Tom Evans and Jon Albon lead British hopes at UTMB races

The world’s finest extremely path runners descend on Chamonix within the Alps this week, writes Adrian Stott

For per week towards the tip of August or early September yearly, the French mountain resort of Chamonix turns into a worldwide path operating hub as runners congregate from everywhere in the world to compete within the annual Extremely-Path du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) races.

Opinions amongst runners proceed to be divided on the affect and rising world outreach of the UTMB operation, which now covers 48 occasions all through the planet.

The self-styled “UTMB World Sequence” has advanced to incorporate a distance near 100 miles, 100km and 50km at every venue, with shorter mountain and junior races added at most venues.

The Chamonix occasion hosts the UTMB World Sequence Finals. Simplified, you qualify for the finals by gathering factors or ‘stones’ from collaborating in different UTMB World Sequence occasions.

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 by Italy and Switzerland, earlier than ending again in Chamonix.

The 2 different basic races are its sister race, the CCC over 101km and the OCC over 57km, that are additionally World Sequence last races.

What can’t be denied is that a few of the world’s finest path and mountain runners can be in Chamonix this week, battling it out for podiums, with a number of thousand different runners of all requirements becoming a member of them on the beginning traces.

In such a big area, it’s not possible to say all contenders, however we’ve highlighted a couple of to be careful for, along with main GB curiosity in every race.

UTMB – August 30, 18:00 (176km, 9900m)

World males’s contenders

• Jim Walmsley USA. 2023 UTMB champion and 2024 Western States champion.
• Mathieu Blanchard FRA. 4th on the 2023 UTMB. 1st Lac de Annecy in Could 2024.
• Hannes Namberger GER. 1st at Lavaredo this yr, the place he beat Tom Evans by three and a half minutes. eighth on the 2023 UTMB.

British curiosity

• Tom Evans. third on the 2022 UTMB. He seems to be set to problem the rostrum. The GB worldwide was 2nd at Lavaredo in June 2024 and third at Transvulcania in Could 2024. 1st at Western States in 2023.
• Tom Joly. sixteenth 2023 UTMB. eleventh world lengthy path 2023 at TransLantau 2023. third UTMB 2022.
• Josh Wade. eighth TGC 2024. DNF UTMB 2023.
• Andy Symonds. Extraordinarily skilled on the European circuit. GB path workforce worldwide and eleventh at UTMB in 2022 and fifth in 2019.
• Keith Wigley. A DNF in 2023. 2nd at Extremely Sierra Nevada behind Joly in 2024.4th in Could’s Extremely tour Snowdonia.

Evans, who has develop into one of many world’s main skilled path runners, has develop into famend for meticulous planning. He just lately launched his personal “Extremely Sound Podcast” and has been chronicling his build-up to UTMB to his many social media followers.

Joly, together with Evans, Wigley, Wade and different athletes, have been spending time at altitude in Tignes, near Chamonix.

“My very own prep has been a lot better this yr with a strong six weeks in Spain warmth coaching, adopted by 4 weeks in Tignes, altitude coaching,” says Joly. “My goal is to run 21hrs, which I believe I’m able to with the expertise of final yr. If all goes to plan, you received’t see me a lot on the protection till the tip of the race.”

Wade additionally says he has put in a very good, strong coaching block.

World ladies’s contenders

• Katie Schide  USA. 2nd 2023 UTMB 1st 2022 UTMB.
• Fuzhao Xiang CHN. 4th 2023 UTMB.
• Eszter Csillag HUN. fifth 2022 UTMB.
• Emily Hawgood ZIM. sixth 2022 UTMB 2nd 2023 CCC.

In addition they occur to be the highest 4 from June’s Western States 100. Time will inform who has recovered finest for the completely different rigours of UTMB.

• House favorite Blandine L’Hirondel, third on the 2023 UTMB and former World Lengthy Path champion from Thailand in 2022, has been operating nicely over shorter races this yr and is bound to be in competition.

British curiosity

• Fiona Pascall. 1st Mozart 100km2023 1st Julian alps 170km 2023. 18th World Lengthy path Innsbruck 2023. Lake District 24-hour report in 2022.
• Emma Stewart is from Eire however lives within the Lakes, is a earlier winner of Lakeland 100, Extremely Path Snowdonia 100 and Arc of Attrition 100.

Pascall has additionally been benefiting from a shorter spell within the Alps. “The street has been rocky since Mozart in early June,” she says. “I picked up an Achilles damage two weeks after the race and needed to take 4 weeks off fully, even biking.

“I very practically didn’t come out to France however determined to go for it and have had a couple of weeks of strong coaching out right here. I’m hoping the enforced time without work has left me well-rested quite than undertrained, however that is still to be seen! It has helped my angle. I used to be placing quite a lot of stress on myself to carry out this yr, however now, whereas nonetheless eager to do my finest, I’m simply grateful to be right here.”

CCC – Friday August 30, 09:00 (101km, 6050m)

World males’s contenders

• Peter Engdahl. SWE  Winner CCC in 2022.
• Adam Peterman. USA 2022 Western States champion and World Lengthy Path champion in Thailand 2022.
• Andreas Reiterer. ITA. 1st Eiger Path 2024.

