Ovifat, Belgium · Saturday, November 7, 2026

Fixed Distance 50 mi

Grand Trail des Lacs et Châteaux Winter

19 days to go

66 km Distance

2,513 m Climbing

7.1 Grit · Hardcore

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 13 hours 11:49 min/km average. Comfortable. Room to walk the climbs and stop at aid. About average for a 50 mi. Measured against 477 races of the same distance. Cut-off calculator →

Field size ~458 Large. Rarely out of sight of another runner.

DUV results for the 2025 edition (66km) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

Typical conditions, November

Daytime high 7°C

Night low 2°C

Rainfall Mostly dry

Daylight 9 h 28 m of light

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

Results history

Year	Race	Finishers	Men's winner	Women's winner
2025	66km	458	Christophe Premont · 05:26:06	Laura van Vooren · 06:47:36
2024	66km	383	Raoul Raus · 05:22:48	Laura van Vooren · 06:35:32

The field grew 20% between 2024 (383) and 2025 (458). 11% of the 2025 field were women.

DUV results for the 2025 edition (66km) — 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 66 km of trail with 2,513 m of ascent.

Trail Running Shoes 38 m of climb per kilometre — grip and rock protection before cushioning.
Race Nutrition 66 km of self-supported fuelling between aid stations.
Hydration Vests Pole attachment and chest-strap stability on steep ground.
Trekking Poles 2,513 m of ascent to walk up.
Headlamps A 13 h limit puts you out there after dark.

Brooks

Catamount 3

RunRepeat found the Brooks Catamount 3 to have a cozier upper that enhances the overall fit, though breathability and durability could be better. iRunFar noted…

★★★★★ 4.5

New Balance

Gel 100

Hydrogel technology for 25g carbs per gel with minimal GI distress.

$3.5 ★★★★★ 4.7

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

Petzl

NAO RL

1500-lumen reactive lighting headlamp with 15-hour runtime. Automatic brightness adjustment.

$150 ★★★★★ 4.7

All gear guides →

Overview

The Grand Trail des Lacs et Châteaux Winter is a 66-kilometer trail race that will take place in Ovifat, Belgium, on November 7, 2026. With 2513 meters of elevation gain, the course presents 38 meters of climb per kilometer.

The race features a time limit of 13 hours, which is more generous than 59% of 50-mile race cut-offs and tighter than 41%. This allows for a maximum pace of 11.8 minutes per kilometer. The latest edition saw 458 finishers, making its field bigger than 97% of 50-mile fields.

Similar races

Other 50 mi trail ultras, closest in distance first.