If you spend a lot of time with a group of trail runners from Europe then the term UTMB is bound to come up in conversation.
The UTMB is an annual trail running race of 106 miles that circles Mont Blanc, starting and finishing in Chamonix. It is the most prestigious ultra trail race in Europe and attracts 10.000 runners in spite of having a strenuous qualification procedure.
Let’s look at the UTMB and the 7 events that make up this spectacular festival of trail running.
What Is The UTMB?
Tagged as “A Mythical Race, A Unique Experience”, the UTMB or Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc is a huge and international trail running event being held annually ever since its establishment back in 2003. The popular ultramarathon covers the Tour du Mont Blanc route from France to Italy to Switzerland.
The UTMB Organization records that every year, around 10,000 runners and athletes meet in Chamonix Mont Blanc and participate in the seven events of the UTMB. It usually takes place in August or September and it covers a distance of about 106 miles or 170 kilometers and a total elevation gain of approximately 32,900 feet or 10,000 meters.
The UTMB is considered the ultimate goal for trail runners all over the world due to its level of difficulty, various trail types, and picturesque journey through nature. It is where trail runners can have a truly unique experience where their physical and mental strengths are put to the test.
The Seven Events Of The UTMB
The UTMB is a huge internationally-acclaimed ultramarathon that has seven events or races. Listed below are the details on each event’s name, distance, and elevation.
- 1) Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) – with a distance of 171 kilometers and an elevation of 10,040 meters
- 2) Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix – with a distance of 101 kilometers and an elevation of 6,100 meters
- 3) Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie (TDS) – with a distance of 121 kilometers and an elevation of 7,300 meters
- 4) Orsieres-Champex-Chamonix (OCC) – with a distance of 56 kilometers and an elevation of 3,460 meters
- 5) La Petite Trotte a Leon (PTL) – with a distance of around 300 kilometers and an elevation of 30,000 meters
- 6) De Martigny-Combe a Chamonix (MCC) – with a distance of 40 kilometers and an elevation of 2,300 meters
- 7) Youth Chamonix Courmayeur (YCC) – with a distance of 15 kilometers and an elevation of 1,100 meters
The Route Of The UTMB
The UTMB has a route that follows a loop around the Tour du Mont Blanc. Hikers usually complete this route in a week to 10 days.
The trail running event begins and ends at Chamonix. Listed below is the detailed sequence or chronology of the route:
- The UTMB begins at Chamonix
- The route goes up to the Col de Voza (1,653 m)
- Then down to reach Les Contamines (1,150 m), which is the first aid station.
- It then climbs to the Croix du Bonhomme (2,479 m) before going back down to Les Chapieux (1,549 m).
- The path then heads up to the Col de la Seigne (2,516 m) to cross into Italy.
- From the border the route follows the ridge of the Mont-Favre (2,435 m) before dropping down to Courmayeur (1,190 m), the second aid station.
- Then it is climbing again up to the Refuge Bertone (1,989 m) and Arnuva (1,769 m) on the way to the highest point, the Grand Col Ferret (2,537 m), which is also the border crossing from Italy to Switzerland.
- The path goes down again via La Fouly (1,593 m) to to Praz de Fort (1,151 m) before climbing again to the third aid station at Champex d’en Bas (1,391 m).
- The last part through Switzerland has two further cols. The first of these is Bovine (1,987 m), dropping to Trient (1,300 m) and up again to Les Tseppes (1,932 m).
- Along that final descent to Vallorcine (1,260 m), the path re-enters France. After the border it crosses Argentière (1,260 m) before the drop down to the finish at Chamonix.
For safety purposes and other pertinent reasons, the event’s route changes a bit each year.
The Participants Of The UTMB
When it was first held in 2003, the UTMB had attracted around 700 trail runners representing different countries. However, because of its ever-growing popularity, the number of registrants immediately doubled just a year later.
In 2005, the limit of 5,000 runners was fulfilled just a few months after the organization opened the registration. In 2007, registrants were required to qualify for the ultramarathon by running in qualifying race events beforehand.
In 2009, stricter criteria were imposed in order to limit the qualifying runners and a draw was conducted to have a fairer opportunity for all. But the rules were again adjusted the next year, making the entry standards more reliant on experience and capability.
Winners And Other Important Details
The first UTMB was held back in 2003, the winners were Kristin Moehl from the USA for the females and Dachhiri Dawa Sherpa from Nepal for the males. In the most recent UTMB held in 2019, the winners were Courtney Dauwalter from the USA for females and Pau Capell from Spain for the males.
The main sponsor of the UTMB since 2015 is Columbia. But before that, it was Northface Ltd who sponsored the event since 2006. All qualified trail runners are required to bring essential equipment such as headlamps, survival blankets, mobile phones, whistles, water and food, warm clothing, and waterproof jacket for safety purposes.