
The last 5.9 km climb 95 m to the line. Know it going in and save something for it.
- Cut-off lands at 18:30 and sunset at 17:55, near enough the same moment. Go slower than planned and the last kilometres are in the dark, so pack the torch.
- Poles are optional: 30 m of gain per km. Bring them to protect your legs, not to gain speed.
- Point to point: the finish sits 27.2 km from the start as the crow flies. Sort the shuttle and your drop bag before race day.
Course-profile notes are generated from GPX grade data; terrain, rules, aid stations and weather are added only when separately sourced.
Aid stations
Key decision points
Mawgan Porthkm 18
- Drinks only; arrive carrying your own food.
- The heaviest leg is next: 6.9 km with 307 m of climbing.
- The climb starts immediately on exit (10%); keep the stop short.
- Cut-off: 4h after the start.
- Drinks only, no food, at Mawgan Porth (km 18) and Holywell Bay (km 37). Loosen the flask caps on approach; with no queue, refill and leave in 20-30 seconds. Carry the food you will need from the previous station.
- Trevose Head (km 4) is a timing point only, with nothing on the table.
- Food is available at Porth (km 25). Decide what you need before reaching the table; without a planned special task, collect food and fluids and leave within 60-90 seconds. Finish eating on the next calm, suitable section.
- The last aid station is Holywell Bay (km 37), leaving 12 km to the finish. After that you are on what you carry.
- The heaviest leg runs from Mawgan Porth (km 18) to Porth (km 25): 7 km with 307 m of climbing. Treat it as the slowest part of your day and get your food out before it.
- Medical support is available at Perranporth Airfield (km 49). If something is wrong with your feet or your stomach, deal with it there rather than pushing on.
- The climbing starts the moment you leave Mawgan Porth (km 18): the steepest roughly 250 m section averages 10%. Only drinks are served here, so fill the bottles and carry your own food in, then begin the climb under control.
- The overall cut-off is 9h 30m, including all checkpoint stops. Build the plan around the official leg budgets below, not a flat-course average pace.
- Relative to distance and climbing, the tightest official time budget runs from Porth (km 25) to Holywell Bay (km 37): the official time budget is 1h for 13 km and 261 m of climbing. Station stops come out of that same budget, so do not enter the leg already behind schedule.
Official cut-off ladder
| Leg | Distance | D+ | Official time budget | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start → Mawgan Porthpasses Trevose Head, Porthcothan Bay, which has no time limit | 18 km | 547 m | 4h | start + 4h |
| Mawgan Porth → Porth | 6.9 km | 302 m | 1h 30m | start + 5h 30m |
| Porth → Holywell Baypasses Newquay, Polly Joke, which has no time limit | 13 km | 261 m | 1h | start + 6h 30m |
| Holywell Bay → Perranporth Airfieldpasses Perran Sands, which has no time limit | 12 km | 348 m | 3h | start + 9h 30m |
Budgets are derived from the cut-off times published by the organiser; they are not a personal finish estimate.
| Station | Km | From previous | Supplies | Medical | Crew | Cut-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harlyn Bay | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Trevose Head | 4 | 4 | None | — | — | — |
| Porthcothan Bay | 11 | 6.8 | None | — | — | — |
| Mawgan Porth | 18 | 6.9 | Drinks | No | No | Sunday 13:00 |
| Porth | 25 | 6.9 | Food | No | No | Sunday 14:30 |
| Newquay | 27 | 1.8 | None | — | — | — |
| Polly Joke | 34 | 7.7 | None | — | — | — |
| Holywell Bay | 37 | 3.1 | Drinks | No | No | Sunday 15:30 |
| Perran Sands | 42 | 4.8 | None | — | — | — |
| Perranporth Airfield | 49 | 7 | Hot food | Yes | No | Sunday 18:30 |
Aid station details come from the list published by the organiser; confirm them at the official source before race day.
Plan your cutoffs for this course
22.1K course22 km · 744 m gain · 27% uphill · 5 aid stations
- Climb (3-10%)
- Flat
- Descent
The published GPX measures 22 km with 744 m of climbing, 34 m per km. The course sits between 8 m and 188 m of altitude. 51% of the gain sits in the first half.
