Unfortunately, the inaugural edition of the Rainforest Ultra will need to be postponed from 2025 to 2026. The main reason is simple: I haven’t had enough athletes sign up to make the event viable.
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why. Most likely, I haven’t reached a wide enough audience. I probably made the mistake of assuming that social media and some advertising would be enough – after all, that approach was successful when I launched a new winter ultra in Sweden four years ago. But perhaps that worked because it was a winter race, and after over 20 years organizing the Yukon Arctic Ultra, that’s what most people associate me with.
Of course, the current global political climate and economic uncertainty aren’t helping. And maybe the Amazon rainforest, with all its intensity and challenge, feels a bit too daunting for some.
That said, a “DNF” as an organizer isn’t the end of the road. It just means I have to learn, adapt, and push forward. To give the Rainforest Ultra the focus it deserves, I’ve decided to quit my job as a sales consultant and I will close my online shop, Racelite.de, on June 15th. This will allow me to dedicate more time to promoting the Rainforest Ultra and connecting with the ultra running community.
If you were planning to sign up this year but were waiting to see how things developed, please reach out. Your feedback is incredibly valuable. And to those who are interested but unsure, I’d love to hear from you as well – whether it’s concerns about the jungle environment, travel logistics, entry costs, or anything else. The more I understand what’s on your mind, the better I can make the Rainforest Ultra a success in 2026.