U T M B...
Four letters that would make many a mortal gulp. One of the world’s most challenging ultra trail races, the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc is one of the highlights on the international racing calendar, and as you might expect the worldwide media is ‘hyped’ for this one…
The White Giant beckons!
The talking will stop, and the racing will start, at 6.30pm (CET) this evening (27 August), as over 2300 runners hit the Alpine trails that surround the massive massif that is Mont Blanc – for 166km of running with an awesome elevation gain of 9400m (30,839 ft) to be taken in.
2008 and 2009 winner Kilian Jornet returns for the hat-trick, and after his 2010 exploits on the ultra trail and mountain running circuit it will take a mighty fine athlete to de-throne the king. As you might expect the field is absolutely loaded with (mainly European) mountain running talent, and Jornet can expect some tough opposition form the likes of current world trail champ Thomas Lorblanchet.
Jornet at UTMB 2009
In the women’s race Brit Lizzie Hawker goes, and although 2009 winner Krissey Moehl sits this one out Hawker will face stiff competition from Tracey Garneau.
The net is littered with previews, some of the best are on Trail Running Soul, which also has some cool interviews, where Kilian states that he will be carrying sandwiches! Keep in touch with the race via the UTMB site and live updates from the Salomon Running Facebook page.
Pre-race Team Salomon conference, with Kilain on the mic
