In 9 days' time on Friday, August 30, thousands of the world’s most ambitious trail runners will lace up their and set off from Chamonix on a punishing race around Mont Blanc. Last year, Jim Walmsley made history at the when he won the race in just 19:37:42, shaving 12 minutes off 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 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. 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 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. 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 , 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 , 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. 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: 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 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: Last year saw 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, and , 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? 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.
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