• Do you know that in Lake Ohrid there is a species of fish that in its lifetime, with its migration, covers by far the greatest distances of the entire animal world?
• Did you know that there is a fish in Lake Ohrid that, with its ultra-travel of over 5000 kilometers, is still a mystery to the biological world?
• Do you know that in Lake Ohrid there is a species of fish that spends its adult phase in our lake, and the spawning and young ones are carried out in the middle of the Atlantic?
• Do you know that the real Ultra runner/swimmer is hidden in Lake Ohrid?
• Do you know about the Ohrid Eel?

To understand the life cycle of an eel we must start from the beginning of the end!

Adult females of the European eel species (Anguilla anguilla) live up to twenty years in the waters of Lake Ohrid until they reach full maturity. Then they set off on their life journey down the river Drim. Before their migration, the female eel begins a process of metamorphosis, with which her digestive system begins to atrophy.

At the mouth of the river Drim in the Adriatic Sea, in the salty waters they are met by the male eels where they mate and then the female eels continue the month long ultra journey that is more than 5000 kilometers to the warm waters of the Sargasso Sea where they spawn at depths from 500 to 800 meters.

The female eels overcome incredible barriers to reach this spawning site which is more than 5000 kilometers away from the point of departure and with their persistence and endurance they defy all obstacles.

In the Sargasso Sea, which is located in the Atlantic Ocean (near North America), female eels complete their life journey, spawn and die. From the eggs, small eels are brought out, which, together with the Gulf Streams, go on a journey back to the "beginning"! Still no one knows how the little eels orient themselves and manage to find their way back to Ohrid Lake?

Along the journey they again go through processes of metamorphosis, transform through the glass phase and come again to the mouth of the river Drim. From there, the male individuals remain and wait in these mixed sweet-salty waters for the female individuals who continue to Lake Ohrid, reach sexual maturity and return to their partners around 20 years after.

The European (Ohrid) eel has been on the list of critically endangered animals according to the IUCN for a long time, and its survival defies due to the incredible natural characteristics of endurance and perseverance that are actually also hidden in each of us.

This is the incredible story of Ohrid's Ultra Eel!

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This year we chose the eel to be the main symbol of our joint journey through the amazing nature of the Galicica National Park.

Every runner will get one unique running shirt designed by Cheski and produced locally by Remorker. Registrations are still ON!