Nearly 2,000 runners from more than 60 countries descended on Türkiye's Kaçkar Mountains for the second Kaçkar by UTMB, held September 11-13 around the Ayder Plateau in Rize's Çamlıhemşin district. It's the country's only UTMB World Series event, and after a strong debut in 2025, organizers expanded capacity and leaned harder on international participation.
The program offered four races. The flagship Kaçkar 100K sent 149 runners out at 4 a.m. on Saturday onto a roughly 82-kilometre course with about 5,600 metres of climbing, topping out near 3,200 metres at spots like Mezovit and threading through Hazindak, Samistal, Yukarı Kavrun, Avusor and Huser. Finishers had about 24 hours and earned three Running Stones toward the UTMB Finals lottery in Chamonix. Shorter options included a 50K (around 44 km, 3,000 metres of gain), a 20K (roughly 20-22 km with 1,400 metres of climbing), and a community-friendly Ayder 4K.
These are old shepherds' routes through Black Sea forest, river valleys and stone villages before hitting the exposed rock of a range that tops 3,900 metres. Weather is the wildcard: last year's longest race was cancelled due to severe conditions, so this edition came with improved logistics and coordination between local authorities, the mountaineering federation and municipalities.
The bigger story is what Rize is trying to build. The governor, İhsan Selim Baydaş, calls the province the capital of green, blue, tea and rain, and now hopes to add ultra-trail running to that list. UTMB has committed to keeping the event in Rize through 2030, giving the region a long-term platform. The government sees trail runners, a travel-hungry global community, as a way to fill hotels, restaurants and transport well beyond race weekend and stretch the season outside summer.
Access is improving too. Rize-Artvin Airport serves the region, and there's ongoing investment around Ayder and the road linking Pazar, Ardeşen, Çamlıhemşin and Ayder. Officials want visitors to explore beyond the race routes: the Fırtına Valley, Pokut, Sal, Huser and the castle at Zil Kale.
The event also leaned into local culture and community. The 4K community race started with horon dancing and tulum music, runners wore "Run for Climate" shirts, and a "Run Like Her" panel put women in sport in the spotlight. Local characters like 55-year-old Ayder tourism operator Nazmiye Dalga, back for her second 20K, underline the effort to make this a hometown race rather than an imported one.
For travellers, the takeaway is simple: the Kaçkars are being positioned as a year-round outdoor destination, and this race is the anchor. If you trail run, the 2030 commitment means a reliable, growing event with real UTMB stakes in one of Türkiye's wildest mountain regions. Even if you don't race, Ayder's plateau, the Fırtına Valley and the highland villages (yaylas) around Çamlıhemşin make a rewarding Black Sea trip with hot springs, tea country and hiking in the mix. Expect crowds and booked-out rooms on race weekend, so plan ahead.