Ultra runner Damian Hall didn't quite make the podium at the Tor des Geants in Italy this week, but his performance at the finish line managed to get tongues wagging anyway. The Brit ran the 330 km course in under 77 hours, but when he came in in fourth place, he still managed to muster the energy to protest Ford Motor Company, one of the race's sponsors.
In a video posted to X by The Green Runners, which you can view below, Hall is seen crossing the finish line wearing a blue T-shirt with Ford's logo emblazoned on the front. When he removes his hydration pack, it's clear that he's added the words "F*** off" above the logo. Next, someone off-camera appears to hand him a green banner, which he unrolls and holds up. It reads: "Stop oily money in sport."
Hall, who co-founded The Green Runners along with Barkley Marathons finisher Jasmin Paris, had expressed his concerns about the event in an Instagram post last week, writing: "I seriously considered not running this year's @tordesgeants. I've pledged not to do races with high-carbon sponsors and when I signed up the Tor didn't have one."
He goes on to explain that Ford only recently appeared on the race's website as a second-tier partner, something that The Green Runners say they make accommodations for, since events like these do need extra vehicles.
However, despite queries to the Tor des Geants organizers, he says he was unable to gain full clarity as to the details of the sponsorship, so he committed to running. When he arrived in Courmayeur for the race, he says he was "gutted" to discover that Ford was a "key sponsor."
Advnture has approached Ford Motor Company in Europe for a comment.
A great message delivered by @Ultra_Damo at the end of the @tordesgeants Tor330.Actionism at its best. Keep @Ford and other ‘oily’ companies out of our sport. #sportswashing #TorDesGeants #FordMotors #utmb #dacia @protrailrunner pic.twitter.com/RaR6swey5eSeptember 11, 2024
In response to Hall's post, one of his followers and fellow ultra runner who goes by the handle @brazier.ian says he works for Ford in Product Development and offers a different perspective.
"I’ve seen the 80’s where Ford owned most of the south of England with large factories to today where they have consolidated sites to as few as possible and most now being carbon neutral with their own wind or solar sources."
"We obviously aren’t the greenest but the company does believe in doing what it can mate."
Hall, who is the author of the book We Can't Run Away From This: Racing to improve running’s footprint in our climate emergency has been highly vocal about the need to cut down on waste in the trail running industry.
On his blog, he claims to have made as many life changes as he can to cut down on his own footprint, such as switching to a renewable energy supplier, leaving Barclays bank (a top funder of the fossil fuel industry), eating a vegan diet, significantly reducing flying and trying to use electric vehicles when he drives.
Hall isn't the first ultra runner to criticise the use of car manufacturers as sponsors for trail running events. Last year, Kilian Jornet and Zach Miller wrote a letter to elite athletes detailing their concerns about Dacia sponsoring the UTMB, which many took as a call to boycott the event. The two later clarified that their intention was to raise awareness, and it seems to have worked – Hoka took over as title sponsor this year.
