Kullamannen by UTMB will take place from October 30–31, 2026, on the west coast of Sweden, welcoming more than 2,750 trail runners representing nearly 60 countries across four race distances.
The 2026 edition demonstrates an expanding international presence, with 45% of participants travelling to the event from outside Sweden. International participation includes strong runner contingents from Denmark, Norway, France, Germany and the UK. Part of the UTMB World Series, the event combines technical coastal paths, forest trails, rocky viewpoints, windswept beaches and extended hours of darkness along the coastline in Båstad, Sweden.
Kitt Grandvide, Race Director at Kullamannen by UTMB, said “Kullamannen is not meant to be just another trail race. We want runners to feel that they are entering another world, shaped by darkness, the sea, the landscape and the legend itself. Seeing athletes from nearly 60 countries travel here to experience that is incredibly special.”
For the 2026 edition, the 22km North Shore event will feature a fully nighttime start after sunset, requiring participants to navigate the coastal terrain using head torches.
The professional field includes more than 50 elite athletes, marking a 67% increase in elite registrations compared with the 2025 event. Key entrants in the Ultra 100 Miles (173km) race include Alexandre Boucheix, who finished second in the men’s race in 2025, alongside Eevi Bengs, who finished third in the women’s event in 2025. Standout runners Juuso Simpanen and William Englund are also entered in the 100-mile category.
In the Sprint Ultra 100K (108km), HOKA athlete Gemma Hillier Moses and Joseph Turner are set to compete, while Jacob Adkin and Kirsty Skye Dickson will line up in the 53km Seventh Seal race.
The race schedule encompasses four main formats:
- Ultra 100 Miles (173km | 4 Running Stones)
- Sprint Ultra 100K (108km | 3 Running Stones)
- Seventh Seal (53km | 2 Running Stones)
- North Shore (22km | 1 Running Stone)
Additional schedule elements include a youth race in Höganäs, Sweden, on October 30, 2026, a second youth event in Båstad, Sweden, on October 31, 2026, and the Legacy Run charity event on October 24, 2026. The race weekend will also host an industry networking meet-up in partnership with Minds in Motion at Hotel Skansen in Båstad on October 30, 2026, at 12:30 CEST.