- 0-2.6 km · Start → Trevaunance Cove: 88 m up / 166 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 2.6-5.2 km · Trevaunance Cove → St Agnes Head: 103 m up / 38 m down; gently rolling.
- 5.2-9.6 km · St Agnes Head → Porthtowan: 113 m up / 181 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
- 9.6-16 km · Porthtowan → St Agnes Beacon: 245 m up / 80 m down; the stretch climbs.
- 16-19 km · St Agnes Beacon → St Agnes: 42 m up / 189 m down; the stretch descends.
- 19-22 km · St Agnes → Finish: 153 m up / 93 m down; the stretch keeps rolling.
The first 1.8 km roll: 68 m up and 101 m down. You will not hold one rhythm here, so treat the early climbs as a warm-up.
The backbone of the course runs from km 13 to km 16: 153 m over 2.4 km at 6% average, its steepest roughly 250 m section averaging 15%. Kilometre by kilometre: km 14 51 m, km 15 56 m, km 16 61 m. This is hiking terrain, not running terrain. Walk it with intent and keep your heart rate off the ceiling.
The longest descent starts at km 16 and loses 170 m by km 21 at 3% average, its steepest roughly 250 m section averaging 18%. Its length can load the quads, so begin under control and build rhythm only when the ground and visibility allow it.
The last 2.6 km roll: 155 m up and 112 m down. Do not start the finishing effort early, there is another climb in there.
A steep pitch starts within about 0.3 km of Trevaunance Cove; keep the stop short and do not enter it on cooled-down legs.
A steep pitch starts within about 0.3 km of Porthtowan; keep the stop short and do not enter it on cooled-down legs.
A steep pitch starts within about 0.3 km of St Agnes; keep the stop short and do not enter it on cooled-down legs.
- Even at cut-off pace you finish 2 hours 27 minutes before sunset. This one is run entirely in daylight.
- Consider bringing poles. The course averages 34 m of gain per km and the longest climb averaging over 5% runs 2.4 km; if you have trained with them and the organiser allows them, use them on the climbs and stow them on runnable ground.
- Km 19.5 to 21.9 is the same ground you covered at km 2.4; note your pace on the first pass and use it as the yardstick on the second.
Course-profile notes are generated from GPX grade data; terrain, rules, aid stations and weather are added only when separately sourced.
Aid stations
Key decision points
Trevaunance Covekm 2.6
- No supplies, timing only.
- The climb starts immediately on exit (17%); keep the stop short.
Porthtowankm 9.6
- Drinks only; arrive carrying your own food.
- The heaviest leg is next: 6 km with 250 m of climbing.
- Cut-off: 2h after the start.
- Drinks only, no food, at Porthtowan (km 10). Loosen the flask caps on approach; with no queue, refill and leave in 20-30 seconds. Carry the food you will need from the previous station.
- Trevaunance Cove (km 3) is a timing point only, with nothing on the table.
- The last aid station is Porthtowan (km 10), leaving 12 km to the finish. After that you are on what you carry.
- The heaviest leg runs from Porthtowan (km 10) to St Agnes Beacon (km 16): 6 km with 250 m of climbing. Treat it as the slowest part of your day and get your food out before it.
- Medical support is available at Finish / Perranporth Airfield (km 22). If something is wrong with your feet or your stomach, deal with it there rather than pushing on.
- The climbing starts the moment you leave Trevaunance Cove (km 3): the steepest roughly 250 m section averages 17%. Nothing is served at this point, so arrive already stocked from the previous aid station, then begin the climb under control.
- The overall cut-off is 4h 30m, including all checkpoint stops. Build the plan around the official leg budgets below, not a flat-course average pace.
