By Travel PR
This autumn, the Faroe Islands is gearing up for a sporting festival like no other, welcoming adventure-seekers from all over the world to participate in its first-ever mountain-based trail marathon (26.2 miles) and ultra-marathon (40.4 miles): Útilív Adventure Festival (7-9 September. 2018).
In a unique Nordic twist to the event, runners will be greeted on the way by owners of the iconic Michelin-starred restaurant KOKS, which will function as a checkpoint for runners just 2 km into their challenge, serving them food and refreshments. This will mark the first-ever trail race in the world with a Michelin-starred checkpoint.
The wild North Atlantic archipelago that took on Google with quirky campaigns (Faroe Islands Translate in 2017 and Sheep View 360° in 2016) never fails to surprise, and enjoys nothing more than showcasing the sociable nature and warm welcome of the Faroese people to the rest of the world.
At the inaugural Útilív Adventure Festival, around 250 participants from across the world are expected to descend upon the islands to take on the rugged, rocky terrain, unforgiving waves and hidden surf breaks in a weekend of trail running, water sports and hikes, along with inspiring talks and film screenings.
High-profile runners will be participating in the trail marathon too, including GB international Tom Owens, Nepalese trail runner and National Geographic Adventurer of the Year 2017, Mira Rai, plus Danish national trail runners Kristina Schou Madsen and Simon Grimstrup.
Theo Larn-Jones, director of the Útilív Adventure Festival, says: “We are excited to be putting on our first adventure festival in the Faroe Islands and are lucky to have such amazing wild landscapes all around us. We wanted KOKS restaurant, in its new location out of town, to be part of the festival – and what better way than to offer the runners the very finest Faroese food enroute?”
KOKS, the first-ever Faroese restaurant to receive a star from the Nordic Michelin Guide in 2017, retained the accolade in 2018. It is known for its unique Faroese identity, its commitment to the use of sustainable local products and its traditional take on ways of preserving fish, meat and vegetables.
Chef Poul Andrias Ziska says: “At KOKS we are all about doing things in a very Faroese way, from the local produce we use to the traditional methods of cooking, the simple design of the restaurant and the welcoming service. Being part of the festival is exciting for us and we’re thrilled to be able to share Faroese food with even more people from around the world.”
About the Útilív Adventure Festival
The festival runs from 7-9 September 2018 in the capital and largest city of the Faroe Islands, Tórshavn.
Trail running races take place on Saturday 8 September 2018. Ticket prices from £75 pp.
To book a ticket, visit www.utilivfestival.com.Getting there
Daily flights to the Faroe Islands (from Copenhagen to Vágar) operate year-round and cost from £165 pp return with Atlantic Airways. Seasonal twice-weekly flights from Edinburgh to Vágar operate from March to December and cost from £180 pp return. Visit www.atlantic.fo for further information.Choose from a selection of hotels, guesthouses, cottages, self-catering apartments and campsites in the Faroe Islands.
Visit www.visitfaroeislands.com for further information.
About KOKS
At the heart of KOKS is the culinary coquetry of Poul Andrias Ziska. As KOKS’ chef he masters the artistry of distilling the tastes of the Faroese landscape into exquisite dishes. The ingredients are local, and the style is uncompromisingly Faroese.The young avant-gardes at KOKS use Faroese produce, both coarse and fine, ancient and modern, always keeping an eye on sustainability and using a delicate hand to farm and forage.
Rather than chasing the novel for its own sake, every effort is put into exploring the ancient practices of drying, fermenting, salting and smoking.
For more information about KOKS visit www.koks.fo.
