Jump to content

Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc
Finish line in 2015
Dateend of August
LocationFrance Chamonix, France
Event typeUltramarathon trail run
Distance174-kilometre (108 mi)
Established2003
Course recordsMen: Jim Walmsley 19:37:43 (2023)
Women: Katie Schide 22:09:31 (2024)
Official sitehttps://montblanc.utmb.world/

The Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) is a mountain ultramarathon race, first held in 2003, that follows the route of the Tour du Mont Blanc. It has been regarded as the most competitive trail ultramarathon in the world.[1]

Renamed in 2023 as UTMB World Series Finals, it is the final event of the UTMB World Series qualification races held throughout the world.[2]

Description

[edit]

The race takes place once a year on either the last weekend in August or the first weekend of September in the Alps. It follows the route of the Tour du Mont Blanc through France, Italy and Switzerland. It has a distance of approximately 171 kilometres (106 mi), and a total elevation gain of around 10,040 metres (32,940 ft). It is widely regarded as one of the most difficult foot races in the world, and one of the largest with more than 2,500 starters.[3] It is one of several races during a week-long festival based around Chamonix in France, and is a race of the Ultra-Trail World Tour. The races have strict entry and qualification requirements attained by accumulating enough race points through qualifying trail races over the previous two-year period. In 2016 and 2017, 42% and 35% of runners did not finish the UTMB race.[3]

While the best runners complete the loop in slightly more than 20 hours, most runners take 32 to 46 hours to reach the finish line. Most runners will have to run through two nights to complete the race.

Since 2006, a second race Courmayeur - Champex - Chamonix (half-loop) has also been organised, and a third race was added in 2009: "Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie". A fourth shorter "running" event - Orsières - Champex - Chamonix - was added in 2014.

La Petite Trotte à Léon is a non-competitive team event started in 2011. Each team is made of two or three members for safety. The route and direction of the course change every year. In 2015, it was run counterclockwise.

Today, the races consist of the following;

  • UTMB: Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (171 km +10,040 m)
  • CCC: Courmayeur - Champex - Chamonix (101 km +6,100 m)
  • TDS: Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie (145 km +9,100 m)
  • OCC: Orsières - Champex - Chamonix (56 km +3,460 m)
  • PTL: La Petite Trotte à Léon (approx. 300 km +30,000 m)
  • MCC: De Martigny-Combe à Chamonix (40 km +2,300 m)
  • YCC: Youth Chamonix Courmayeur (15 km +1,100 m)

Route

[edit]

The route follows the Tour du Mont Blanc hiking path that is usually completed in 7 to 9 days by hikers. This is a loop around Mont Blanc.

It starts from Chamonix (1,035 m) and goes up to the Col de Voza (1,653 m) to reach Les Contamines (1,150 m), which is the first life base. It then climbs to the Croix du Bonhomme (2,479 m) before going back down to Les Chapieux (1,549 m). The path then runs up to the Col de la Seigne (2,516 m) to enter Italy, and follows the ridge of the Mont-Favre (2,435 m) before going down to Courmayeur (1,190 m), the second life base. It climbs again to the Refuge Bertone (1,989 m) and Arnuva (1,769 m) before reaching its highest point, the Grand Col Ferret (2,537 m), which also marks the border with Switzerland. The path goes down again to Praz de Fort (1,151 m) via La Fouly (1,593 m) before reaching the third life base, Champex d'en Bas (1,391 m). The last part includes two rather low cols: Bovine (1,987 m) and Les Tseppes (1,932 m), separated by Trient (1,300 m). On the descent to Vallorcine (1,260 m), the path re-enters France and crosses Argentière (1,260 m) before finishing at Chamonix, its starting point.

The route varies slightly every year, sometimes for safety reasons. In 2010, the route was 166 km long with a total elevation gain of 9500m.

Race profile

A more detailed profile can be found on the official website: UTMB profile.