- Relative to distance and climbing, the tightest official time budget runs from Porthtowan (km 10) to Finish / Perranporth Airfield (km 22): the official time budget is 2h 30m for 13 km and 440 m of climbing. Station stops come out of that same budget, so do not enter the leg already behind schedule.
| Station | Km | From previous | Supplies | Medical | Crew | Cut-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perranporth Airfield | 0 | — | — | No | No | — |
| Trevaunance Cove | 2.6 | 2.6 | None | — | — | — |
| St Agnes Head | 5.2 | 2.5 | None | — | — | — |
| Porthtowan | 9.6 | 4.4 | Drinks | No | No | Sunday 13:00 |
| St Agnes Beacon | 16 | 5.9 | None | — | — | — |
| St Agnes | 19 | 3.9 | None | — | — | — |
| Finish / Perranporth Airfield | 22 | 2.6 | Drinks | Yes | No | Sunday 15:30 |
Aid station details come from the list published by the organiser; confirm them at the official source before race day.
Plan your cutoffs for this course
Calculators for this race
Registration
- StandardWed, Jul 15, 2026Registration open
Data sources: UTMB World Series, official site (arcofattrition.utmb.world) · Last checked:
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Frequently asked questions
(34)
What is Arc of Attrition by UTMB®?
Arc of Attrition by UTMB is one of the UK's premier coastal ultra marathons. Race 25km, 50km, 100km or 100 miles along Cornwall's spectacular South West Coast Path.
When is Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027?
Arc of Attrition by UTMB® takes place on Fri, Jan 22, 2027 - Sun, Jan 24, 2027. Start time: 13:00.
Where does Arc of Attrition by UTMB® take place?
Arc of Attrition by UTMB® takes place in Perranporth, United Kingdom.
What are the courses and distances of Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027?
Arc of Attrition by UTMB® offers 4 courses: 173K (173 km, 5507 m D+); 82.7K (82.7 km, 2708 m D+); 49.4K (49.4 km, 1458 m D+); 22.1K (22.1 km, 744 m D+).
How hard is Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027?
Difficulty is measured in km-effort: distance plus ascent divided by 100. The 173K course covers 173 km with 5507 m of climbing, which is 228 km-effort and falls in ITRA category XXL. All courses: 173K 228 km-effort (XXL), 82.7K 110 km-effort (M), 49.4K 64 km-effort (S), 22.1K 30 km-effort (XS).
What is the official website of Arc of Attrition by UTMB®?
Official website: https://arcofattrition.utmb.world/
Is a medical certificate required for Arc of Attrition by UTMB®?
The requirement does not apply to everyone. See the organiser's official page for the exact wording.
Is the Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027 course a loop or an out and back?
The 173K course is point to point, finishing 34 km from the start; measured from the GPX file it runs 171.6 km. The 82.7K course is point to point, finishing 47.6 km from the start; measured from the GPX file it runs 82 km. The 49.4K course is point to point, finishing 27.2 km from the start; measured from the GPX file it runs 49 km.
Where is the hardest climb at Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027?
The biggest climb on the 173K course runs from km 106 to km 110: 3.5 km for 97 m at 3% average; its steepest roughly 250 m section averages 17%. It tops out at 119 m.
How high does Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027 go?
The 173K course runs between -1 m and 121 m with 5511 m of total climbing.
Do you need poles at Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027?
The 173K course averages 32 m of gain per km with a longest climb of 0 km, so poles help noticeably.
Do you need a headtorch at Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027?
173K: Sunset is 17:58 and the finish cut-off is 02:30. A runner using the full time allowance spends the final 15 hours 8 minutes in darkness. Get the headtorch out before sunset and keep spare batteries or a power bank dry and immediately accessible. A spare buried at the bottom of the pack is not an emergency spare. Check reflective course markers regularly in the dark. If the markings disappear, stop moving forward, return to the last marker and confirm the route against the GPX or organiser app. At cut-off pace you run into a second night. Plan the sleep question before race day: an hour gained on the first night costs two on the second.
What is the weather like at Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027?
Over the last 5 years the same week here measured 6°C to 9°C, with a high of 13°C, a low of 0°C and rain on 43% of days. A real forecast lands about two weeks out.
Where are the aid stations at Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027?
The 173K course has 20 stations; the first at km 11 and the last at km 163. The longest gap between them is 16 km, between Zennor and Lelant.
What is served at the Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027 aid stations?
