Mozart 100 by UTMB® 2027

Wolfgang Amadeus was composing symphonies at six years old; you’re just aiming to get through the 119 km without a wrong note 🎹. The Mozart 100 by UTMB pins on its bibs in May on the shores of Fuschlsee, right in the heart of the Austrian Salzkammergut, this region of lakes and mountains that provides the perfect setting for the race. Now part of the UTMB World Series, it has risen among the most popular ultras in the Eastern Alps and attracts runners from all five continents 🌍.

Behind the race lies an idea born mid-flight 🛫. Back from Costa Rica, former advertising man Josef Mayerhofer imagines an ultra in a major historic city with worldwide influence, and sets his sights on Salzburg, Mozart’s UNESCO-listed birthplace. For more than ten years, the “Mozart 100” started from the Baroque old town, beneath the Hohensalzburg Fortress, before heading for higher ground. Spotted by the Ultra-Trail World Tour as a “Future” race in 2016 and integrated into the circuit from 2017, it earned its stripes season after season. For 2026, the organization turns a page: out goes the city center, in comes the Salzkammergut, with Fuschl am See as the event’s new beating heart 🫀.

The flagship course clocks in at 119 km and 5,700 mD+, on a playground that climbs from 400 to 1,783 m of altitude ⛰. The first kilometers roll gently along Fuschlsee and Wolfgangsee, before the gradient truly wakes up 📈. Schafberg is the ultimate judge: steep, rocky—the kind of climb that turns your thighs into a frantic metronome 🥵. Farther on, the ridgelines of Zwölferhorn and Nockstein unfurl an airy singletrack above the forests, and Gaisberg, Salzburg’s favorite mountain, watches over the final turnaround. Good news for loved ones: the Zwölferhorn cable car and the little Schafberg cog railway spare them the sweat while they cheer you on at the top 🚠.

Six formats coexist, from the 12 km "Lake Trail" to the full 119 km, including the Ultra (72 km), the Marathon (44 km) and the Half (28 km). Enough to welcome the Sunday curious as well as the seasoned ultra-trailer 🏃. The 100 hands out 4 Running Stones, keys to the grand finale: UTMB at Mont-Blanc. As for records, the 2018 edition crowned two Austrians at home: Florian Grasel for the men, and Martina Trimmel for the women, who devoured the then-104 km in 11h57 ⏱. The race even has its own Wikipedia page, proof that it long ago outgrew a regional scope.

The start from Fuschl am See sets the tempo, and the music never really leaves the trails: DJs and soundscapes keep the day moving late into the night 🎶. The Mozart thread still holds strong, since the composer’s mother was born in St. Gilgen, on the shores of Wolfgangsee, on land his family knew like the back of their hand. The event also supports the Wings for Life foundation, which funds research into spinal cord injuries 💛. Between crystal-clear lakes, pilgrimage paths and traditional villages, the vibe balances Alpine toughness with Austrian friendliness, carried by volunteers who take great care of you 🤝.

Once you cross the line, it’s time for local refueling 🍽. Salzburger Nockerl, a sweet soufflé shaped like a mountain range, and the famous Mozartkugel (a chocolate ball with marzipan) comfort those emptied legs. To extend the stay, the old town of Salzburg and its fortress are worth a full day, as is a boat crossing on Wolfgangsee ⛵.

All that remains is to find out whether you’ll finish in fortissimo or in decrescendo: on the “Mozart 100,” every finisher heads home with their own symphony in their legs 🎼.