Participation and results

[edit]
Vincent Delebarre at Champex during the UTMB 2005

The race's popularity and its entry rate grew significantly since it was first held. The number of entrants doubled from 700 in 2003 to 1,400 in 2004. In 2005, the limit of 5,000 runners was reached 7 months after registration opened. In 2006, the organisers decided to create the CCC to allow more runners to take part. The registrations were sold out in only 2 weeks. In 2007, it was decided that runners must qualify, by running qualifying races beforehand and gaining points. That year the limit of 5,000 runners was reached less than 24 hours after registration opened. For the 2008 event, 6,000 runners registered in only 8 minutes, 5 months before the race. For the 2009 event, the qualifying criteria were tightened to limit the number of qualifying runners, and a draw was introduced to make entry fairer, giving an equal chance to all qualifiers, and making registration more orderly. Despite the stricter criteria, 10% of qualifying entrants were still denied a place, so the organisers raised entry standards still further for the 2010 event so that selection would be based more on capability and experience than luck of the draw.

The 2020 edition of the race was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, with all registrants automatically receiving a 55% refund and given the option of reserving a spot for 2021, 2022, or 2023.[4]

UTMB World Series and UTMB World Series Final

[edit]

Overview

[edit]

On May 6, 2021, UTMB Group made a strategic alliance with famous Triathlon race operator IRONMAN Group, and launched a brand new series of Trail Running races: UTMB World Series, with Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc to be renamed as UTMB World Series Finals. The annual final competition of this series[2] replaced the Ultra Trail World Tour (UTWT).

As of 2022, the UTMB World Series will integrate four levels of events:

  • UTMB World Series Finals (Final race held in Chamonix, France, held in last week of each August)
  • UTMB World Series Majors (One major race from UTMB World Series Events for each continent, with double the number of Running Stones for finishers)
  • UTMB World Series Events (The only way for obtaining Running Stones for UTMB World Series Finals ballot)
  • UTMB World Series Qualifiers (Runners can obtain UTMB Index but not Running Stones)

From the Year 2023, access for qualification of UTMB World Series Finals will have substantial changes, with obtaining Running Stones as the sole way of lottery entry, replacing ITRA Points. To enter the lottery, they need to:[5]

  • Have at least one Running Stone acquired in the previous two years
  • Have a valid UTMB Index in the category corresponding to the Final.

A Running Stone provides one entry in the lottery to participate in the UTMB World Series Finals. Running Stones can be collected by finishing a 20K, 50K, 100K or 100M race of the UTMB World Series circuit. Running Stones are recorded on the runner’s account and each Running Stone improves the odds in the lottery. A valid UTMB Index is achieved by completing at least one UTMB World Series Major, Event, or Qualifier race in the relevant category within the previous 24 months.

List of events

[edit]

Below is a list of 2022 and 2023 UTMB World Series events.[6]

Date Event Location (start) Country Website
2022 July 1 Ultra-Trail Snowdonia Llanberis  United Kingdom Website
2022 July 9 Trail Verbier St Bernard Liddes   Switzerland Website
2022 September 16-17 Julian Alps Trail Run Upper Carniola: Radovljica; Žirovnica; Kranjska Gora  Slovenia Website
2022 October 28 Puerto Vallarta México San Sebastián del Oeste, Jalisco  Mexico Website
2022 November 4-6 Kullamannen Båstad; Ängelholm; Mölle  Sweden Website
2022 November 5 Translantau 飛越大嶼 Mui Wo, Lantau Island  Hong Kong Website
2022 December 9-11 Doi Inthanon Doi Inthanon National Park, Chiang Mai province  Thailand Website
2022 December 15-16 Ultra-Trail Kosciuszko Thredbo, New South Wales  Australia Website
2023 February 11 Tarawera Ultramarathon Rotorua  New Zealand Website
2023 February 17-19 Amazean Jungle Thailand Betong, Yala province  Thailand Website
2023 April 14-16 Istria 100 Istria: Labin; Buzet; Motovun; Grožnjan  Croatia Website
2023 April 14-16 Ultra Trail Ninghai Ninghai, Ningbo  China Website
2023 April 28-29 The Canyons Endurance Runs Auburn, California  United States Website
2023 May 5-6 Transvulcania La Palma Island La Palma  Spain Website
2023 May 12-13 Ultra-Trail Snowdonia Llanberis  United Kingdom Website
2023 May 12-14 Valhöll Ultra Trail Calamuchita Valley: La Cumbrecita; Villa General Belgrano  Argentina Website
2023 May 12-13 Ultra-Trail Australia Katoomba, New South Wales  Australia Website
2023 May 19-21 Trail Alsace Grand Est Grand Est: Colmar; Barr; Orschwiller  France Website
2023 May 26-27 Mountain Ultra Trail (MUT) Outeniqua Nature Reserve; George  South Africa Website
2023 June 3 Trail du Saint-Jacques Haute-Loire: Saugues; Monistrol-d'Allier; Saint-Privat-d'Allier; Solignac-sur-Loire  France Website
2023 June 17 Mozart 100 Salzburg; Fuschl am See; St. Gilgen; Koppl  Austria Website
2023 June 22-24 Lavaredo Ultra Trail Cortina d'Ampezzo; San Vito di Cadore  Italy Website
2023 June 23-25 Trail 100 Andorra Ordino  Andorra Website
2023 June 24 Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run Olympic Valley, California  United States Website
2023 July 6-9 Val d'Aran Val d'Aran: Salardú; Vielha; Les; Pla-de-Beret  Spain Website
2023 July 6-8 Restonica Trail Corte, Haute-Corse, Corsica  France Website
2023 July 7-9 Trail Verbier St Bernard La Fouly; Verbier   Switzerland Website
2023 July 12, 15 Eiger Ultra-Trail Grindelwald   Switzerland Website
2023 July 21-22 Speedgoat Snowbird, Utah  United States Website
2023 August 3, 5 KAT100 Fieberbrunn  Austria Website
2023 August 31-September 1 UTMB Mont Blanc Chamonix  France Website
2023 September 15-17 Wildstrubel Wildstrubel: Crans-Montana; Kandersteg; Adelboden   Switzerland Website
2023 September 22-23 Paraty Trail Paraty  Brazil Website
2023 September 29-October 1 Nice Côte d'Azur Côte d'Azur: Auron; Roubion; Menton; Villefranche-sur-Mer  France Website
2023 October 7-8 TransJeju[7] Jeju Island  South Korea Website
2023 November 10-12 Translantau 飛越大嶼 Mui Wo, Lantau Island  Hong Kong Website
2023 December 8-10 Doi Inthanon Doi Inthanon National Park, Chiang Mai province  Thailand Website

Ultra-Trail du Tour du Mont-Blanc

[edit]
Year Distance Runners Finishers Winner Male Time Winner Female Time Notes
2003 153 km 722 67 Dachhiri Dawa Sherpa Nepal 20:05:59 Kristin Moehl United States 29:38:24 2003 full results
2004 155 km 1383 420 Vincent Delebarre France 21:06:18 Colette Borcard Switzerland 26:08:54 2004 full results
2005 155 km 2000 773 Christophe Jaquerod Switzerland 21:11:07 Elizabeth Hawker United Kingdom 26:53:51 2005 full results
2006 158 km 2535 1152 Marco Olmo Italy 21:06:06 Karine Herry France 25:22:20 2006 full results
2007 163 km 2319 1437 Marco Olmo Italy 21:31:58 Nikki Kimball United States 25:23:45 2007 full results
2008 166 km 2500 1268 Kilian Jornet Spain 20:56:59 Elizabeth Hawker United Kingdom 25:19:41 2008 full results
2009 166 km 2500 1383 Kilian Jornet Spain 21:33:18 Kristin Moehl United States 24:56:01 2009 full results
2010[a] 88 km 2400 1127 Jez Bragg United Kingdom 10:30:37[a] Elizabeth Hawker United Kingdom 11:47:30[a] 2010 full results
2011 170 km 2361 1133 Kilian Jornet Spain 20:36:43 Elizabeth Hawker United Kingdom 25:02:00 2011 full results
2012[a] 103 km 2483 2122 François D'Haene France 10:32:36[a] Elizabeth Hawker United Kingdom 12:32:13[a] 2012 full results
2013 168 km 2469 1686 Xavier Thevenard France 20:34:57 Rory Bosio United States 22:37:26 2013 full results
2014 167 km 2434 1582 François D'Haene France 20:11:44 Rory Bosio United States 23:23:20 2014 full results
2015 170 km 2561 1631 Xavier Thevenard France 21:09:15 Nathalie Mauclair France 25:15:33 2015 full results
2016 170 km 2555 1468 Ludovic Pommeret France 22:00:02 Caroline Chaverot France 25:15:40 2016 full results
2017[a] 167 km 2537 1687 François D'Haene France 19:01:54[a] Núria Picas Spain 25:46:43[a] 2017 full results
2018 170 km 2561 1778 Xavier Thevenard France 20:44:16 Francesca Canepa Italy 26:03:48 2018 full results
2019 170 km 2543 1556 Pau Capell Spain 20:19:07 Courtney Dauwalter United States 24:34:26 2019 full results
2020 cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic[4]
2021 170 km 2346 1521 François D'Haene France 20:45:59 Courtney Dauwalter United States 22:30:54 2021 full results
2022 170 km 2795 1789 Kilian Jornet Spain 19:49:30 Katie Schide United States 23:15:12 2022 full results
2023 172 km 2693 1757 Jim Walmsley United States 19:37:43 Courtney Dauwalter United States 23:29:14 2023 full results
2024 176.4 km 2761 1760 Vincent Bouillard France 19:54:23 Katie Schide United States 22:09:31 2024 full results

Ultra-Trail Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix

[edit]
Year Distance Runners Finishers Winner Male Time Winner Female Time Notes
2006 86 km 1054 854 Alun Powell United Kingdom 10:53:17 Corinne Favre France 10:35:55 2006 full results
2007 86 km 1609 1332 Julien Chorier France 10:19:46 Andréa Zimmermann Switzerland 12:28:05 2007 full results
2008 98 km 2032 1318 Guillaume Le Normand France 12:26:04 Lucy Colquhoun United Kingdom 14:33:37 2008 full results
2009 98 km 1865 1266 Jean-Yves Rey Switzerland 11:40:47 Chantal Begue France 16:51:00 2009 full results
2010 98 km 2004 1677 Xavier Thevenard France 11:57:13 Maud Giraud France 14:07:38 2010 full results
2011 98 km 1907 1591 Emmanuel Gault France 10:10:25 Virginie Govignon France 12:47:11 2011 full results
2012[a] 86 km 1913 1585 Tofol Castañer Bernat Spain 08:57:04[a] Ellie Greenwood United Kingdom 11:17:24[a] 2012 full results
2013 101 km 1910 1320 Jordi Bes Spain 11:23:01 Caroline Chaverot France 14:12:00 2013 full results
2014 101 km 1945 1423 Pau Bartolo Spain 11:21:16 Anne Lise Rousett France 14:28:48 2014 full results
2015 101 km 2127 1470 Zach Miller United States 11:53:32 Ruth Croft New Zealand 12:54:53 2015 full results
2016 101 km 2123 1386 Michel Lanne France 12:10:04 Mimmi Kotka Sweden 13:42:46 2016 full results
2017 99 km 2155 1742 Hayden Hawks United States 10:24:30 Clare Gallagher United States 12:13:57 2017 full results
2018 101 km 2147 1622 Thomas Evans United Kingdom 10:44:32 Miao Yao China 11:57:46 2018 full results
2019 101 km 2132 1578 Luis Alberto Hernando Spain 10:28:49 Ragna Debats Netherlands 12:10:33 2019 full results
2020 cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic[4]
2021 101 km 2009 1578 Thibaut Garrivier France 10:23:26 Marta Molist Codina Spain 12:50:48 2021 full results
2022 101 km 1727 1341 Petter Engdahl Sweden 09:53:02 Blandine L'Hirondel France 11:40:55 2022 full results
2023 101 km 2228 1650 Jonathan Albon United Kingdom 10:14:25 Yngvild Kaspersen Norway 11:51:22

Ultra-Trail Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie

[edit]
Year Distance Runners Finishers Winner Male Time Winner Female Time Notes
2009 105 km 632 480 Patrick Bohard France 14:01:48 Fernanda Maciel Brazil 17:17:43 2009 full results
2010 105 km cancelled
2011 110 km 1180 781 Franck Bussiere France 15:51:37 Jolanda Linschooten Netherlands 20:57:32 2011 full results
2012 114 km 1464 633 Dachhiri Dawa Sherpa Nepal 14:37:07 Agnès Herve France 19:07:00 2012 full results
2013 119 km 1528 1022 Arnau Julià Bonmatí Spain 15:09:59 Nathalie Mauclair France 17:36:41 2013 full results
2014 119 km 1588 1076 Xavier Thevenard France 14:10:37 Teresa Nimes Perez Spain 18:41:12 2014 full results
2015 119 km 1807 1214 Pau Bartolo Spain 14:26:40 Andrea Huser Switzerland 16:35:29 2015 full results
2016 119 km 1794 1060 Pau Capell Spain 14:45:44 Delphine Avenier France 18:46:24 2016 full results
2017 119 km 1818 1251 Michel Lanne France 14:33:09 Mimmi Kotka Sweden 15:47:07 2017 full results
2018 121 km 1799 1329 Marcin Świerc Poland 13:24:00 Audrey Tanguy France 16:05:22 2018 full results
2019 145 km 1785 1091 Pablo Villa Gonzalez Spain 18:03:06 Audrey Tanguy France 21:36:15 2019 full results
2020 cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic[4]
2021 145 km 433 212 Erik-Sebastian Krogvig Norway 18:49:58 Manon Bohard France 23:11:14 2021 full results
2022 145 km 1774 1072 Ludovic Pommeret France 18:37:04 Martina Valmassoi Italy 22:42:47 2022 full results
2023 145 km 1649 998 Christian Meier Canada 19:36:35 Maryline Nakache France 23:37:57 2023 full results

Orsières-Champex-Chamonix

[edit]
Year Distance Runners Finishers Winner Male Time Winner Female Time Notes
2014 53 km 1200 1109 Nicolas Martin France 5:07:45 Sonia Glarey Italy 6:37:40 2014 full results
2015 53 km 1442 1317 Marc Pinsach Rubirola Spain 5:21:38 Celia Chiron France 6:41:53 2015 full results
2016 55 km 1413 1232 Xavier Thevenard France 5:28:37 Mercedes Arcos Zafras Spain 6:54:13 2016 full results
2017 55 km 1565 1468 Marc Lauenstein Switzerland 5:19:34 Eli Gordon Rodriguez Spain 6:12:16 2017 full results
2018 55 km 1572 1478 Erenjia Jia China 5:28:44 Ruth Croft New Zealand 5:53:09 2018 full results
2019 55 km 1605 1474 Stian Angermund-Vik Norway 5:19:24 Ruth Croft New Zealand 5:50:14 2019 full results
2020 cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic[4]
2021 55 km 1464 1359 Jonathan Albon United Kingdom 5:02:57 Blandine L'Hirondel France 5:45:08 2021 full results
2022 55 km 1511 1190 Manuel Merillas Spain 5:18:29 Sheila Avilés Castaño Spain 6:10:16 2022 full results
2023 55 km 1729 1643 Stian Angermund Norway 4:42:40 Toni McCann South Africa 5:18:21 2023 full results

Results by nation

[edit]

UTMB

[edit]
UTMB Males
# Nation 1st 2nd 3rd Podium
1 France France 10 5 5 20
2 Spain Spain 5 6 7 18
3 Italy Italy 2 0 1 3
4 United States USA 1 4 4 9
5 Nepal Nepal 1 2 0 3
6 Switzerland Switzerland 1 0 1 2
6 United Kingdom United Kingdom 1 0 1 2
8 Hungary Hungary 0 1 0 1
8 Germany Germany 0 1 0 1
8 Sweden Sweden 0 1 0 1
8 Lithuania Lithuania 0 1 0 1
8 Romania Romania 0 1 0 1
9 Japan Japan 0 0 1 1
9 New Zealand New Zealand 0 0 1 1
9 Ecuador Ecuador 0 0 1 1
UTMB Females
# Nation 1st 2nd 3rd Podium
1 United States USA 9 0 2 11
2 United Kingdom United Kingdom 5 1 0 6
3 France France 3 3 9 15
4 Spain Spain 1 7 5 13
5 Switzerland Switzerland 1 2 1 4
6 Italy Italy 1 1 0 2
7 Luxembourg Luxembourg 0 2 1 3
8 Sweden Sweden 0 1 1 2
8 Canada Canada 0 1 1 2
9 Czech Republic Czech 0 1 0 1
9 New Zealand New Zealand 0 1 0 1

