The world’s best ultra trail runners descend on Chamonix in the Alps this week, writes Adrian Stott
For a week toward the end of August or early September every year, the French mountain resort of Chamonix becomes a global trail running hub as runners congregate from all over the world to compete in the annual Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) races.
Opinions among runners continue to be divided on the influence and growing global outreach of the UTMB operation, which now covers 48 events throughout the planet.
The self-styled “UTMB World Series” has evolved to include a distance close to 100 miles, 100km and 50km at each venue, with shorter mountain and junior races added at most venues.
The Chamonix event hosts the UTMB World Series Finals. Simplified, you qualify for the finals by collecting points or ‘stones’ from taking part in other UTMB World Series events.
The blue riband of Chamonix is the UTMB race itself, over 171km/105 miles, with 9963 metres of climbing.
The route circles Mont Blanc from Chamonix in France, travelling through Italy and Switzerland, before finishing back in Chamonix.
The two other classic races are its sister race, the CCC over 101km and the OCC over 57km, which are also World Series final races.
What cannot be denied is that some of the world’s best trail and mountain runners will be in Chamonix this week, battling it out for podiums, with several thousand other runners of all standards joining them on the start lines.
In such a large field, it is impossible to mention all contenders, but we have highlighted a few to watch out for, together with leading GB interest in each race.
Jim Walmsley (UTMB)
UTMB – August 30, 18:00 (176km, 9900m)
Global men’s contenders
- Jim Walmsley USA. 2023 UTMB champion and 2024 Western States champion.
- Mathieu Blanchard FRA. 4th at the 2023 UTMB. 1st Lac de Annecy in May 2024.
- Hannes Namberger GER. 1st at Lavaredo this year, where he beat Tom Evans by three and a half minutes. 8th at the 2023 UTMB.
British interest
- Tom Evans. 3rd at the 2022 UTMB. He looks set to challenge the podium. The GB international was 2nd at Lavaredo in June 2024 and 3rd at Transvulcania in May 2024. 1st at Western States in 2023.
- Tom Joly. 16th 2023 UTMB. 11th world long trail 2023 at TransLantau 2023. 3rd UTMB 2022.
- Josh Wade. 8th TGC 2024. DNF UTMB 2023.
- Andy Symonds. Extremely experienced on the European circuit. GB trail team international and 11th at UTMB in 2022 and 5th in 2019.
- Keith Wigley. A DNF in…
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