Ultra Trail UK

Self-navigated running, UK

Arc of Attrition

Written by Catriona Adams. Published 12 August 2026

The Arc of Attrition covers 161.2 km of Cornwall's South West Coast Path, from Coverack to Porthtowan, with a 36-hour limit — run every January since 2015. It belongs to two branches at once: a winter race built around cold and exposure, and — since the 2025 season — one of only two UK events on the UTMB World Series.

Key points

  • 161.2 km (100 miles), 5,300m+ of climbing, 36-hour limit — Coverack to Porthtowan along the South West Coast Path.
  • Founded in 2015 by MudCrew (Jane Stephens, Andy Trudgian, Andrew Ferguson); the 2026 edition is its 11th.
  • Joined the UTMB World Series for the 2025 season, alongside Eryri by UTMB — the other UK race on the circuit.
  • Run in January on the most exposed sections of Cornwall's coast: gale-force wind and driving rain are typical, not exceptional.

The numbers

Distance161.2 km (100 miles)
Elevation gain5,300 m+
Time limit36 hours
StartCoverack, 13:00
FinishPorthtowan (Eco Park)
RouteSouth West Coast Path, Cornwall — most exposed sections
First run2015, founded by MudCrew (Jane Stephens, Andy Trudgian, Andrew Ferguson)
UTMB World SeriesJoined for the 2025 season
2026 editionFriday 23 January 2026

Four distances, one coast path

FormatDistance
Arc100161.2 km
Arc5080 km
Arc2541 km
Arc1224 km

Current records

CategoryHolderTimeDate
MenMark Darbyshire18h 51m 54s2024
WomenNoor van der Veen22h 30m 44s2025

Winter race and UTMB race, at once

Since joining the UTMB World Series for 2025, the Arc of Attrition sits in both branches of this site at the same time: it's run in January for the same reasons as the Spine Race — short daylight, exposed ground, genuine cold-weather risk — while also carrying the same global-circuit branding as Eryri by UTMB in Snowdonia. Neither label cancels the other out.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The main Arc100 race is 161.2 km (100 miles) with 5,300m+ of climbing, run along Cornwall's South West Coast Path from Coverack to Porthtowan with a 36-hour time limit.

Late January — the 2026 edition starts on Friday 23 January. It's held in winter deliberately, not as a scheduling accident.

MudCrew — Jane Stephens, Andy Trudgian and Andrew Ferguson — who founded the race in 2015. It has run continuously since, becoming one of the UK's largest winter ultras.

Yes, since the 2025 season, becoming 'Arc of Attrition by UTMB'. It's one of two UK races on the circuit, alongside Eryri by UTMB in Snowdonia.

Mark Darbyshire holds the men's record at 18h 51m 54s, set in 2024. Noor van der Veen holds the women's record at 22h 30m 44s, set in 2025.

Yes — Arc50 (80km), Arc25 (41km) and Arc12 (24km) all run sections of the same coast path alongside the full Arc100.

Sources for this page

Related

Winter Ultra Racing in the UKEryri by UTMBThe other UK race on the UTMB World SeriesSpine Race