NUTS Karhunkierros - 166 km - Elevation Profile, Aid Stations and Cutoffs
- Ruka, Kuusamo, Finland
- 167.6 km
- 3,752 m D+
- 9 aid stations
Map, checkpoints and cutoffs Map · checkpoints · forecast opens May 19 Race-day forecast is live
Race-day conditions
Weather and daylight along the course and at all 11 checkpoints, set to the 08:00 start.
- Start
- 08:00
- Daylight at the start
- 02:28-23:31
- Aid stations
- 9
Course profile
Ruka, Kuusamo, FinlandRuka, Kuusamo, Finland· point-to-point
- Distance
- 167.6 km
- Elevation
- +3,752 m-3,752 mAbout 22 m of climb per km
- Highest point
- 492 mValtavaara
Next editionFri 28 May 2027 · 08:00
- Start
- SunsetRuka, Kuusamo, Finland15h32 after the start
- Winner~17h0917h09 after the start
- SunriseRuka, Kuusamo, Finland18h24 after the start
- Median finisher2026 median31h53 after the start
- Cutoff36h after the start
A median finisher runs 2h52 in the dark.
NUTS Karhunkierros - 166 km is a 167.6 km ultra-trail with around 3,752 m of elevation gain, starting in Ruka, Kuusamo, Finland. The overall cutoff is 36 hours. The highest point on the course is Valtavaara at 492 m. That is 22 m of climbing per kilometre. NUTS Karhunkierros has 4 races, from 35.5 to 167.6 km; this one ranks 1 of 4 by distance and 3 of 4 by climbing per kilometre.
The biggest climb between checkpoints gains around 647 m from Oulanka (return) (km 111.2) to Basecamp (return) (km 142.8). The steepest sustained section on the elevation profile averages about 7% over roughly 2.5 km around km 3. The published checkpoint list has no crew-access points - check the official runner guide for assistance rules. Drop bags are available at Oulanka, Napapiiri (Hautajärvi) and Oulanka (return).
Data is approximate and courses change between editions - always verify against the official race guide.
Other distances at NUTS Karhunkierros
| Race | Distance | D+ | Cutoff | Next start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NUTS Karhunkierros 166 (this page) | 167.6 km | 3,752 m | 36h00 | May 28, 2027 |
| NUTS Karhunkierros 83 | 83.8 km | 1,790 m | 18h00 | May 28, 2027 |
| NUTS Karhunkierros 55 | 56.3 km | 1,494 m | 14h00 | May 28, 2027 |
| NUTS Karhunkierros 34 | 35.5 km | 1,167 m | 10h00 | May 29, 2027 |
Plan against the cutoffs
Prepare every aid station against the official cutoffs, then unlock your full roadbook in the app.
Estimate your finish
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Course math
Four numbers worked out from this course's distance, elevation and checkpoints.
TrailMath effort-km
224 effort-km
About 24 h for a mid-pack finisher (index 500). Not a pacing guarantee.
Distance + gain ÷ 100 + loss ÷ 200, beside ITRA's gain-only km-effort. Model TM1.0.
How TrailMath works →UTMB Index category
100M
205 km-effort (distance + gain ÷ 100). Calculated from the course figures, not an official classification.
Estimate your UTMB Index → ITRA and UTMB indexes explainedBiggest climb section
+647 m
Oulanka (return) → Basecamp (return) · km 111.2–142.8
The largest gain between two checkpoints, not one continuous climb.
Oulanka (return) cutoff: Sat 06:00
Plan against barriers →Biggest descent section
−650 m
Basecamp → Oulanka · km 24.7–56.3
The largest loss between two checkpoints. ITRA's km-effort ignores descent; TrailMath counts it: 224 km-effort.
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NUTS Karhunkierros - 166 km · 2026
Finish times, 2026 edition
353 runners started. 172 came back. Half of them took longer than 31:52:47.That left the median finisher 4:07:13 inside the 36h cutoff.
Median finish
31:52:47
Half of the 172 finishers were still out there at this point.
4:07:13in hand before the 36h cutoff
Average 30:43:04, 1:09:43 quicker than the median: a fast front pulls it down.
The start line
48.7%
172 of 353 starters made it; 181 did not.
still moving when a cutoff closed
stopped by choice or by the medics
Men and women
Two medians on the same scale. The bars run from the start to the cutoff, so the gap between them is the gap in time.
Men
31:33:56
median finish; average 30:26:23
145 finishers, 84% of the field
Women
33:15:24
median finish; average 32:12:37
27 finishers, 16% of the field
1:41:28 separates the two medians, across 145 men and 27 women.
