I Sassi di Matera
Run across the Gravine of Puglia, along Europe's longest canyon
Race Category
Running Stones
Finals Access
Distance
144 KM
Elevation Gain
3800 M+
Start Date
Friday 23rd October 2026
Race Start
Matera - 21:00
Max Allowed Race Time
27 Hours
I Sassi di Matera
From the land of the Sassi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, your journey begins through the Terra delle Gravine: deep incisions carved into limestone rock, among the most spectacular in Europe, shaped by millennia of water and wind. You will run past hypogea and rock churches that still preserve Byzantine frescoes today, silent witnesses to the first human settlements in this land, and among centuries-old olive trees that have grown here for generations.
Between Basilicata and Puglia, the landscape shifts with every kilometer: from the white stone of the Murgia to the Mediterranean scrub, all the way to the final kilometers along the beautiful beach of Castellaneta Marina, where the Ionian Sea awaits you in the warm light of October.
144 kilometers to cross a land that tells thousands of years of history, one step at a time.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
BIB COLLECTION
BIB PICK UP SLOT BOOKING - OPENING: MID-SEPTEMBER 2026
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SHUTTLE TO THE START
BOOKING OPENING: MID-SEPTEMBER 2026
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At bib collection, you will receive a 30L UTMB World Series bag, which you can use to store items.
Please note: Only one bag per runner is allowed. The organization will not accept any personal bags that are not the official UTMB World Series bag.
You will leave your drop bag at the start of the race. On-site signage will indicate the designated drop-off area. You will find your bag at the Castellaneta aid station, and again at the finish line.
Athletes must attach the bib number sticker, provided with their race bib, to the bag.
Only bags provided by the organisers will be transported to the life base.
The organisation cannot guarantee when the bags will be returned to storage.
Under no circumstances will the organisers send uncollected bags to athletes’ residences. Athletes are advised not to place valuable items in their bags. In any case, the organisers accept no liability for theft, loss, or damage to bags or their contents.