17 Aug 2022
Tags: France, #france, Trail, Running, Trailrunning
The world-renowned race will take place in Chamonix from 22-28 August, with Savoie Mont Blanc partnering with UTMB (The Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc) for the first time. With 10,000 runners from 104 nationalities coming together to compete, the partnership is a perfect opportunity to globally showcase this wonderful region.
Representing the United Kingdom is bronze medallist in the 2018 trail championships, Tom Evans. The 30-year-old from London is one of 813 British runners of the 10,000 participants, and also one of UTMB's top 5 favourites to win. Jonathan Albon, the 10-time obstacle course World champion, 2019 trail world champion and winner of the 2021 OCC (UTMB Mont-Blanc), will also compete. Albon is one of the CCCs top 5 favourites.
Beth Pascal – one of the most exciting ultra-runners of the moment – will be one to watch closely at the UTMB. In 2020, Beth set a new female record of 14 hours 34 minutes at Bob Graham Round in Lake District, UK - only 1 hour 42 minutes behind Kilian Jornet's record on the same course. Beth is one of the UTMB's top 5 favourites.
The British have never seen so many athletes at the UTMB, ranking as third most represented nation this year.
As one of the most coveted events on the World's trail running scene, the UTMB attracts over 100,000 spectators who come to watch the 10,000 runners participate in one of the 7 races over the week. For the first time, Agency Savoie Mont Blanc and the UMTB have partnered, sharing the same two goals of promoting both trail-running and the spectacular mountains of the region in which the race will take place.
Says Michaël Ruysschaert, Agency Savoie Mont Blanc's managing director: ''By investing widely in the outdoor disciplines, which are an integral part of the identity of the region, Agency Savoie Mont Blanc intends to develop a strategy whereby we partner with future outdoor events in the region. The partnership with the UTMB is an obvious one for us, as it aligns naturally with our values of environmental responsibility of the area.''
In France alone, trail running has more than 900,000 followers and experts predict the annual growth of the sector to reach between 5-10%. With 140 annual trail running events registered in Savoie Mont Blanc, most of them take place during the spring and autumn seasons which boost visitor numbers during the shoulder season. Trail running events in Savoie Mont Blanc are often extended as holidays, which of course positively impacts the local economy and greatly benefits the region. A by-product of the UTMB itself has been 13 million euros, which have gone back into the 18 local municipalities.
This year, from Monday 22 to Friday 26 August, experts from the Savoie Mont Blanc region will be on hand to facilitate the participants. The team are eager to showcase the region – regarded as the mecca for trail running – and the impressive 8,000 marked routes for the participants to discover.
ENDS
Note to editors:
Agency Savoie Mont Blanc is the Tourist Board for the Savoie and Haute-Savoie departments. Savoie Mont Blanc covers two thirds of the French Alps and offers a wide range of outdoor activities, pretty towns, as well as rich local gastronomy. The area is easily accessible from the UK by car, plane, but also by train.
For more information, please contact Céline Guillermin from L'Agence Savoie Mont Blanc, or Rhonda Carrier or Lucy Bairstow at AVIAREPS UK:
