It’s a long way from Shanghai to Sydney. 10 hours and 20 minutes to be exact. Add on another two hours of driving to reach Katoomba, and by the time you arrive in the Blue Mountains, you feel every kilometre of the journey.
But for team Outopia, traveling to Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB was more than simply turning up to another race. We arrived with two goals: to introduce Outopia to the Australian trail running community and support our athletes as they ran as fast as they could through one of the most iconic trail events in the world.
The Blue Mountains gave us a proper welcome. The first few days were wet, misty and cold. Training runs happened in the rain, the expo setup was damp, and the trails were slick underfoot. But despite the weather, there was excitement in the air. Katoomba was filling with muddy shoes, race packs, nervous energy and the focus that always comes before a big weekend.
For Qiong Luo, it was her first time racing in Australia. “I was really excited,” she said. “It was my first time coming to this beautiful country. I had followed UTA for a long time, and I always thought the Blue Mountains looked especially cool. I never imagined I’d get the chance to come and run here myself.” There was one thing she had heard plenty about before arriving. “Everyone kept saying the final stairs were brutal,” Qiong laughed. “I was definitely a little bit scared by that.”
Before the racing began, we hosted a short shakeout run through the Blue Mountains. After days of rain, the sun finally came out. Old friends, new faces, our athletes and members of the local trail community came together for an easy 5km. It was exactly what we hoped the week would be about - creating connection through a shared love of trail running.
First up was the UTA22. The rain returned, but Qiong stayed positive and focused. Starting in fourth place, she steadily worked her way through the field, holding onto one thought: don’t let go, I can do this. Little by little, she moved into second.
The course was fast, but never simple. Through misty valleys and quiet sections of trail, Qiong found moments of calm even as fatigue built. “That day was cloudy, and the whole Blue Mountains area was covered in mist,” she said. “There was one section where everything became really quiet. All I could hear was my breathing and my footsteps. I was already getting tired, but suddenly I felt very calm.”
Then came the final climb: the famous 951 Furber Steps. By then, her legs were barely listening, but the sound of the crowd grew louder with every step. “The closer I got to the top, the louder the crowd became,” Qiong said. “People kept shouting encouragement, and somehow they pushed me forward. I finally understood — this is the Furber Steps everyone talks about. I definitely won’t forget them.”
She crossed the line in second place in 2:04:23.
Back at the booth, the race week carried on. We met runners who were curious about Outopia, tried our products, and asked about the raw merino wool displayed on the table. Many conversations began with the fibre itself: where it comes from, how it is grown, and why ZQ certified merino matters to us. Seeing people around the event wearing their new Outopia kit (The Earth Collection) by the end of the week was really exciting for us.
It wasn’t only our elite athletes pinning on race bibs either. A few members of the Outopia team also ran the UTA22 and UTA50, putting up very respectable times and experiencing the same rain, stairs and finish-line relief. It made for great conversations with runners coming through the booth.
Then came the UTA100.
Guidu Qin arrived at the start line in strong condition and with a clear sense of what the course would demand. He knew the second half would require patience, rhythm and careful energy management. Technical sections, long climbs, Narrow Neck, Ironpot Ridge, Kedumba Pass and, finally, the Furber Steps. This was not a race that could be rushed. “This kind of course suits me quite well,” Guidu said. “Once you get into the second half, it’s not only about speed anymore. It’s about who can continue holding themselves steady.”
From early on, Guidu looked composed. He held his rhythm deep into the race and became part of a tight battle at the front with Australian runner Michael Dunstan. As the gaps stayed small, the race became more focused, more tense and more demanding. “The second half of UTA is very difficult,” Guidu said. “At times like that it’s easy to lose your rhythm, so I kept reminding myself to stay steady.”
After 100 kilometres through the Blue Mountains, Guidu crossed the finish line in second place in 9:09:41. Exhausted, relieved and proud. “After crossing the line, my first reaction was just: finally, it’s over,” he laughed. “This race really takes a huge amount out of you.”
After the finish, Michael came over and the two shared a hug. “During the race we were competitors,” Guidu said. “But after it finished, it felt like we had both truly given everything to complete a very difficult race together.”
By the end of the week, our athletes and team were tired but happy. There was talk of a zoo trip, a few jokes about racing the kangaroos, and already, the feeling that this would not be our last time here.
UTA gave us racing, rain, stairs, community, conversations and two podium finishes. More than anything, it gave us a first connection to the Australian trail running community, which we were so happy to be a part of. We came a long way to be there. We left already hoping to come back.
Rachel