Event organiser Ultra X has announced the acquisition of the Dragon’s Back Race and Northern Traverse out of administration. The move secures the future of two of the UK’s most demanding endurance events following the insolvency of previous organiser Ourea Events.
Greg Mickelborough, the former Operations Director at Ourea Events, has joined the Ultra X group to lead the delivery of the two events. Additionally, Shane Ohly, former CEO of Ourea Events, has been contracted by the group to ensure operational continuity during the transition.
Ultra X, a company founded by Sam Heward and Jamie Sparks, specialises in multi-day ultra-marathons in locations such as Rwanda, Jordan, and the Azores. The acquisition marks a significant expansion of its UK portfolio.
Shane Ohly, former CEO of Ourea Events, said “I’m very pleased that Ultra X has secured the future of Dragon’s Back Race and Northern Traverse, an organisation that shares a strong commitment to operational excellence, participant experience, and attention to detail. It is also very encouraging that Ultra X will be honouring existing entries.”
As part of the acquisition, Ultra X has confirmed several details regarding the upcoming race calendar as a gesture of goodwill:
- The 2026 edition of the Dragon’s Back Race will proceed as planned in its existing format, and all existing entries will be honoured.
- Entrants for the 2026 Northern Traverse will have their places transferred to the 2027 edition of the event.
Entrants to the Cape Wrath Ultra 2026, which the Ultra X group will not be organising, will be permitted to convert their entry fees into Ultra X race credit. This credit is redeemable against any races operated by the group for up to three years, including the Dragon’s Back Race and Northern Traverse.
The Dragon’s Back Race is widely considered one of the toughest mountain races in the world, traditionally involving a 380km journey down the spine of Wales over six days. The Northern Traverse follows the 300km coast-to-coast route from St Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay.
Sam Heward and Jamie Sparks, Co-founders of Ultra X, said “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Dragon’s Back Race and Northern Traverse into the Ultra X family. Our priority now is to provide certainty for participants and to deliver these events in the way that people already love.”
The company indicated that further details regarding the event schedules and logistics would be shared with participants in the coming weeks.