British curiosity

• Harry Jones. 1st X-terra 60km Snowdonia July 2024. GB path workforce member.
• Luke Grenfall-Shaw. 1st on the latest Val D’Arran 100km. GB workforce member European Off-Street Champs June 2024.
• Ronnie Sparke has a string of podium locations in Australia, together with 1st within the Tarawera 53km race 2023. He was twenty first within the 2023 CCC.
• Hugh Chatfield. 4th in each Extremely Tour Snowdonia and Transgrancanaria in 2024.

World ladies’s contenders 

• Jazmine Lowther CAN. 4th at CCC in 2022.
• Emkay Sullivan USA. 2nd at April’s 100km Canyons extremely within the US.
• Hau Ha Thi VNM. 4th at CCC in 2023 and quite a few wins in Asia over completely different distances.

British curiosity

• Holly Web page. Affected by damage for 2 to a few years however discovering some good kind in 2024 once more with victories within the Kaieserkrone sky race and the 55km Eiger Extremely Path.
• Julia Davis. GB Path and 100km Worldwide.
• Eve Moore.

Web page is trying ahead to the race, saying: “I had a horrible expertise with a abdomen virus once I did it final time (2019), so hopefully it might’t be any worse than that. I’ve no outcome-based objectives as a result of I can’t management what anybody else does, however I’m feeling sturdy and though it’s been fairly a very long time since I ran this distance, I’m assured that the various years of mountain expertise in my physique will repay. There’s no motive why I shouldn’t be on the aggressive finish of the race.

“It’s not a course which significantly fits my greatest strengths (I would really like some extra steep technical sections), however I’ve had an unbelievable variety of setbacks in the previous few years, with many intervals once I puzzled if I’d ever run once more, I’m simply delighted to be on the beginning line feeling wholesome, able to see what I can do with what I’ve. The course is gorgeous, I do know there can be pleasant faces cheering alongside, and I can’t wait to get began!”

Davis has been mixing trails with roads this yr and says: “I had a strong few weeks in Chamonix and I’m feeling good and excited to run! I’ve by no means accomplished at a UTMB last but so am excited to be taught quite a bit and have a good time on these trails. I’m hoping to begin good and straightforward and see the place I can decide up.”

OCC – Thursday August 29, 8.15am (57km, 3500m)

World males’s contenders

• Francesco Puppi, ITA 2nd at OCC in 2023, 2nd Templier 80km 20238th 2024 Marathon Mont Blanc.
• Remi Bonnet. SUI Former  Golden path collection champion, 1st Marathon de Mont Blanc 2023 and 2nd in 2024.

British curiosity

• Jon Albon. The favored GB worldwide and former World path champion was 1st at CCC 2023, 2nd CCC in 2022 and winner of OCC in 2021 forward of Simpson. Additionally sixth at Western States in June in his first 100 mile race. Ought to be difficult the rostrum once more.
• Robbie Simpson. The previous Commonwealth Video games marathon bronze medallist has victories at this yr’s 50km Eiger path and the 50km Ciannti path.
• Kris Jones. GB worldwide is flexible on all surfaces. 1st on the latest Copper path in Snowdonia and prime 10 finishes within the World Quick Path in 2022 and 2023.
• Brennan Townsend
• James Tilley

Albon has confirmed means through the years as an final competitor and if recovered from Western States ought to be difficult the rostrum.

Simpson, who like Albon (and Evans), are full-time athletes, must also be up with the leaders.

Jones, who holds down a full time job, has not had the chance to spend time within the Alps however says: “Preparation has gone nicely. I’m match, wholesome and excited to race in a top-class area. It’s a tricky course and I’m trying ahead to testing myself.”

World ladies’s contenders

• Clementine Geoffray FRA. Winner European Off Street Championship 50km June 2024 and the World Quick Path Championship Innsbruck 2023.
• Judith Wyder SUI. 2nd World Quick Path Championship Innsbruck 2023 1st 2024 Marathon de Mont Blanc 42km.
• Dani Moreno USA. third 2022 OCC, DNF at OCC 2023, 1st Canyons 50km in April 2024.

British curiosity 

• Kate Avery, former GB observe worldwide, at present primarily based in Australia. Now having fun with the paths and hoping to enhance on twenty third place from final yr. Extra about Avery right here.
• Holly Wootton, Winner of the latest Helvellyn Sky Extremely.

Different occasions 

TDS – Monday August 26 (145km/90 miles, 9100m)

British curiosity

• Mark Darbyshire. Arguably GB’s most constant 100-mile runner proper now with quite a few victories, together with Lakeland 100 and Arc of Attrition 100. Lakeland 50 winner in July.
• Saki Nakamura, Glasgow-based Japanese runner with a 2nd place at Scotland’s 95-mile West Highland Manner in 2022 and 4th in 2023.

ETC – Tuesday August 27, 14:00 (20km, 1200m)

British and Irish curiosity

• Alice Goodall, European U23 observe 10,000m champion in 2023 and a prime 10 finisher on the up and down race on the World Mountain and Path Championship in Innsbruck, 2023.
• Zak Hanna, Eire’s main mountain runner.

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