CCC

[edit]
CCC Males
# Nation 1st 2nd 3rd Podium
1 France France 6 7 7 20
2 Spain Spain 3 0 2 5
3 United Kingdom United Kingdom 2 1 1 4
4 United States USA 2 1 0 3
5 Switzerland Switzerland 1 0 0 1
5 Sweden Sweden 1 0 0 1
6 Greece Greece 0 1 2 3
7 Poland Poland 0 1 0 1
7 Japan Japan 0 1 0 1
7 Canada Canada 0 1 0 1
7 China China 0 1 0 1
7 New Zealand New Zealand 0 1 0 1
8 Italy Italy 0 0 3 3
CCC Females
# Nation 1st 2nd 3rd Podiums
1 France France 7 4 5 16
2 United Kingdom United Kingdom 2 3 1 6
3 Spain Spain 1 3 4 8
4 United States USA 1 3 2 6
5 Sweden Sweden 1 1 0 2
6 Netherlands Netherlands 1 0 0 1
6 New Zealand New Zealand 1 0 0 1
6 Switzerland Switzerland 1 0 0 1
6 China China 1 0 0 1
7 Italy Italy 0 1 1 2
7 Nepal Nepal 0 1 0 1
9 Czech Republic Czech Republic 0 0 1 1

TDS

[edit]
TDS Males
# Nation 1st 2nd 3rd Podiums
1 France France 5 7 7 19
2 Spain Spain 4 1 1 6
3 Nepal Nepal 1 1 0 2
4 Poland Poland 1 0 0 1
4 Norway Norway 1 0 0 1
5 Russia Russia 0 1 1 2
6 United States United States 0 1 0 1
6 Ecuador Ecuador 0 1 0 1
7 Italy Italy 0 0 2 2
8 United Kingdom United Kingdom 0 0 1 1
TDS Females
# Nation 1st 2nd 3rd Podiums
1 France France 6 3 4 13
2 Italy Italy 1 3 2 6
3 Spain Spain 1 3 1 5
4 Switzerland Switzerland 1 0 1 2
5 Netherlands Netherlands 1 0 0 1
5 Brazil Brazil 1 0 0 1
5 Sweden Sweden 1 0 0 1
6 United States United States 0 3 1 4
7 United Kingdom United Kingdom 0 1 0 1
8 Hungary Hungary 0 0 2 2
9 Germany Germany 0 0 1 1
Runners by night during the UTMB 2005

Logistics

[edit]
A check point on the UTMB 2005
  • 15000 volunteers were involved in 2015.
  • North Face Ltd was the main sponsor from 2006 to 2014. Columbia was the main sponsor from 2015 to 2021. HOKA is the current main sponsor of both the UTMB and the UTMB World Series.
  • Kuala4k is the secondary environmental sponsor since 2014
  • Runners must carry a minimum of equipment for safety reasons. This includes a waterproof jacket, warm clothing, food and water, whistle, mobile telephone, survival blanket and two head lamps.[citation needed]
  • There are food and drink points along the route, every 10 to 15 km. In addition, four big "life bases" provide hot meals, beds and massages: Chamonix (France), Les Chapieux (France), Courmayeur (Italy) and Champex (Switzerland).
  • At Courmayeur for UTMB and at Cormet de Roselend for TDS, runners can collect a drop bag they previously left at Chamonix or at Courmayeur.
  • Runners' race numbers contain a magnetic badge that is read at approximately 50 check points. Timings and rankings are available online and by text message in real-time.
  • It is conducted under the regulations of the International Trail Running Association (ITRA), the governing body for trail races in the Mont Blanc and Alpine region.
  • PTL is a mostly self-supported run without course markings or aid stations. Runners rely on a limited number of support points, mountain huts, local stores and restaurants for food and sleep. The course should be followed by GPS, maps, and the road book. It goes as high as 3300 meters (11,000 feet) and must be completed in about 6 days. Each team of two or three people carries a satellite beacon for safety. The course is modified every year and there are no official winners.

