In 9 days' time on Friday, August 30, thousands of the world’s most ambitious trail runners will lace up their best trail running shoes and set off from Chamonix on a punishing race around Mont Blanc.
Last year, Jim Walmsley made history at the UTMB when he won the race in just 19:37:42, shaving 12 minutes off Killian Jornet's 2022 record. Will this year bring a repeat success for Walmsley, or will his thunder be stolen? Over in the women's race, who will fill the void left by Courtney Dauwalter, especially now we know that Katharina Hartmuth isn't starting?
This iconic race is generally considered to be one of the most difficult trail ultra marathons in the world and we’ll be there live next week reporting on all the action. In the meantime, read on for who's starting this year, and predictions for who might be a top contender for a podium finish.
What is the UTMB?
If this is the first you're hearing about it, the UTMB course covers a ferocious 106 miles (177 km) and entails a whopping 32,700 feet (10,000 meters) of incline, which is roughly the equivalent of running Everest and then tacking on a Colorado 14er at the end.
Encircling the Mont Blanc Massif, the route takes competitors in a counterclockwise direction from France, through mountainous areas of Italy and Switzerland before returning back to Chamonix. The maximum cutoff for the race is 46.5 hours, but clearly the runners below are aiming to come in well below that time.
What’s different this year?
So far this year, the officials at the UTMB haven't announced any changes to the route and the biggest news has been the addition of Hoka as the title sponsor, which seems a much better choice than the previous title sponsor of car company Dascia, which caused runners like Jornet to call out the event for environmental reasons.
There's also the fact that Walmsley set his astonishing record last year in a pair of Hokas and the running shoe brand was founded near Chamonix to make it all seem very fitting. However, the real difference Hoka makes to the event is that it has greatly increased the prize money, which means that the male and female winners of the race will receive more than double last year’s prize amounts – $21,500 (€20,000) each.
Who’s the favorite to win?
In a race like the UTMB, anything can happen, and while this year's starting lineup has some obvious runners to focus on (Walmsley, Blanchard, Grangier) there's still plenty of mystery and nothing for us to do but wait and see. Here are some favorites for the top spots:
Men’s favorites for the 2024 UTMB
There's no doubt that Walmsley wants to hold onto his top spot, especially since it took him several tries to even make the podium and it's fair to assume that he's now found his stride and will be the runner to beat. He won the Western States Endurance Run back in June, proving he's in fighting form, and has had a couple of months to recover.
Last year's second-placed Zach Miller isn't starting and was embroiled in some drama with UTMB organizers earlier this year after sending an email to other runners expressing his concern about the growth of the race, so he's not going to keep Walmsley on his toes, but here's who might:
- Germain Grangier: The French runner thrilled local spectators when he came third last year and his Instagram account shows he's spent the past 10 months training in high alpine zones. Unlike some other runners on this list, he hasn't done much in the way of high-profile competition in that time, so we're feeling some fresh legs coming on.
- Mathieu Blanchard: The Frenchman just missed the podium last year, but he came second in 2022 and he's already won a couple of ultras this year.
- Ludovic Pommeret: Another Frenchman, Pommeret came fifth last year, fourth in 2021 and third in 2019 so he's always one to keep an eye on, especially as he's already won the Hardrock 100 this year.
- Hannes Namberger: The German runner placed eighth last year but nabbed first place in the 120k Lavaredo race in Italy this year, edging out Tom Evans.
- Tom Evans: Last year, the British runner was considered a frontrunner, but had a rough night when digestive issues led to him getting lost and disoriented, ending his race at the hospital instead of the finish line. Making matters worse, he was mugged on the trail while training in South Africa late last year. This year, he says he's changed up his training plan to include more altitude training, so let's hope that gets him to the finish this year.
Women’s favorites for the 2024 UTMB
Last year saw Courtney Dauwalter take her third win at the UTMB and complete her hat trick of winning the UTMB, the Western States 100 and the Hardrock 100 in a single year. This year, it looks like she's put her energy on the Hardrock 100, Mt Fuji 100 miler and Transgrancanaria, all of which she won comfortably.
Meanwhile, Last year's second-placed Katharina Hartmuth recently announced ongoing knee issues so it seems everything's up for grabs. Will any of these runners fill the void?
- Blandine L’Hirondel: The French runner came back from a foot injury to claim second place last year. She’s the two-time trail running world champion but this year hasn't brought any long-distance wins yet.
- Fuzhao Xiang: The Chinese runner battled hard for second place in last year's race and has seen a few podiums in shorter ultras already this year.
- Maite Maiora Elizondo: The Spanish runner placed fifth in 2023 and she's seen a lot of competition already this year, including a third-place finish in a 110 km race in her home country earlier this year, so her legs may not be fresh, but she's got more experience.
- Eszter Csillag: The Hungarian DNFd at last year's race, but she's seen a few podiums since including a third place in the Western States 100.
Whether it’s incumbent favorites or fresh-faced newcomers that take the podium this time around, we’re expecting an exciting race and wish the best of luck to every athlete out there on the trail.
