Skip to content
TIER 1

Seven

Nannup, Western Australia · 2027: TBD (site says '2027 DATE COMING SOON'; 2026 edition ran May 16)

VERDICT Australia's crown jewel—hosting 2026 Worlds with brutal climbs, wildlife hazards, and Western Australian wilderness.

76
LAB SCORE
—
RIDER SCORE · RATE IT →
[05]

The Ratings

Course verdict

A relentless climbing race through Western Australian pine plantations and state forests.[2]

Course Profile ratings for this race. Select a point for its explanation. LOGISTICS4/5LENGTH3/5TECHNICAL4/5ELEVATION5/5CLIMATE3/5ALTITUDE2/5ADVENTURE5/5 26/35
Course Profile
How the scoring works →
Custom plan

Train for Seven

A training plan for Seven—shaped to your fitness and the hours you have.

START MY CUSTOM PLAN → $15 / WEEK
[01]

Course Overview

Australia's crown jewel gravel race. 125km through Western Australia's forests. Host of 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships.

78 mi
Distance
10,500 ft
Elevation
Nannup, Western Australia
Location
TBD (site says '2027 DATE COMING SOON'; 2026 edition ran May 16), 2027
Date
~1,500
Field Size
$160-$235
Entry Cost
+ Google Calendar Download .ics
Facts & History

Organizers set out in 2017 to create a Western Australian 'Paris-Roubaix' experience alongside their existing Tour of Margaret River Pro Am road event, spending a year scouting dirt roads around Nannup before the inaugural race in 2018. Quickly became the largest gravel race in the Southern Hemisphere and earned UCI Gravel World Series status. Founded in 2017. By SEVEN Gravel Race team.

Reputation: The World Championship host—where Australian wilderness meets elite gravel racing.

Secured 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships hosting
Grew to 1,500+ riders—largest in Southern Hemisphere
Part of UCI Gravel World Series qualifier system
[03]

The Course

Cyclists riding on paved road through tree-lined course with race barriers and blue banners at organized cycling event - Seven - Nannup, Western AustraliaPhoto: YouTube / Pedal Action
Cyclist riding uphill on dirt gravel road through forested terrain with eucalyptus trees and mountainous landscape - Seven - Nannup, Western AustraliaPhoto: YouTube / Pedal Action

A relentless climbing race through Western Australian pine plantations and state forests. The 'parallel singletrack' roads are often just two tire tracks wide with grass in the middle. Sharp quartz grit and mica create constant flat tire risk. 12-13 categorized climbs with 3,200m total elevation in 125km—one of the highest climbing ratios in gravel racing.

Signature challenge: The Crucible—the 20%+ grade climb on loose surface where 'I went to hell and back... gradients frequently touching 20%' is the common refrain.

15
MILE
Brockman Farm
Early significant climb. Tests legs before they're warm. Sets the tone for what's coming.
35
MILE
The Crucible
Signature climb. Steep, loose, relentless. Gradients touch 20%+. 'Iconic gravel ride'—many walk sections.
55
MILE
Chainsaw Ridge
Sector 5. Ridge-line traverse that exposes you to wind and fatigue late in the race.
70
MILE
Arcadia
Beautiful but energy-sapping due to constant undulations. The quiet killer.
RIDERS REPORT
First gravel sector
Chaotic section where the surface is not always even, causing riders to come back, move forwards, and change lines. Lines disappear and you can be pushed off.
First major descent
Stretches out the peloton due to different abilities and confidence levels. Surfaces going down were particularly sketchy with really loose gravel.
Brockman climb
The first really hard climb with 22% gradient. Some riders had to push their bikes and fell off trying to climb due to losing traction.
The gravel was really, really loose, especially on descents due to dry conditions. Makes descending feel less in control.
The gravel was really smooth in some sections and really nice to ride on, not too many ruts or bumps.
Corrugated bumps that you can get thrown into if cut off during passes.
[04]

From the Field

The surfaces going down were particularly sketchy. The gravel was really, really loose. Really loose. And it will just dry, which I guess makes it loose.

Pedal Action · 4.4K views

I'm torn between like it was clearly stunning, but I expected when I saw the 22% I was absolutely peeing, but it was actually much better than I expected. I thought there I wasn't going to get up a 22% climb.

Pedal Action · 4.4K views

There are over 1,600 people registered for the race tomorrow, principally because next year this will hold the world championships.

Pedal Action · 4.4K views

You can drop off your food in a bag labeled with your number and then they take it out to the halfway stop and then when you get to the halfway stop, you can find your food with the number. They'll lay it out for you there.

Sam Shields · 3.3K views
SEVEN 2025 | World Championship worthy?
Pedal Action · 4.4K views · 10:53
2025 SEVEN GRAVEL RACE in Nannup was TOUGH!
Ryan Dillon MTB · 5K views · 27:12
My First Gravel Race - SEVEN 2025 (FIVE 86km 2100vm) Nannup, Australia
Sam Shields · 3.3K views · 19:31
RACER

Racer Reviews

Raced Seven? Be the first to rate it.
[07]

Training

May 16, 2027 SEVEN
[08]

Train for Seven

RACE DEMAND PROFILE

Durability
4
Climbing
10
VO2 Power
9
Threshold
8
Technical
8
Heat
0
Altitude
4
Race Specificity
10
FREE

GET THE SEVEN PREP KIT

12-week training timeline, race-day checklists, packing list, and personalized fueling calculator — unlocked instantly.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

[09]

Race Logistics

Airport
PER (Perth) - 3hr drive to Nannup
Lodging
Nannup (pop. 1,300) accommodation sells out instantly. Most stay in Busselton or Margaret River (45min). Event village offers unpowered camping/caravan sites—the 'authentic' experience. Rental car essential.
Food
Limited options in Nannup. Stock up before arriving.
Packet Pickup
Race week at event village in Nannup.
Parking
Event village in Nannup.
RIDERS REPORT
For the women it is so important to stay inside those front 30 wheels during the first gravel sector.
Trying to get a bit of draft is super important, especially after mechanicals.
Pick a line and stick with it on loose gravel descents - if you just go straight, you'll be fine.
The goal was to ride well, not smash ourselves, but ride to a nice pace and stay upright. The start is obviously the most chaotic part of the course.
OFFICIAL SITE
[10]

Tire Picks

45mmMUDDY
1
Schwalbe G-One Ultrabite
45mm · $70 · 42W
high puncture protection for sharp surfaces. strong mud clearance
2
Tufo Gravel Swampero
44mm · $70
strong mud clearance
3
Vittoria Terreno Wet
45mm · $80 · 39W
strong mud clearance
FULL TIRE GUIDE & PRESSURE TABLE
NEWS

Latest Coverage

[—]

Similar Races

T1 UCI Gravel World Championships Nannup, Western Australia, Australia · 88.9 mi · 83/100 T2 Gravel and Tar Classic Manawatū-Whanganui, New Zealand · 75 mi · 67/100 T2 RADL GRVL Adelaide Hills, South Australia · 79.6 mi · 66/100 T2 Tour Aotearoa Cape Reinga to Bluff, New Zealand · 1864 mi · 71/100 T3 MAAP Beechworth Granite Classic Beechworth, Victoria · 71 mi · 59/100 T3 Noosa Gravel Enduro Noosa Hinterland, Queensland · 69 mi · 56/100
[—]

Frequently Asked Questions

Australian autumn means cool 45°F mornings warming to pleasant 70°F days—no outback furnace here. May marks the start of wet season with 600mm annual rainfall, so rain can turn clay sections slick and make descents sketchy. It's actually civilized weather, which is probably why this race attracts 1,500 masochists. Similar climate challenges to SBT GRVL.[4]

Fly into Perth, drive 3 hours south to a town of 1,300 people where accommodation sells out instantly. You'll need a rental car because public transport to Nannup doesn't exist for cyclists with bike boxes. The saving grace is camping at the event village, which is the authentic way anyway, and Margaret River is only 45 minutes if you need actual beds.[1]

The official survival guide warns about kangaroo, emu, and wild pig collisions on silent descents through active logging areas with zero cell signal. You're reliant on moto marshals in wilderness where wildlife can end your race violently. This is proper adventure cycling with real consequences, not manicured gravel theater.[2]

UCI Gravel World Series qualifier and HOST of 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships. Largest gravel race in the Southern Hemisphere. The event that put Australian gravel on the global map.[5]

Yes if you want a bucket-list Australian adventure and handle technical terrain. Yes if you're chasing UCI Gravel World Series. Skip if the travel commitment to Western Australia is prohibitive.

[11]

Sources & Citations

Research sources used to build this race profile. Always verify details with official race sources before making travel or registration decisions.

  1. Media & Press Cycling Weeklywww.cyclingweekly.com/gravel/unbound-gravel-vs-uci-gravel...
  2. Media & Press Cycling Weeklywww.cyclingweekly.com/routes/gravel-burn-2025-everything-...
  3. Community Redditwww.reddit.com/r/gravelcycling/comments/1h2cgad/seven_gra...
  4. Community TrainerRoadwww.trainerroad.com/forum/t/gravel-race-tires-2024/90356
  5. Community TrainerRoadwww.trainerroad.com/forum/t/gravel-world-championships-ya...
  6. Community TrainerRoadwww.trainerroad.com/forum/t/seven-gravel-if-of-89-for-6hr...
  7. Community ucigravelworldseries.com: National Champions Show Power On 2026 Worlds Coursesucigravelworldseries.com/en/national-champions-show-power...
  8. Community lifeinthesaddle.cc: Race Report Seven Hills Killer 2012.Htmlwww.lifeinthesaddle.cc/2012/09/race-report-seven-hills-ki...
  9. Community aravaiparunning.com: 2www.aravaiparunning.com/category/race-report/page/2/
  10. Community travelandsports.com.au: Sevengraveltravelwww.travelandsports.com.au/packages/cycling/sevengraveltr...
  11. Social Facebookwww.facebook.com/SEVENGravel/photos/strava-on-the-crucibl...
  12. Social Facebookwww.facebook.com/SEVENGravel/photos/the-crucible-all-dres...
  13. Social Facebookwww.facebook.com/SEVENGravel/videos/seven-2020-the-crucib...
  14. Social Facebookwww.facebook.com/SEVENGravel/videos/the-crucible-2020/156...
  15. Other Sources Australiassouthwestaustraliassouthwest.com/events/seven-gravel-race/
  16. Other Sources Blogblog.minisport.com/2014/07/mini-seven-race-report-oulton-...
  17. Other Sources Sevencyclessevencycles.com/category/gravel/g-45700-rr-fs.php
  18. Other Sources Sevengravelracesevengravelrace.com/2024-results/
  19. Other Sources Sevengravelracesevengravelrace.com/enter/
  20. Other Sources Sevengravelracesevengravelrace.com/product/caravan-site/

Last updated September 2026