Ovifat, Belgium · Saturday, May 16, 2026

Fixed Distance 50 mi

Grand Trail des Lacs et Châteaux 85km

Race completed

88 km Distance

3,369 m Climbing

9.5 Grit · Elite / extreme

50.4266° N, 6.2043° E © OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap

What the course asks

Climbing rate 38 m / km Rolling. Moderate undulations. Requires consistent effort across varying grades.

Time limit 18 hours 12:16 min/km average. Comfortable. Room to walk the climbs and stop at aid. More forgiving than 67% of 50 mi races. Measured against 477 races of the same distance. Cut-off calculator →

Field size ~270 Large. Rarely out of sight of another runner.

DUV results for the 2026 edition (88km) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

Typical conditions, May

Daytime high 16°C

Night low 7°C

Rainfall Mostly dry

Daylight 15 h 28 m of light

Regional 2001-2020 average for May — NASA POWER, grid elevation 424 m. Not a forecast.

Results history

Year	Race	Finishers	Men's winner	Women's winner
2026	88km	270	Maarten Borgers · 08:39:14	Evelien Moonen · 10:33:15
2025	85km	318	Xavier Diepart · 07:32:50	Ann Andries · 09:43:26
2024	85km	192	Pieter de Wortelaer · 07:54:59	Na Li · 12:15:38
2023	83km	240	Florian Descamps · 07:21:30	Laura van Vooren · 09:11:33
2022	83km	269	Florentin Gooris · 08:07:06	Silvia Canals Rovira · 10:15:56
2021	84km	231	Xavier Diepart · 07:30:15	Gaelle Lecoq · 09:52:42
2019	64km	170	Andrei-Gratian Soveresan · 05:25:24	Sofie Claus · 06:03:26
2018	60km	129	Sven Remakel · 06:32:08	Liz Marshall · 07:42:08
2017	60km	181	Vincent Tassiaux · 05:57:58	Audrey Marieagnes · 08:08:01
2016	60km	97	Michal Kopyczok · 05:43:17	Marion Braun · 07:32:40

The field shrank 15% between 2025 (318) and 2026 (270). 11% of the 2026 field were women.

DUV results for the 2026 edition (88km) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

Course notes

terrain This is a rolling course. Expect fast, runnable sections where rhythm is key.
gear With trail terrain, choose a shoe with moderate cushioning for optimal performance.

Gear for this race

Chosen for 88 km of trail with 3,369 m of ascent.

Trail Running Shoes 38 m of climb per kilometre — grip and rock protection before cushioning.
Race Nutrition 88 km of self-supported fuelling between aid stations.
Hydration Vests Pole attachment and chest-strap stability on steep ground.
Trekking Poles 3,369 m of ascent to walk up.
Headlamps A 18 h limit puts you out there after dark.

Asics

Trabuco Max 3

★★★★★ 4.6

Asics

Trabuco Max 2

★★★★★ 4.7

Tailwind

Endurance Fuel

All-in-one calorie and electrolyte drink mix. 200 calories per serving.

$25 ★★★★★ 4.8

Nathan

VaporKrar 12L

12L race vest co-designed with ultra champion Rob Krar, with insulated bladder pocket.

$170 ★★★★★ 4.6

LEKI

Ultratrail FX.One

Ultra-light carbon folding poles (135g each) designed for mountain ultra racing.

$200 ★★★★★ 4.6

Nitecore

UT32

Dual-beam trail running headlamp (1100 lumens) with spot and flood beams.

$100 ★★★★★ 4.5

All gear guides →

Overview

The Grand Trail des Lacs et Châteaux 85km, an 88km trail race in Ovifat, Belgium, had its tenth edition in May 2026. This race featured 3369m of elevation gain, which at 38.3 meters of climb per kilometer makes it a demanding course.

The time limit of 18 hours allowed for a cutoff pace of 12.3 minutes per kilometer. This cutoff was more generous than 67% of 50-mile race cutoffs, giving runners more time on the course than in most comparable events.

With 270 finishers in its latest edition, this race had a bigger field than 92% of 50-mile races. The entry fee was 80 €.

Similar races

Other 50 mi trail ultras, closest in distance first.