Ultra Trail Drakensberg - Giant’s Cup Uncut (GCU 62)

Race completed

65 km Distance

2,400 m Climbing

6.9 Grit · Hardcore

29.7467° S, 29.5136° E © OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap

What the course asks

Climbing rate 37 m / km Rolling. Moderate undulations. Requires consistent effort across varying grades.

Time limit 13 hours 12:00 min/km average. Generous. Walkable throughout for most of the field. About average for a 50 mi. Measured against 471 races of the same distance. Cut-off calculator →

Field size ~166 Mid-sized. Company early, well spread out by halfway.

DUV results for the 2025 edition (65km) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

Typical conditions, April

Daytime high 17°C

Night low 4°C

Rainfall Mostly dry

Daylight 11 h 08 m of light

Regional 2001-2020 average for April — NASA POWER, grid elevation 2216 m. Not a forecast.

Results history

Year	Race	Finishers	Men's winner	Women's winner
2025	65km	166	Admire Muzopambwa · 06:01:44	Olivia Dubern · 07:08:28
2024	65km	216	Mvuyisi Gcogco · 05:59:16	Mary-Lee van Zyl · 06:48:34
2023	62km	154	Simon Desvaux de Marigny · 06:04:44	Marissa Groenewald · 08:30:59
2022	62km	225	Johardt van Heerden · 05:50:08	Megan MacKenzie · 06:40:25
2021	62km	154	Nkosikhona Mhlakwana · 06:12:59	Taryn King · 07:22:28
2019	62km	66	Rory Scheffer · 06:13:33	Mags Wright · 08:13:25
2018	62km	50	Iain Peterkin · 06:38:58	Samantha Reilly · 08:37:21
2017	62km	39	Christiaan Greyling · 06:41:39	Landie (Roelande) Greyling · 07:50:19

The field shrank 23% between 2024 (216) and 2025 (166). 33% of the 2025 field were women.

DUV results for the 2025 edition (65km) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

The Aid Station

Course-specific beta from the community

⛰️ terrain

This is a rolling course. Expect fast, runnable sections where rhythm is key.

By UltraHub Expert

👟 gear

With trail terrain, choose a shoe with moderate cushioning for optimal performance.

By UltraHub Expert

Gear for this race

Chosen for 65 km of trail with 2,400 m of ascent.

Trail Running Shoes 37 m of climb per kilometre — grip and rock protection before cushioning.
Race Nutrition 65 km of self-supported fuelling between aid stations.
Hydration Vests Pole attachment and chest-strap stability on steep ground.
Trekking Poles 2,400 m of ascent to walk up.
Headlamps A 13 h limit puts you out there after dark.

Salomon

Sense Ride 5

RunRepeat found the Salomon Sense Ride 5 to have immaculate lockdown and a smooth and stable ride, making it confident on moderate trails and steep downhills. I…

★★★★★ 4.5

La Sportiva

Prodigio Pro

RunRepeat found the La Sportiva Prodigio Pro to have a secure, locked-in fit due to its premium upper, and also praised the shoe's energetic ride, particularly…

$225 ★★★★★ 4.6

Spring Energy