Name: North Sea Ultra Sylt 2026
Start: 2026-05-09T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-05-09T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Kampen/Sylt — Start und Ziel, Route rund um die Insel

North Sea Ultra

About North Sea Ultra

The North Sea Ultra is an ultra-marathon of a special kind: 111 kilometers in a loop around the island of Sylt, through the Ellenbogen, the Wadden Sea, past the harbors of List and Hörnum. As a UTMB World Series Qualifier, it attracts trail and ultra runners from all over Europe to Kampen, the start and finish location. Solo and relay formats (37.7 km / 74 km / 111 km), twelve aid stations, and a course that runs under the motto «Fast, Flat & Windy» make the race a unique experience on the edge of Germany.

Dates 09 May — 09 May 2026

Venue Kampen (01054)

Prices —

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

North Sea Ultra — edition 2026

Tickets →

The North Sea Ultra 2026 will take place on Saturday, May 9, 2026, on Sylt — start and finish in Kampen. Three distances: 111 km solo, 74 km as a 2-person relay, 37.7 km as a 3-person relay. The course runs once around the island — through Ellenbogen, Wadden Sea, harbors of List and Hörnum. Twelve aid stations. UTMB World Series Qualifier.

2026 Program

The North Sea Ultra 2026 will be held on Saturday, May 9, 2026. Start and finish: Kampen on Sylt. Course route: once around the island — past the Ellenbogen in the far north, through the Wadden Sea in the east, to the southern tip of Hörnum and back to Kampen.

Formats

111 km Solo: the full island loop, the flagship race
74 km: 2-person relay or half loop
37.7 km: 3-person relay or third leg

Key Data

Aid Stations: 12 stations on the course
Elevation Gain: approx. 200m — flat, but exposed to wind
Classification: UTMB World Series Qualifier (Stones for Chamonix)
Tagline: «Fast, Flat & Windy»

Highlights North Sea Ultra 2026

111 km around Sylt, UTMB Qualifier, course sections in the Ellenbogen nature reserve, in the Wadden Sea and at the harbors of List and Hörnum.

Programme North Sea Ultra 2026

Daily Schedule

The start times for the three distances are staggered so that finishers meet at the finish line in Kampen in a timely manner. Detailed start times, route map as GPS data, cut-off times, and logistics (bag drop, relay changeovers) will be announced by the organizer on northseaultra.com. The Pasta Party the evening before and the briefing for all participants traditionally take place at the Kurhaus Kampen.

Catering

Twelve aid stations are evenly distributed along the 111 km loop. Offered are water, isotonic drinks, cola, bananas, salt pretzels, energy bars, and warm broth at the later stations.

Prices North Sea Ultra 2026

Entry fees are tiered according to distance and registration date — current prices on the organizer's website.

Practical information

Practical information — North Sea Ultra

Getting There

By Hindenburgdamm car train from Niebüll or by Sylt-Shuttle. Train: ICE/IC to Niebüll, then connecting train to Westerland (Sylt). From Westerland station, take bus line 1 or a taxi to Kampen (approx. 15 minutes).

Registration

Via the official website northseaultra.com. Solo and relay formats can be registered separately, with different entry fees.

Tips

Book accommodation in Kampen early — the island is very busy in spring. Windproof and waterproof clothing is mandatory, even in May. Sand-protected shoes help on the beach sections.

Sylt in Running Mode

Sylt is Germany's northernmost island, known for its beaches, dunes, and mudflat landscapes. For ultra-runners, however, it is above all one thing: a huge, flat, windy running laboratory. The North Sea Ultra uses precisely this geography and sends its participants on a loop around the island — 111 kilometers from Kampen via List in the far north, through the Ellenbogen with views of Denmark, along the Wadden Sea to the south to Hörnum and back.

Formats and Courses

The race is held in several formats: 111 km Solo for the hardiest, 74 km as a half loop or as a leg of a 2-person relay, and 37.7 km as a third of a leg of a 3-person relay. This makes the race accessible to beginners and teams without diluting the solo format.

UTMB World Series Qualifier

The North Sea Ultra is certified as a UTMB World Series Qualifier — finishers collect Stones for the lottery for starting places at the legendary Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc in Chamonix. The race thus becomes a strategic date in the annual calendar for many ambitious ultra-runners.

Catering and Logistics

Twelve aid stations are spread along the course, offering water, isotonic drinks, cola, bananas, salt pretzels, and warm broths and bars. The stations are placed so that no gap is more than 12-15 kilometers — important on a windy, shadeless island. The organizers maintain the slogan «Fast, Flat & Windy»: the course is indeed flat (hardly 200 meters of altitude gain over 111 km), but the wind over the Wadden Sea can become a test of endurance.