EVUT Race Information

The start is at 5 a.m. in Kymi, the host town. Key landmarks include the renowned Folklore Museum of Kymi and the central square—dominated by the Metropolitan Church of Agios Athanasios—which honors the world-famous local physician Georgios Papanikolaou and serves as the starting point.
After setting off from beautiful Kymi, the route involves an ascent toward Ortari—a peak near Kymi, Evia, rising to 870 meters and featuring the highest sheer rock face in Europe that rises directly from the sea. We will pass right beneath the summit after completing a grueling 5-kilometer uphill climb. Leaving the main station behind and covering a short distance on asphalt, we soon switch to a dirt road; moments later, we turn left onto a trail that begins beside a small bridge, subsequently passing a distinctive rocky section that presents no technical difficulty. Next, passing through the Koumataria ravine and negotiating a series of ascents, we will emerge onto a dirt road; we will follow this for about 1 km before rejoining the trail. From this point, as dawn breaks, the summit of Ortari gradually comes into view. We continue with a 2.5 km descent along a technical trail and then, following an old dirt road, arrive at the small chapel of Agios Panteleimon—the location of Checkpoint 1 (CP1) for the athletes.

Here the road ends and the “Kryfi Panagia” trail begins—a 2.3 km trek each way (out and back). The route starts with an uphill section, continues along a path, and involves crossing a small scree slope near the end; while the trail itself is somewhat challenging, the views are truly enchanting. The small chapel of Kryfi Panagia—where a Divine Liturgy is held annually on August 18th, during the Dormition of the Theotokos festivities—is built directly into the rock face, leaving you wondering how it was constructed in such a spot. Skyropoula and Skyros are visible on the horizon; here, you must note down the number corresponding to your name to present it at the finish line. We return along the same path before turning right for a continuous, steep descent toward Tsilaro Beach—a 6 km route with a 500-meter elevation drop, traversing both technical trails and dirt roads (anyone feeling overheated can take a detour down to Tsilaro Beach). Leaving the beach behind via a steep ascent, we come upon the “Thapsa Marsh”—a vibrant wetland teeming with terrapins, frogs, and various bird species. We turn right at the 17.5 km mark, circling the wetland along a path that continues to climb with several traverses; to our left, we see Thapsa Beach—known as the “Blue Lagoon”—offering a breathtaking view of the towering, sheer cliffs of Mount Itamos. These dizzying, inaccessible slopes—a mix of rock and fir forest—plunge dramatically from an altitude of 850 meters straight down into the sea. They are likely the highest sheer cliffs in Greece that drop directly into the water. It is worth noting that the beaches of Thapsa and Tsilaros are located near the village of Vitalo. A continuous downhill path leads us to the Thapsa beach aid station (CP2). We then proceed with 10 km of uphill running along a dirt road to the next aid station at Vitalo (CP3, 28 km mark), where a 6-hour cutoff time applies for athletes. We leave the aid station and head downhill along the Kymi–Metochi asphalt road for 1.5 km, then turn left onto a dirt track heading toward Rema Karyas–Eftaos–(Vromonera checkpoint). After covering 1.5 km on the dirt track—starting from Rema Karyas—the route ascends to the Vromonera plateau. (The name derives from the ancient Greek vromos—meaning “thundering,” as in vronte or “thunder”—and nero or “water,” thus signifying “thundering water.”) This plateau lies at the heart of the fir forest we encountered earlier in the race; we find ourselves amidst fir trees exceeding 35 meters in height—predominantly Cephalonian firs—alongside oaks, kermes oaks, and wildflowers. We also enjoy a stunning view of the Aegean Sea and the Sporades as we make our way up Skoteini. It is worth noting that the Kotylaia–Skoteini mountain range boasts the highest density of caves in Greece, with over 200 cave entrances identified by expert speleologists. The Eftao and Vromonera areas, in particular, feature the most interesting cave formations, characterized by impressive geological features and distinctive rock types. Indeed, over the course of millions of years, cavities and extensive networks of underground water tunnels have formed within these rocks. For these reasons, there is potential for the area to be designated as a speleological park.

We are at the 36km mark of the race; here, as mentioned, we find CP4 and a water station. Next, we have an 8km climb to the summit of Skoteini, followed by a 2km technical descent on a trail until we reach the dirt road leading to the Setta 1 aid station (CP5) at the 47km mark. We then proceed along the paved road for 1km before turning right to enter the alpine sections of the route, where the terrain shifts between forest dirt roads and rocky, technical trails. At the fork in the dirt road, we must bear right, heading west; after 4km, we encounter a potable water spring, and 3km later, we arrive at the beautiful chapel of Agios Panteleimon. Throughout this stretch, we traverse the southeastern side of Xirovouni, essentially circling the mountain and taking in the rugged beauty of the region’s peaks. After 3.5km… After re-entering the forest trail of Xirovouni and traversing technical scree terrain, the route follows trail S3 at the 58th kilometer toward the village of Steni. This section involves a steep 3.5 km descent requiring particular caution due to challenging, sharply inclined stretches. We then proceed with an easy river crossing. The final 1.9 km wind through the village before a 100-meter uphill climb leads to the Steni Primary School. Here, at the 63rd kilometer, athletes will find their drop bags and the main aid station (CP6); they will be welcomed by members of the Evia Runners Club and the participants’ support crews. A 15-hour race cutoff time applies at this point.

