Ultimate Trails of Manitoba UTofMB
It’s back for another year!
We’re excited to present the fourth annual Ultimate Trails of Manitoba series, which awards points to MATR members for every local trail race they participate in, regardless of the season.
We award points to members based on how many races they complete, with extra points for trail maintenance, volunteering, top performances, and other categories that reward sportsmanship and community-building.
Racing locally strengthens the community, promotes sustainable travel habits, and helps people discover the beautiful trails in their own backyards.
Every 2025 MATR member is automatically entered to collect points in the race series.
Want to join the race series?
It’s as easy as making sure you have your 2025 MATR membership and signing up to race or volunteer for at least one local trail race (see eligible trail races below) OR join us for our many trail work parties between November 2024 and October 2025.
Eligible 2025 Manitoba Trail Running Races
Start planning your 2025 race season now! Check back for race date updates as they are announced.
Upcoming 2025 Races:
Frozen Falcon (January 12) - Falcon Trails Resort | Registration Open
Actif Epica (February 14-16) - Crow Wing Trail | Registration Open
Manitoba Snowshoe Run (Louis Riel Day 2025) - Riding Mountain National Park | Registration TBA
Oxbow 50 (Tentative May 3) - Spruce Woods Provincial Park | Registration TBA
Suffer on Centennial (May 10) - Whiteshell Provincial Park | Registration opens Wed, Jan 1, 2025 @ 8am
Turtle’s Back Trail Run (June 14 - tentative date) - William Lake Provincial Park | Registration TBA
Groovy Granite (June 22) - Lac du Bonnet | Registration TBA
Old Tom Backyard Ultra (July 5 - ??) - Blumenort | Registration opens Saturday, Dec 7, 2024 at 8am
Birds Hill Trail Series (Dates TBA) - Birds Hill Provincial Park | Registration TBA
Grand Sand (July 27) - Lester Beach/Grand Beach Provincial Park | Registration TBA
Prairie Goat Vertical Kilometer (August 10) - Spring Hill Ski Area | Registration TBA
Race The North Face (September 6) - Brandon Hills | Registration opens Sat, Feb 2, 2025 @ 8am
Bellringer (September 20) - Schinkenwald Trails, Thornhill, Morden | Registration TBA
Epic East Gate (September 20) - Riding Mountain National Park | Registration TBA
Beaudry Fall Classic (October 3-5) - Beaudry Provincial Park | Registration TBA
Pinawa Trail Run (October 25) - Pinawa Provincial Park | Registration TBA
Rider vs Runner (TBA) - Souris Bend Wildlife Management Area | Registration TBA
We will consider additional races if current race directors expand their race portfolio and/or new organizers enter the scene in 2025 to be as inclusive as possible.
Earning points
You could win cool trail running gear and/or services from local businesses by earning points throughout the year. Here’s a sample of the categories in which you could earn points:
| Category | Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Race points | 20 points per event | The more races you participate in, the more points you rack up! *Note each race in the Birds Hill Trail series is worth 10 points, completing the entire series will earn you 30 points. **We've adjusted this category to award points for all participants who register for a race, regardless of whether they complete, DNS, or DNF. We know sometimes life throws obstacles in your way and keep you from lining up at the start-line or completing the intended distance. |
| Event volunteer | 10 points per event | Give back to your community at races you don't plan to run by being an official volunteer. |
| Worker bee | 20 points | Participate in organized trail maintenance days to earn Worker Bee points. |
| Top finishers | 10, 8, 5 points | Points for top finishers in each category recognized by the event. |
| Master of masters | 10 points | The oldest finisher of any race series event. |
| Trail prodigy | 10 points | The youngest finisher of any race series event. |
| Fresh blood | 5 points | Runners finishing their first trail race. |
| Longest time, biggest heart | 10 points | The final finisher of each event. |
| June (Racing) Bug | 10 points | A points bonus for finishing any distance at three out of four events in May and June. |
| Tour grit | 10 points | A points bonus for finishing at least one event by at least three participating race organizers. |
| Racing across regions | 5 points | A points bonus for finishing at least one event organized by at least two participating race organizers. |
| First off the fence | 3 points | A points bonus for being one of the first 5 registrants for an event. |
MATR reserves the right to add or amend categories as the season progresses, and grant points to race directors to give out to reward participation, volunteerism, and sportsmanship.
Do you or your organization or business want to sponsor or donate a prize for UTofMB? Get in touch!