Controversies

[edit]

The expansion of the World Series through the UTMB Whistler race has caused controversy over allegations that it has forced out a locally organised race from Coast Mountain Trail Running.[8] The announcement by UTMB and Vail Resorts was met with public backlash and fears that UTMB is attempting to create a monopoly by taking over current community based races and turning them into a profit-centred event.[9][10][11][12] UTMB later issued a response stating that the CMTR race organisers had stated they were leaving Whistler prior to the setup of the new UTMB race.[13]

In 2023, U.S. ultrarunner Corrinne Malcolm reported that she had been fired from her role as a UTMB commentator after four years, and claimed she had been told she was "too outspoken."[14] Malcolm, who is also a commentator for the Western States Endurance Run, had previously expressed criticism of UTMB partner Ironman.

In January 2024, elite trail runners Kilian Jornet and Zach Miller sparked further controversy in the ultra-running community when a private email they sent to fellow professional athletes was leaked.[15] The email suggested finding an alternative race to the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) for 2024, which some interpreted as a call for boycott. Following public backlash, Jornet clarified that their intention was not to organize a boycott but to raise awareness about concerns within the sport.[16] On January 23, 2024, Jornet and Miller met with UTMB Group representatives to discuss issues such as the rapid expansion of the UTMB World Series, sporting rules, and community engagement.[17] While the meeting was described as productive, with both parties expressing a desire for continued dialogue, it was notable that Kilian Jornet did not participate in the 2024 UTMB edition.[18]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ iRunFar: 2022 UTMB Men’s Preview.
  2. ^ a b UTMB. "UTMB GROUP AND THE IRONMAN GROUP PARTNER TO LAUNCH THE GROUND-BREAKING UTMB WORLD SERIES". utmbmontblanc.com. Retrieved 2022-06-03.
  3. ^ a b UTMB. "UTMB Results Page". utmbmontblanc.com. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
  4. ^ a b c d e "UTMB Mag - UTMB Mont-Blanc: The announcement you have all been waiting for".
  5. ^ UTMB. "UTMB CCC OCC REGISTRATION (2023 Edition)". utmbmontblanc.com. Retrieved 2022-06-03.
  6. ^ "UTMB World Series Events". UTMB World Series. Retrieved 2022-12-08.
  7. ^ "Tao Lu And Wenrong Zheng Take Top Spot At TransJeju 100k By UTMB World Series". 2023-10-12. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  8. ^ "What Really Went Down in Whistler with the WAM Races". 26 October 2023.
  9. ^ "New UTMB Whistler race causes uproar in trail community". 29 October 2023.
  10. ^ "Local Race Org., UTMB World Series, and Whistler Blackcomb Clash over New Race Announcement". 3 November 2023.
  11. ^ "Newly-announced Ultra Trail Whistler race met with heavy local backlash". 2 November 2023.
  12. ^ "An Ultra Running Monopoly? UTMB Whistler Announced Months After Local WAM Ultra Canned . . . And Ultra Runners Aren't Happy". 28 October 2023.
  13. ^ "Open Letter to the Trail Running Community".
  14. ^ "UTMB fires livestream commentator Corrine Malcolm". December 2023.
  15. ^ Francis, Anne (2024-01-20). "Should elites boycott UTMB in 2024?". Canadian Running Magazine. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  16. ^ Land, Tomos (2024-01-25). "Kilian Jornet clarifies 'boycott' rumours after holding talks with UTMB Board". RUN247. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  17. ^ Metzler, Brian (2024-01-24). "After Months of Tension, Kilian Jornet and UTMB Seem to Find Path Forward". Trail Runner Magazine. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  18. ^ "Jim Walmsley eyes back-to-back UTMB victories with Jornet out". www.insidethegames.biz. 2024-08-30. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l The races in 2010, 2012, and 2017 were shorter due to bad weather conditions (though only about 5km shorter in 2017).
[edit]