After a brief refuel and a short rest, the athletes continue their race from the Steni Primary School, located at an altitude of 400 meters. The route then follows an asphalt road for 1.5 km to the Steni sports field, where a left turn leads onto the trail (S1). This trail climbs over accessible terrain for 1.5 km before reaching a forest dirt road; after 1 km on this road, the route continues onto the “Elatia” trail—a stunning section where athletes traverse a dense forest of wild chestnut, plane, and Cephalonian fir trees—leading up to the EOS Chalkidas “Mich. Nikolaou” mountain refuge at an altitude of 1,117 meters. Caution is advised here: leaving the refuge, there is a short, steep ascent followed by a technical 1 km descent and a 2 km trail section leading to Rachi Syka, where the route enters another dense forest path (the Xirovouni Trail, X1). At this point, the race route rejoins the path for a short stretch; take care here not to head towards Steni. Continuing east along a trail with manageable terrain and minimal loose rock—featuring gentle undulations—we pass the entire Xirovouni ridgeline, famous for its climbing routes, on our right. Along the way, there are two springs with clean drinking water: the Templa spring at the 73rd kilometer and the Konisma spring at the 76th kilometer.
From this point on, the route’s most intense and strenuous ascent begins, involving a 200-meter elevation gain over one kilometer along a rocky path; the trail traverses beneath the Portaris peak until it reaches an asphalt road. We continue along the asphalt road and reach the Setta 2 aid station (CP7) at the 78th kilometer. Here, athletes have the opportunity to join forces with their pacers for the remainder of the race to the finish line. Next, we leave the asphalt and move onto dirt roads, reaching the foothills of Mount Skoteini; we pass by Lake Setta and its namesake katavothra (sinkhole)—located on a plateau at an altitude of 990 meters—which absorbs all the area’s runoff. A strenuous +500m ascent follows, taking us past the southernmost and highest peak of Skoteini (1,362m), offering panoramic views that encompass Xerovouni, the village of Metochi, and the stunning Aegean coastline. The route then descends for 5km through an imposing fir forest toward the impressive Vromonera plateau, traversing spectacular high-altitude dolines—natural ground depressions that create an otherworldly landscape. After the water stop at CP8 (92nd km), we head towards the village of Andronianoi—the 6th aid station (CP9). We will cover a 10km stretch along a dirt road and technical natural trails—a truly beautiful route passing the Militsa location. There, we will encounter a 1km dirt road section; take care at the trail entrance at the 94th kilometer. Throughout this distance, we will be running through a fir forest—a landscape one would hardly imagine exists in Greece, let alone on Evia.

The Vromonera plateau area is often referred to as the “Euboean Alps.” We are now in the Kotylaia Mountains at an altitude of 850 meters, arriving at the old Skalistiri quarry—the 96th kilometer of the race—where we can see the remnants of the bauxite deposits that were mined there until a few years ago. From this point begins a long descent toward the village of Andronianoi; covering a 600-meter drop in elevation over a distance of 4 kilometers, we follow the ancient kalderimi (stone-paved path) until we reach the first dirt road. This leads us for 2 kilometers through the village, allowing us to admire two-story stone houses built in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. These houses, bridges, and churches were constructed by craftsmen from Epirus who had come to the area specifically for this purpose—a pattern seen in other villages as well, such as Pyrgos and the Grammatikianoi settlement. After stopping for supplies at CP9 (the 100th kilometer of the race), we continue along an asphalt road heading toward “Santas’ Mill” (Mylos tou Santa), a location of immense beauty and charm where two rivers meet. The Andronianikos and Vitaliotikos streams join to form the Melanas River, which flows into Platana. The landscape is idyllic, with the Mill situated between the two streams, which are connected by a pair of stone bridges. We will cross the arched bridge to reach a route that alternates between farm tracks and paved roads for 4 km, before the downhill dirt road begins, leading to the finish line in Kymi. At the 103rd kilometer, we pass through the village of Pyrgos—a beautiful settlement perched atop a lush green hill. Here, we can admire numerous traditional houses, most notably the Chrysanthopoulos Mansion, which houses a branch of the Kymi Folklore Museum. We then find ourselves on the Taxiarches-Kymi main road, south of Pyrgos; this is the route taken by athletes participating in the “Kakoliri 1944” Sacrifice Race.
At the 104th kilometer, we turn left off the main road onto an uphill dirt track that leads through the settlement of Grammatikiana. The lush landscape and the settlement itself will appeal to both history enthusiasts and nature lovers. You will also encounter local fig producers—representing one of the most traditional and dynamic sectors of domestic agricultural production—famous for the renowned Kymi figs.
At the 106th kilometer, we leave the asphalt road and turn left at the small chapel of Agia Paraskevi. A steep traverse leads us to the start of the dirt track; after covering a short distance on the asphalt, we reach the 107th kilometer, where the dirt road begins. A 3-kilometer downhill stretch leads to the entrance of Kymi; continuing for another kilometer into the settlement, we are welcomed by the town itself—the noble Kymi, renowned for its history, its colonies established across the globe, its alphabet, and its folk traditions. The route concludes at the central square named after the world-famous physician from Kymi, Georgios Papanikolaou, following a 110-kilometer journey with a cumulative elevation gain of 5,500 meters—a route traversing an environment we have a duty to protect and respect.