Catch Courtney Dauwalter and Other Ultra Stars at the Largest Trail Running Event in the World
The biggest trail running race on Earth is about to begin in Chamonix, France — and you can watch all the live action from the French Alps right on your phone or computer.
The Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) has long been considered the most prestigious and competitive ultra-distance trail race globally. Starting in Chamonix, runners make a 108-mile (172K) counterclockwise loop around the Mont Blanc Massif, crossing into Italy and Switzerland before returning. Along the way, they’ll conquer 10 mountain passes and about 33,000 feet of climbing and descending.
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Since its debut in 2003 as a single race, UTMB has evolved into a massive festival of races and events drawing over 12,000 runners and thousands more spectators. (Roughly 550 Americans are competing this year, including a record 191 in the main UTMB race, 140 in the CCC 100K, and 121 in the OCC 50K.) Outside of the races, the week includes fun runs, shoe demos, speaker panels, film screenings, vertical climbs, and industry meetups, making it the busiest week in Chamonix.
The main UTMB race kicks off Friday (11:45 a.m. ET) and remains the top draw. It’s one of three championship races in the 60-race UTMB World Series, joined by the OCC 50K (2:15 a.m. ET) and CCC 100K (3 a.m. ET). Other races include Monday’s MCC 40K, the TDS 148K, PTL 300K, Tuesday’s ETC 15K, and the YCC youth races. Each event has its own terrain, elevation profile, and level of difficulty.
“Chamonix is a unique experience,” said Jason Schlarb, 47, from Durango, Colorado, who won the 2016 Hardrock 100 and has finished UTMB four times, placing fourth in 2014. “I’ve had ups and downs here, but I keep coming back because UTMB is the big stage, where the fiercest competition is. It’s the one everyone watches.”
How to Stream UTMB
You can follow each race via live tracking, but the championship events (OCC, CCC, UTMB) are also livestreamed on the UTMB website and YouTube. The coverage is 24/7, featuring multilingual commentary and live footage from drones, e-bikes, and cameras running with the athletes.
Storylines to Watch at UTMB
Women
Courtney Dauwalter returns as the headline act in the UTMB women’s field. The 40
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