The Bright Equipment Lapland Arctic Ultra takes place on snowmobile trails Northwest and Northeast of Överkalix.

Maps

Below you will find Google Maps of both loops. Please note that these trails are not available for hiking in the summer and during winter season 23/24 the trails will not be permanently marked, yet. Marking on some parts of the trail will be done for the BELAU only. Due to influences like overflow and open water the trail can be changed any time. So, the most important thing for athletes on the trail is to follow the trail marking. There are other marked trails. Therefore, having the GPS-file on a Garmin or similar device can help when in doubt. It is important to be alert when navigating the trail. In other words, athletes who are very tired are more likely to make mistakes.

The below map shows loop #1  of the BELAU. It is 185 km long. Please note that some of the trail details right in Överkalix likely will be different. It depends on ice conditions on the river and the exact location of the checkpoint. Start and finish will be at the Grand Arctic Resort but the checkpoint could be a couple of hundred metres away.

The 85 km race follows loop #1 and finishes in Jockfall, i.e. the athletes in this distance do not take the “shortcut” of the 50 km athletes to get to Jockfall sooner.

The below map shows loop #2 of the BELAU. It is approx. 315 km long and gives us a maximum total distance of 500 km. Again, details in Överkalix and at some of the checkpoints may be slightly different from what you see on this map. There may be updates during the year and also details announced at the trail briefing.

The below map shows the trail for the BELAU 20 and 50 km race. Start is in the same location as our other distances, i.e. right next to the Grand Arctic Resort in Överkalix. The first aid station is at km 9.4. The 20 km finish line is at the Rödupp ice road. Athletes who finish here and 50 km athletes who pass through, can get a hot drink and snacks. The next aid station for the 50 km is at our Laxforsberget checkpoint. There we have a hot meal, hot drink and snacks. We will also have crew parked at km 45.6 km. The finish line of the 50 km race is at Jockfall.

Trail Facts

Start: Överkalix, Norbotten

Checkpoints: see detailed trail description below

Start 20 km and 50 km race: Överkalix

Finish 20 km race: Ice road, Rödupp

Finish 50 km race: Jockfall

Start and finish 185 km race (loop 1 – North and Northeast): Överkalix

Start and finish 500 km race (loop 1 plus loop 2 – North and Northwest): Överkalix

Trail Conditions

It is of course impossible to say in advance what the trail conditions will be like. Dead winter in the Swedish Lapland can bring just about any kind of conditions. If we are lucky and there is not too much fresh snow after the last trail breaking effort. In case of fresh snow and strong winds, the situation trails will be soft and more challenging.

We will have our own trail breakers. However, they won’t be able to break a trail for the entire field of athletes at once as they will be spread out over a large distance once everyone begins. Therefore, be prepared for a soft trail and expect overflow. Don’t underestimate those obstacles. Overflow can get you into a life threatening situation very quickly. Don’t keep on going if you are close to falling asleep. Wear waterproof socks and/or overshoes if necessary.

The MLAU trail also features some road crossings. It is VERY important that you are cautious when crossing roads. There can be vehicles on these roads at any time of day and night. Ice and snow may make it impossible for cars and trucks to break in time and/or unexpected breaking may result in the vehicles going off the road seriously hurting or killing driver and passengers.

GPS Waypoints

Our Checkpoints (work in progress)

Feedback from our BELAU 2023 was that we should give athletes a more detailed introduction to our checkpoints – because the checkpoints are great! So, we will do that and over the next couple of weeks we will complete the descriptions:

Checkpoint 1 (185 km loop) is on Laxforsberget. For as long as this race goes on we will probably discuss if Laxforsberget is a hill or a mountain. By definition it’s probably more a hill but as day 1 of the BELAU comes to an end and with a heavy pulk or a bike it will feel like a mountain to most. On the top we have our checkpoint. It consists of a small cabin and one or two Tentipis. The cabin is used by crew only. The Tentipi(s) are available for the medical check and for athletes to have their meals and get changed if need be. Sleeping inside is not allowed and should space in the Tentipis get tight, we obviously need to ask athletes who have been there for a while, to leave and make space for others. The Tentipis do have a wood stove and they are obviously warmer than the outside but it would probably not be right to say they are cozy warm … There is an outhouse and cell phones usually work. Athletes get a hot meal, something hot to drink and they can fill up their thermoses with hot water again. There is no electricity.

 

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Photography by: Callum Jolliffe, Follow The Sun Photography and Swedish Lapland

Checkpoint 2 (185 km loop) is in Jockfall. It will feel a bit like coming home as all athletes were based here before the race already. In the restaurant the participants get served one meal and one drink as part of the race package. Accommodation is in bunk beds in the simpler category of cabins. Toilets and showers are in a separate building. It’s a good place to dry kit and recharge batteries.

Athletes can order more food (e.g. after their rest) and as many additional beverages as they want at their own expense.

It is also the first place where 500 km athletes can access their drop bag and where fuel bottles can be re-filled.