For the 173K course: Hot food: Porthleven (40. km), Penzance (65. km), Land's End (90. km), Lelant (135. km). Drinks only: Lizard Point (17. km), Porthcurno (83. km), Portreath (157. km). No supplies at all: Cadgwith (11. km), Mullion (28. km), Praa Sands (48. km), Marazion (58. km), Mousehole (69. km), Penberth (80. km), Sennen (92. km), Cape Cornwall (100. km), Zennor (119. km), Hayle (138. km), Porthtowan (163. km).
Is there a drop bag at Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027?
Yes. On the 173K course the drop bag point is Land's End (km 90).
What are the cut-off times for the 173K at Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027?
On the 173K course at Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027 the finish cut-off is Sunday 02:30. Intermediate cut-offs: Lizard Point (km 17) Friday 16:30, Porthleven (km 40) Friday 20:30, Penzance (km 65) Saturday 01:00, Land's End (km 90) Saturday 07:00, Pendeen (km 107) Saturday 11:00, Lelant (km 135) Saturday 18:00, Godrevy (km 145) Saturday 20:00, Portreath (km 157) Saturday 23:30.
What are the cut-off times for the 82.7K at Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027?
On the 82.7K course at Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027 the finish cut-off is Sunday 02:30. Intermediate cut-offs: Pendeen (km 16) Saturday 13:30, Lelant (km 45) Saturday 19:00, Godrevy (km 55) Saturday 20:30, Portreath (km 67) Saturday 23:30.
What are the cut-off times for the 49.4K at Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027?
On the 49.4K course at Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027 the finish cut-off is Sunday 18:30. Intermediate cut-offs: Mawgan Porth (km 18) Sunday 13:00, Porth (km 25) Sunday 14:30, Holywell Bay (km 37) Sunday 15:30.
What are the cut-off times for the 22.1K at Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027?
On the 22.1K course at Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027 the finish cut-off is Sunday 15:30. Intermediate cut-offs: Porthtowan (km 10) Sunday 13:00.
What time does Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027 start?
Known start times: 173K 13:00, 82.7K 10:00, 49.4K 09:00, 22.1K 11:00, local time. Confirm against the organiser's schedule in race week.
What is the time limit at Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027?
The finish time limit is 173K Sunday 02:30, 82.7K Sunday 02:30, 49.4K Sunday 18:30, 22.1K Sunday 15:30. Intermediate stations carry their own cut-offs; the full list is in the checkpoint table on this page.
Is there a GPX file for Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027?
Yes. The GPX files for the 173K, 82.7K, 49.4K, 22.1K courses can be downloaded from the course section on this page, next to the route and grade profile.
Which Arc of Attrition by UTMB® course should you choose?
The shortest option is 22.1K (22.1 km, 744 m D+) and the longest is 173K (173 km, 5507 m D+). With little trail experience the 22.1K is the safer start; the 173K demands an all-day effort and cut-off management.
What are the gradients like at Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027?
The 173K course averages 32 m of climbing per km, with 5511 m of total ascent and 5437 m of descent. The steepest kilometre averages 11%.
How runnable is the Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027 course?
Expect a mix of running and power hiking: 32 m of gain per km; hiking the long climbs is normal, and the longest climb runs 3.5 km.
Where is the steepest part of Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027?
The steepest kilometre of the 173K course averages 11% and sits inside the climb between km 21 and km 21.
How many climbs does Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027 have?
The 173K course has 25 distinct climbs. The biggest: km 106-110 (97 m at 3%); km 164-165 (92 m at 7%); km 170-171 (77 m at 9%).
Is there a long climb at Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027?
Yes. The longest climb runs 3.5 km from km 106, gaining 97 m at 3% average, topping out at 119 m.
What are the descents like at Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027?
There is 5437 m of descent in total. The longest drop runs 3.2 km between km 152 and km 156, losing 78 m.
Are there flat sections at Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027?
Yes, roughly 65% of the course is near flat, with long sections where a rhythm holds.
Is the hard part of Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027 early or late?
The climbing is evenly split: 48% of it sits in the first half.
Are poles mandatory at Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027?
The organiser has not announced a pole requirement. Based on the profile poles help noticeably.
Do you need to carry water at Arc of Attrition by UTMB® 2027?
Yes: the longest stretch without aid on the 173K course is 15.9 km, so carrying backup water is essential.