Where the finishers came from
98% of the finishers came from Finland alone.
| Nation | Finishers | Share |
|---|---|---|
| FinlandFI | 16897.7% | |
| EstoniaEE | 10.6% | |
| FranceFR | 10.6% | |
| ItalyIT | 10.6% | |
| New ZealandNZ | 10.6% |
Bar length is against the largest nation. The smallest counts are drawn at a minimum visible width, so their bars are not to scale.
Edition by edition
Every edition we have recomputed in full, newest first. The course, the weather and the field change from year to year, so a slower edition is not a harder one.
| Edition | Distance run | Starters | Finishers | Finish rate | Median finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026Latest | 167.6 km | 353 | 172 | 48.7% | 31:52:47 |
| 2025 | 167.6 km | 226 | 99 | 43.8% | 31:41:04 |
How these numbers were computed
These are times for runners who finished. They exclude everyone who started and did not, so they describe how long finishing took, not how long the race takes. Bands with only a handful of finishers move a lot from one edition to the next.
We plot the median, not the average. A handful of very quick runners drags the average well below the time half the field actually beat, so the median is the honest number to plan against.
Nationality here shows who travels to this race, not who runs it best. That alone is why a host nation tops almost every list.
Computed from the full official results, verifiedNovember 2, 2026 - Official results
Ask the course
Ask NUTS Karhunkierros 166 anything about climbs, pacing, crew or cutoffs.
Answers come from this course's data, your plan and your training.
Which climb should I respect most?
Oulanka (return) to Basecamp (return): +647 m over 31.6 km, from km 111.2. Hike the steep sections at an effort you could hold for hours - the race is decided after this climb, not on it.
Where can my crew meet me?
Konttainen, km 7.1 - your first checkpoint, and no crew can meet you there or further on: the organiser lists no crew access on NUTS Karhunkierros 166. Carry your own warm layers: the course tops out at 492 m, through the night, in May.
Is 31h a realistic finish for me?
31h would put you in the faster half of 2026 finishers - the median was 31:52:47. It means holding 11:06/km overall.
The assistant answers that once it can see your training.
Build your NUTS Karhunkierros 166 plan and your question is the first thing waiting in the TrailMath Assistant.
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To answer this for you, the Course Assistant uses your training and your race plan.
Example answer
Your long runs peak at 30 km, so the plan builds to 4-hour long runs, two of them at night.
Yearly has a 7-day free trial for eligible customers, or take a Race Pass for this race.
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See your training shape
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~30 weeks · peak ~8 h/week · 5 run + 2 strength days
For a 167.6 km race, aim for about 12 h/week at peak. Set your availability to 14 h/week in the app for the headroom to build there gradually.
Typical structure for your volume - your live plan adjusts sessions inside each week.
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Aid stations and checkpoints
| Checkpoint | Km | Cumulative gain (m) | Cumulative loss (m) | Cutoff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start - Ruka | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| Konttainen | 7.1 | 413 | 435 | - |
| Basecamp | 24.7 | 788 | 903 | - |
| OulankaDrop bag | 56.3 | 1,369 | 1,553 | - |
| Savilampi | 67.3 | 1,596 | 1,724 | - |
| Napapiiri (Hautajärvi)Drop bag | 83.8 | 1,820 | 1,933 | Sat 00:00 |
| Savilampi (return) | 99.3 | 1,989 | 2,148 | - |
| Oulanka (return)Drop bag | 111.2 | 2,201 | 2,385 | Sat 06:00 |
| Basecamp (return) | 142.8 | 2,848 | 2,964 | - |
| Konttainen (return) | 160.4 | 3,318 | 3,340 | Sat 17:00 |
| Finish - Ruka | 167.6 | 3,752 | 3,752 | - |
Data is approximate and courses change between editions - always verify against the official race guide. Source: official race guide, verifiedNovember 2, 2026 - Official race website
FAQ
How much elevation gain does NUTS Karhunkierros - 166 km have?
NUTS Karhunkierros - 166 km has around 3,752 m of cumulative elevation gain and 3,752 m of loss over 167.6 km.
What is the cutoff time for NUTS Karhunkierros - 166 km?
The overall NUTS Karhunkierros - 166 km cutoff is 36 hours, with intermediate time barriers at major checkpoints. Winning times are typically around 17 hours.
How long is NUTS Karhunkierros - 166 km?
NUTS Karhunkierros - 166 km covers approximately 167.6 km, starting in Ruka, Kuusamo, Finland.
What is the highest point of NUTS Karhunkierros - 166 km?
The highest point of NUTS Karhunkierros - 166 km is Valtavaara at 492 m.
How many aid stations does NUTS Karhunkierros - 166 km have and which allow crew?
The checkpoint table lists 9 major aid points between the start and the finish. Personal crew assistance is not part of the published checkpoint data - check the official runner guide. Drop bags are available at Oulanka, Napapiiri (Hautajärvi) and Oulanka (return).
Training for this race?
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