Photography by: Callum Jolliffe, Follow The Sun Photography and Swedish Lapland

Checkpoint 3 (185 km loop) is Polar Circle Cabin #1. It’s a tiny cabin. Therefore, only crew can sleep inside. The medical check is done inside the cabin but any resting or sleeping by athletes needs to happen outside.

Photography by: Callum Jolliffe and Jonas Palsson

Checkpoint 4 (185 km loop) is in Överkalix. In 2022 our checkpoint was a combination of the local Ice Hall (for medical checks and eating) and the Sports Hall (for showers and sleeping). In 2023 and 2024 we were able to use the Villa, a building that is part of the accommodation offering of the Grand Arctic Resort. Hopefully, in 2025 we can use the Villa again. It’s more convenient as it’s right next to the trail and everything is in one building. Regardless of which checkpoint we will use, it will offer electricity, showers and sleeping inside.

Athletes in the 185 km race and later on the 500 km finishers will go straight to the finish line. The next step depends on where the finishers stay. The Grand Arctic Resort is right there. For athletes who stay there, our medical crew will do the medical check in the hotel. Athletes who will stay in Jockfall after the race will get the medical check done in the checkpoint, before they leave.

Finishers obviously get a well deserved medal. However, for drinking and eating they need to check into their accommodation and use the respective restaurants. It is not part of the race package anymore.

Photography by: Callum Jolliffe

Checkpoint 5 (500 km loop) is the house of the Lansjärv Folkets Hus. It’s a large building that serves the village as a pace for meetings and events. It has a nice kitchen and also showers and bedrooms. It’s great for drying kit, especially shoes, because it has got shoe dryers. There is electricity and wifi. It’s also a place with drop bag access and the opportunity to re-fill fuel bottles.

Photography by: Callum Jolliffe and Jonas Palsson

Checkpoint 6 (500 km loop) is the house of the Leipojärvi Snowmobile Club. It’s a very nice little building with a large room, kitchen and toilet. The meals are provided by the club – and they love hosting us. Sleeping is about 200 m from the club house in the home of one of the members. That’s also where athletes can have a shower and dry kit if needed.

Photography by: Callum Jolliffe and Jonas Palsson

Checkpoint 7 (500 km loop) is Nattavaara Hembygdsförening. Nattavaara is 25 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle and close to Muddus National Park. The building is in the village and it’s a combination of a museum and a visitor facility. There is the main building and right next to it are several cabins. Athletes sleep upstairs in the main bulding and if we run out of space there, we can also use the cabins. There are showers and sleeping is inside. Things can be dried here and there is electricity to re-charge batteries. Drop bags and fuel are available, too.

Photography by: Callum Jolliffe, Follow The Sun Photography and Jonas Palsson

Polar Circle Cabin #2 (500 km loop) is not a checkpoint anymore, i.e. there is no crew. Which means there is no water or food. However, it is a shelter that can be used by our athletes. It is fairly close to Nattavaara and a very pretty location that it is right by the Arctic Circle. It features a black and white arch that marks the spot. Sleeping is outside. There is also no electricity.

Photography by: Follow The Sun Photography and Jonas Palsson

Checkpoint 9 (500 km loop) is Rikti-Dokkas. It’s a beautiful historic site, an old farm with several buldings. We normally use the main building only. It’s got one big room with a large wood stove and two smaller rooms with a small stove in each. Heating it and preparing meals can be a bit tricky. Drying things is not easy. Sleeping is inside but there is no electricity.

Photography by: Follow The Sun Photography and Jonas Palsson

Checkpoint facilities – Overview (work in progress)

At all checkpoints our Medical Team will do a medical check. This involves checking face/ears, hands and feet for frostbite. Also, athletes are asked a number of standard questions to determine their overall condition. Obviously, that’s not always fun but it’s simply necessary for safety. The only place where there may be no or only a limited check is Polar Circle Cabin #2.

At all checkpoints athletes get hot water to re-fill their thermoses and flasks, a hot meal and a hot drink. The hot drinks are not limited, i.e. under normal circumstances athletes can get more than one hot chocolate, tea or coffee. Again, Polar Circle Cabin #2 is an exception. It will only provide hot water.

Some checkpoints – especially Laxforsberget, Polar Circle Cabin #1 and #2 and Rikti-Dokkas may struggle providing hot water in larger quantities within a short period of time, i.e. if many athletes leave within minutes and they all need 3 litres of hot water, this may not work. It will be first come, first serve and the crew will of course try to not delay athletes. We ask athletes to be patient if it does take longer than expected.

Some checkpoints have got wifi which athletes can access. A lot of checkpoints and places on the trail are within cell range, i.e. if your cell phone contract allows for it you will have access to the web with up to 4G.

Checkpoint

Laxforsberget

Jockfall

Polar Circle Cabin #1

Överkalix

Lansjärv

Leipojärvi

Nattavaara

Rikti-Dokkas

Medical Check

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Electricity

No

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Shower

No

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Sleeping

Outside

Inside

Outside

Inside

Inside

Inside

Inside

Inside

Wifi

No

Yes

No

Tbc.

Yes

No

No

No