DateExpected
Mid June 2027
Based on past editions. We'll confirm when the organiser announces.
Venue
Mt Difficulty Winery, Bannockburn, Cromwell
Bannockburn, Central Otago District
Countdown
June
The full Mt Difficulty Ascent: 44 km and 3,000 m of climbing, a serious mountain ultra with tight cut-offs and a small field. Be strong on the hills.
Key facts
01Cut-offs: 12pm at 16 km aid (late runners go to the 25 km), 3pm at Slap-Jack Saddle
02Course closes at 5pm
03Mandatory kit: pack, rain jacket, thermals, long legs, hat, gloves, survival bag, whistle
Create a free training plan for the Mt Difficulty Ascent 44 km
7-day free trial, no card required
The course
The route
Bannockburn
Distance44km
Total climb3,000m
StartElevation
0 kmDrag map to rotate41.5 km
Weather
Mid-June, Bannockburn
5°CTypical high
-1°CTypical low
-8°CColdest in 20 years
49%Days with rain
Highs around 5°C and lows around -1°C, but it has dropped to -8°C. Rain on 49% of days. Pack for the cold end, not the average.
NASA POWER data, 2006-2025, the week either side of race day
2026 results
Who finishes, and how
#TeamLapsTime
01Liv Martin604:32:46
02Sarah Jenkins606:51:17
03Wendy Du Toit607:13:22
9
Women finishers
7:15:14
Median time
6 laps
Median laps
Women · 2026 results, as published by the organiser.
How many laps could you do?
Get a prediction based on your recent training
Organiser
Training
Training for the Mt Difficulty Ascent 44 km
We don't do generic plans. We combine deep knowledge of this race's demands with your recent training, then build a plan with you that progresses as you do.
Beina integrates directly with your existing tools to understand your current fitness, and synchronise your planned sessions.
Intervals.icuWhat a Mt Difficulty Ascent 44 km plan targets
Typical sessions
44 km with 3,000 m of climbing
Time on feet and fatigue resistance
Fuelling and pacing for the whole event
What your weeks look like
Typical sessions
Long runs that build time on your feet
Tempo and threshold sessions to hold race pace
Hill reps and vert to prepare the climbs and descents
Back-to-back weekend runs for fatigue resistance
Not a generic schedule
Typical sessions
Built from your current fitness and the time you actually have
Adapts every week as Beina learns how you respond
Syncs your sessions straight to Garmin and Wahoo
One clear next session, never a wall of spreadsheet
Entries open now
Get your Mt Difficulty Ascent 44 km plan.
7-day free trial, no card required.
Other races at Mt Difficulty Ascent
