Grampians Peaks Trail 100 Miler Stage Race

Event Overview

A four-day, 163 km (101 mi) stage race along the full Grampians Peaks Trail in Victoria, from Mount Zero to Dunkeld, with 7,700 m of climbing.

Course & Terrain

Point-to-point in four stages along the whole Grampians Peaks Trail, from Mount Zero Picnic Area in the north to Dunkeld in the south. Each stage finish (Halls Gap, Mt William Carpark, Griffin Fireline) is the next morning’s start, and shuttles bring runners back to Halls Gap every evening. The organizer says 98% of the route is single hiking trail.

Key course features to know before comparing this race:

• The Flat Rock slab climb and the Taipan Wall above Mount Zero on Stage 1
• Wartook Lookout over four lakes before the long descent to Halls Gap
• The Pinnacles Lookout, Mount Rosea, the Seven Dials and Redmans Bluff on Stage 2
• Durd Durd on the Major Mitchell Plateau, the course high point at 1,167 m (3,829 ft), on Stage 3
• Signal Peak, Mud-Dadjug (Mt Abrupt) and Wurgarri (Mt Sturgeon) on the final stage into Dunkeld

Sandstone slabs, smooth dirt trail, stairs and technical rocky outcrops. The organizer calls the 15 km over the Seven Dials and Redmans Bluff on Stage 2 the hardest part of the whole trail, and the stepped climb to Durd Durd on Stage 3 the steepest climb. Stage 3 also has a slow boulder field before Yarram Campground. Stage 4 has three steep climbs and descents with many stairs. The only paved section is the road to the summit of Mount William. Poles are allowed in every race.

The organizer’s safety plan warns of cold nights and hot days and watches for heat, storms and fire. Its team reviews the risks at 10:00 AM each day and sends runners an update at noon. Any decision to change, hold or stop a race needs a quorum of three senior leaders, and contingency routes are mapped in advance, including a published Stage 3 contingency map. On Stage 2 the sun can heat the rock slabs. At the first stage race in 2023, Trail Run Mag reported storms and torrential rain on Stage 2 and fog over the Major Mitchell Plateau on Stage 3. For 2026, the gear list updated November 4 said an ice bandana was not needed and did not enforce the extra warm layer for stage racers.

Entry & Logistics

Why This Race Matters

SingleTrack Events, led by event director Joe Dorph, started the GPT100 in 2023 on the Grampians Peaks Trail, which Parks Victoria finished building in 2021. The first stage race ran November 23–26, 2023. It covers the same Mount Zero to Dunkeld course as the continuous GPT100 Miler, a World Trail Majors race since 2025, but in daylight over four days. For ITRA and the UTMB Index the organizer uploads four separate results. Stage 1 also counts as the GPT50k, so stage racers race for the 50 km podium and earn World Trail Majors Short Series points. The stage race podium itself is decided on total time, and the first man and the first woman each win A$1,000. Women outnumbered men in 2026: the Stage 1 results list 83 solo finishers, 47 women and 36 men.

Historical benchmark notes in the directory record (verify current records with the linked official sources):

• Stage race record, men: Dan Jones (New Zealand), 16:34:29, 2025.
• Stage race record, women: Nadya Fedorova (Australia), 23:44:17, 2025.
• Stage records listed by the organizer: Stage 2, Dan Jones, 4:02:42 (2025), and Alison Wilson, 5:03:05 (2026); Stage 3, Dan Jones, 4:24:03, and Nadya Fedorova, 6:21:49 (both 2025); Stage 4, Aditya Kesarcodi-Watson, 3:26:20, and Ariarn Huston, 4:14:19 (both 2024).
• Stage 1 doubles as the GPT50k, whose records are Koken Ogasawara (Japan), 4:19:03, and Fuzhao Xiang (China), 5:05:59.

Preparing for a Race Like Grampians Peaks Trail 100 Miler Stage Race

The stage race guide covers the format as a whole. These guides go deeper:

• Stage race packing list: Mandatory kit, daily carry, camp bags, food and foot care.
• Walking strategy for ultramarathons: When and how to walk by terrain, effort and cutoffs.
• Hydration and sodium for ultramarathons: Fluid, sodium, thirst, sweat rate and hyponatremia risk.
• Blister prevention: Socks, taping, lubrication, shoe fit and hot spots.

Best Fit

• Trail runners who want to cover the whole Grampians Peaks Trail in daylight
• Runners who want 100 miles of technical trail without running through the night
• Runners who like a fixed base, shared dinners and a fresh start each morning

Planning Notes

• Study the mandatory gear list early and rehearse carrying the exact pack weight you expect to use on race day.
• Train for terrain-specific fatigue. Technical trails and mountain courses demand downhill durability, hiking efficiency, and reliable night lighting.
• The directory does not mark this as having simpler logistics. Confirm qualification, terrain, support, registration, medical, and withdrawal requirements before planning around it.
• Technical, rocky trail on every stage, with slab climbs, scrambles and long stair sections
• Mobile coverage is patchy, and a phone with Telstra coverage is mandatory gear
• Daily on-course gear checks: 30 minutes’ penalty for one missing item, disqualification for two
• With Yarram Gap Rd only an emergency stop in 2026, Stage 3 has 23.9 km (14.9 mi) between full aid stations at Jimmy Creek Camp and Griffin Fireline
• Crews driving between aid stations should watch for kangaroos, especially at night

Event FAQs

Related Preparation

• Compare this race in the full 2026 calendar
• Browse the multiday stage-race calendar
• Open the Stage Race format guide
• Compare all race formats
• Use the timed-race pace calculator
• Plan checkpoint arrivals and cutoff buffers
• Estimate race calories and plan fueling
• Build a crew and drop-bag plan
• Build a race-specific gear checklist