Peades d'Aigua - PDA
A tour around the most important glacial cirque in the Pyrenees
Race Category
Running Stones
4
Finals Access
Distance
55 KM
Elevation Gain
3300 M+
Start Date
Thursday 3rd July 2025
Race Start
SALARDÚ - 07:00
Max Allowed Race Time
14 Hours
The race of the lakes
Its characteristics have made it one of the most valued challenges of Val d'Aran by UTMB®.
The PDA, Peades d'Aigua, is an authentic adventure through the mountains of Naut Aran. 55 kilometres to let yourself be surprised by a spectacle of incomparable beauty.
With 3,300 metres of positive ascent and 3,700 metres of negative ascent, the race starts in the village of Salardú and crosses one of the most impressive places in the Val d'Aran, Colomèrs, the largest glacial lake cirque in the Pyrenees.
A race that conquers and that every year hangs up the "sold out" sign.
Athletes must wear the mandatory equipment at all times during the race and be prepared for random checks along the course. Any missing items will result in a time penalty or disqualification.
- Closed shoes suitable for trail running. Barefoot running is not allowed.
- Pack (or similar) destined to transport mandatory equipment throughout the race.
- Mobile phone (smartphone MANDATORY): the runner must be reachable at any time before, during and after the race:
- Mobile phone with international roaming allowing for its use in Spain (load into its memory the organization's security numbers, don't mask your number, and don't forget to start the race with the battery fully charged).
- Keep the phone on, airplane mode is prohibited and can be penalized.
- Livetrail application installed and activated.
- An external battery is highly recommended.
- Personal beaker 15 cl minimum (bottles or flasks with lids are not accepted).
- Supply of water of 1 litre minimum.
- 1 torch in good working order with spare cells/batteries. Recommendation: 200 lumens or more.
- Survival blanket of 1.40m x 2m minimum.
- Whistle.
- Food reserve. Recommendation: 800kcal (2 gels + 2 energizing bars).
- Jacket with hood which will withstand bad weather in the mountains and made of a waterproof* and breathable** membrane with a minimum 10 000 mm water column (recommended RET less than 13). The jacket must have an integrated hood attached by the original system designed for that purpose by the manufacturer. The seams must be heat-sealed. The jacket must not have any parts made of non-waterproof fabric, only the vents provided by the manufacturer (under the arms, on the back) and as long as they do not obviously alter the waterproofing, are accepted. It is the responsibility of the runner to judge, according to these criteria, whether his jacket is adapted to the regulations and therefore to bad weather in the mountains. At the checkpoints, the judgement of the person in charge of the checkpoint or the commissaire shall prevail.
- Long-legged trousers or race leggings OR a combination of legging and socks which cover the legs completely.
- Waterproof trouser cover.
- Cap or bandana or Buff®.
- Warm and water-proof gloves.
- Additional warm second layer: a warm second layer top with long sleeves (cotton excluded) of a weight of a minimum of 180g (men's size medium (M) OR the combination of a warm long sleeved underwear (first or second layer,cotton exclude) of a minimum weight of 110g (men's size medium (M) ) and a durable water repellant (DWR protection) windproof jacket*.
*The wind-proof jacket does not replace the obligatory waterproof jacket, and vice versa.
All clothing items must fit the runner - in terms of size - and they must not be altered in any way after leaving the factory. The mandatory equipment must be carried in a running pack for the duration of the whole race and is not interchangeable during the race. All equipment will be properly packed to prevent it from getting wet inside the backpack in rainy conditions.
Other recommended equipment (list non exhaustive):
- Spare warm clothing, indispensable in the case of cold or wet weather or in the case of injury.
- Poles in the case of rain or snow for your security on slippery ground.
- Water purification tablets or drums with filter.
- Plates and cutlery to eat. At the aid stations, no material is provided to be able to eat.
- Vaseline or anti-heat cream.
- Sun protection.
- GPS watch.
- Adhesive elastic band that allows bandaging or strapping (min. 100 cm x 6 cm).
- Knife or scissors for cutting elasticated bandage.
- Emergency sewing kit...
If you choose to take poles, it is for the duration of the race. It is forbidden to start without poles and recuperate them during the course of the race. No poles are authorized in the drop bags.
Music: Listening to music using earphones only, is tolerated, so long as it is safe to do so. Any earphones MUST be removed when crossing any roads, as well as on approach to, and whist at, any checkpoints and when approaching and passing any Safety Team members.
At the race-pack collection, each participant receives a 30-liter bag. After filling it with the items of their choice and closing it, they can drop it in a place close to the starting line. The bags are then returned to Vielha.
How to get your bags in Vielha: The bags are returned to either the runner or a family member or friend, only upon presentation of the race-bib. The bags must be retrieved no later than 2 hours after the end of the race. After that time, the runner must come, in person, to retrieve their bag at the organization headquarters in Vielha.
The organization will take to Vielha the bags of runners who drop out, on condition that their withdrawal is registered. Because of logistical factors, the organization cannot guarantee that all bags are brought to Vielha before the end of the race.
Only bags supplied by the organization will be transported. Poles are not allowed in these bags. As the items in the bags are neither checked nor controlled, we will accept no claims on that matter. We recommend not to put any valuable items in the bags. We advise you to keep toiletries and spare clothes in Vielha.
For logistics reasons, UTMB® World series events only accept the UTMB® World series spare bags that are distributed during the check-In. Those bags are reusable, so we ask the runners who already have received one of those bags to reuse it each time they take part in a UTMB® World Series event.
Assistance is NOT allowed in the race, at any point of the course.
Pacers are not allowed to set the pace in the race.