Icebug Xperience – West Coast Trail

What is Icebug Xperience?

Icebug Xperience West Coast Trail is unlike any other race. It is divided into three one-day stages, totalling over 70 km. Perhaps the most unique aspect of the race is the setting. Competitors hike or run over glistening red granite outcrops and along lakeside paths, before passing through lush woodland and small coastal villages facing the North Sea. The race is considered to be best in the company of others, and it puts all your senses to the test. At the end of each stage, everyone eats lunch together, prepared using locally sourced ingredients.

When does the race take place?

3-5 September 2021

Categories

There are three starting groups: one for those who want to hike, one for those who want to run the whole distance, and one for those who want to combine running and hiking. You can change starting group from day to day if you decide you want to hike one day and run the next.

Course

The race is divided into three one-day stages. Each stage has its own unique character:

• The first stage is 22 km long and begins in the extraordinary rocky landscape of Ramsvik, popularly known as the ‘Rock Kingdom’. A bridge then takes you back to the mainland, where a series of small paths lead down to the finishing line at the famous Smögen jetty.

• The second stage is 29 km long and is over varying terrain. Starting at Bohus-Malmön, the competitors pass several beautiful beaches and smooth rocky outcrops. After a short ferry ride, the stage continues through a hilly section before descending to the finishing line in Kungshamn.

• The third and final stage is 22 km long and begins in the charming coastal village of Hunnebostrand. Initially, evidence of the town’s stone-cutting traditions is very apparent before the landscape gradually transitions into rolling deciduous forests. The final few kilometres are across the Ramvikslandet peninsula.

Did you know?

• Since its inception in 2014, Icebug Xperience has brought together competitors from over 30 different countries.
  
  
• In conjunction with the event there is a Kids Camp, which includes a visit to the Nordens Ark zoo, the opportunity to sail an Optimist class dinghy, and lots of other fun activities, including beach football and crab fishing.
  
  
• Sustainability remains firmly in focus throughout. Those taking part must bring along their own mug, avoiding the need to provide thousands of paper or plastic mugs during the race.