The Tokaj-Hegyalja Extreme Trail Hungary Sports Association is organising a multisport event on 13 June. At the event named Ultra Tokaj-Bodrogkeresztúr-Tarcal (UTBT), participants will be able to complete the cycle route around Tokaji-hegy on foot, the route of the cycle path circling Mount Tokaji can be completed on foot, by bike or on roller skates – the organisers announced on Tuesday in Tokaj at a press conference.
The race centre will be located at Tokaj Fesztiválkatlan, and the route Tokaj will pass through Bodrogkeresztúr and Tarcal. Participants can choose from distances of 21, 42 and 63 kilometres, which they can complete individually or in teams of two, three or four.
A competition with a new format
Elemér Vitkai, chairman of the Extreme Trail Hungary Sports Association, said that they had long planned to organise a sporting event around Mount Tokaji once the cycle path was completed. He added that they had previously organised an obstacle course race starting from Fesztiválkatlan, and that they would like to continue this tradition in a new form with the UTBT.
He said that Tokaj-Hegyalja is a fitting venue for such an event, which serves both to promote sport and to boost tourism in the region. The organisers’ aim is for the event to become an annual fixture following this inaugural occasion.
You can achieve your goals as part of a team
According to the president of the sports club, the longer 42- and 63-kilometre routes are based on the 21-kilometre circuit, although the latter can be completed not only individually but also as a team. He emphasised that the cycling programme will not be competitive, but rather a performance-based tour, the aim of which is to enable participants to get to know the towns and villages involved and their sights better.
Róbert Benkő, a member of the association’s executive committee, explained that cyclists will need to visit and photograph 10–15 designated checkpoints, and their completion of the route will be verified upon arrival at the finish line.
The organisers are also welcoming roller skaters, and the weekend’s programme can be rounded off with a canoe trip on Sunday.
Local authorities can also benefit from the competition
Elemér Vitkai said that they would be satisfied with around 600 participants for the first time. He explained that the association’s events usually attract between 600 and 850 runners, and they are confident that the UTBT’s growing reputation will further boost interest in the future.
He added that, as well as promoting sport, the event could also benefit local communities, as it could increase the number of overnight stays, boost business for local restaurants and bars, and help make Tokaj-Hegyalja an attractive destination all year round.
You can enter the competition via the http://www.utbt.hu website until midnight on Wednesday 10 June.
