UTMB World Series

Global ultramarathon trail running race series From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The UTMB World Series is a global circuit of trail running and ultramarathon events organized by UTMB Group in partnership with The IRONMAN Group.[1]

SportTrail running / Ultramarathon
Founded2021
First season2022
Organizing bodyUTMB Group
Quick facts Sport, Founded ...
UTMB World Series
SportTrail running / Ultramarathon
Founded2021
First season2022
Organizing bodyUTMB Group
RegionWorldwide
QualificationUTMB Index and Running Stones
Level on pyramidFinals, Majors, Events, Index races
Official websiteutmb.world
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It began in 2022 and uses the name of the original Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc race as the umbrella brand for a worldwide race system.[2]

The World Series is distinct from the annual UTMB World Series Finals race week in Chamonix.

Overview

The UTMB World Series is organized around a global calendar of trail-running events that lead toward the annual UTMB World Series Finals at UTMB Mont-Blanc in Chamonix, France.

The series uses two main systems: the UTMB Index, which measures a runner's performance level, and Running Stones, which give runners entries in the lottery for the Chamonix Finals.[2][3]

The UTMB Index is a performance-rating system for trail runners. It gives runners scores in the 20K, 50K, 100K and 100M categories and can be used for ranking, comparison and entry eligibility across races of different distances, terrain profiles and competitive fields.[2][4]

Running Stones are separate from the UTMB Index. They are lottery entries for the UTMB World Series Finals. A runner generally needs both a valid UTMB Index in the relevant category and at least one Running Stone to enter the lottery for OCC, CCC or UTMB at UTMB Mont-Blanc.[2][3]

The series has four levels: Finals, Majors, Events and Index races. Finals are held at UTMB Mont-Blanc. Majors are regional championship-level races. Events are UTMB-branded races held across several continents. Index races allow runners to obtain or update a UTMB Index, while Running Stones are awarded through World Series Events and Majors.[2][5]

UTMB Index

Main article: UTMB Index

The UTMB Index is the performance-rating system used in the UTMB World Series. It gives trail runners a score in the 20K, 50K, 100K and 100M categories, as well as a general index based on results across categories.[2] The Index is used to compare performances across races with different distances, elevation profiles, terrain and competitive fields.

A valid UTMB Index is required to enter the lottery for the UTMB World Series Finals.[2] It can also be used as an eligibility requirement for some longer races in the circuit. For example, UTMB states that a runner entering a 100K race may need a valid Index in the 50K, 100K or 100M category, while a runner entering a 100M race may need an Index in the 100K or 100M category.[2]

A runner can obtain or update a valid UTMB Index by finishing a UTMB World Series race or a UTMB Index race in the relevant category. UTMB states that the Index calculation uses results from the previous 36 months once a runner has at least one valid result in a category.[2]

In 2026, UTMB announced changes to the Index methodology, describing the Index as a tool used since 2010 to evaluate trail-running performances across millions of recorded results.[6] UTMB said the updated calculation used a weighted average of a runner's best scores over the previous three years, with stronger and recent scores carrying greater influence.[6] The change was also discussed on a 2026 episode of Singletrack, which described the Index as increasingly significant for race entry, sponsorship, media coverage and comparisons between athletes.[7]

Running Stones

Running Stones are lottery entries for the UTMB World Series Finals at UTMB Mont-Blanc. They are separate from the UTMB Index: the Index establishes eligibility, while Running Stones determine how many chances a runner has in the lottery.[2][3]

A runner can earn Running Stones by finishing a race at a UTMB World Series Event or UTMB World Series Major. UTMB Index races can generate or update a runner's UTMB Index, while World Series Events and Majors award Running Stones.[3] UTMB states that World Series Events award one Running Stone for 20K races, two for 50K races, three for 100K races and four for 100M races; World Series Majors award double those amounts.[2]

To enter the lottery for the Finals in Chamonix, a runner generally needs both a valid UTMB Index in the relevant category and at least one Running Stone acquired during the relevant qualification period.[2][3] Each Running Stone gives the runner one chance in the lottery, so additional Running Stones increase the probability of selection.[3]

Structure

The UTMB World Series uses a four-tier structure: Finals, Majors, Events and Index races.[2][3]

Finals

Main article: UTMB World Series Finals

The UTMB World Series Finals are held each year during UTMB Mont-Blanc week in Chamonix, France. The Finals are organized by race category: OCC is the 50K Final, CCC is the 100K Final and UTMB is the 100M Final. Men's and women's UTMB World Series titles are awarded in each category.[2]

The Finals are the highest level of the circuit and are connected to the original Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc event around Mont Blanc. Entry for most runners is based on a valid UTMB Index in the relevant category and Running Stones used in the lottery for the Chamonix races.[2][3]

Majors

UTMB World Series Majors are regional championship-level races within the circuit. They serve as focal events for major trail-running regions and give runners increased access to the Finals. Finishers at Majors receive double the number of Running Stones awarded at standard UTMB World Series Events.[2]

Majors also provide qualification pathways for elite runners. Leading athletes at Majors can qualify directly for the Finals through their performances, while recreational runners use them primarily to collect Running Stones and maintain or improve their UTMB Index.[2]

Events

UTMB World Series Events form the main body of the circuit. They are branded races held across several continents and usually include races in the 20K, 50K, 100K and 100M categories.[3] Finishers receive Running Stones according to the distance category of the race, and those stones can be used as lottery entries for UTMB Mont-Blanc.[2][3]

Index races

UTMB Index races sit outside the branded World Series Event structure but remain part of the wider UTMB qualification system. They allow runners to obtain or update a UTMB Index in the 20K, 50K, 100K or 100M category.[5] Index races count toward a runner's performance rating and can establish eligibility for longer-distance races or for the Finals lottery, while Running Stones are awarded through World Series Events and Majors.[2]

History

Origins in UTMB Mont-Blanc

The original UTMB race follows the route of the Tour du Mont Blanc, crossing France, Italy and Switzerland, and became one of the central events in international trail ultrarunning. As participation in trail running expanded during the 2000s and 2010s, UTMB Group developed additional races, rankings and entry systems around the Chamonix event, including OCC, CCC and TDS alongside the flagship UTMB race.

The UTMB World Series grew out of the international prominence of Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, first held in 2003 in Chamonix.[1]

Before the creation of the UTMB World Series, international trail races were partly organized through the Ultra-Trail World Tour, a circuit founded in 2013 that linked major long-distance trail races across several continents. The UTWT included races such as UTMB, Western States Endurance Run, Transgrancanaria, Marathon des Sables and Tarawera Ultramarathon. The later UTMB World Series created a tighter branded structure around UTMB Mont-Blanc.

Launch and expansion

On 6 May 2021, UTMB Group and The IRONMAN Group announced the creation of the UTMB World Series, planned to begin in 2022. The new circuit replaced the Ultra-Trail World Tour and established the Chamonix races at UTMB Mont-Blanc as the annual UTMB World Series Finals.[8][9]

The first UTMB World Series season in 2022 included races in Europe, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. The calendar expanded during the following years through the acquisition, partnership or rebranding of existing trail races, as well as the creation of new events. Races such as Ultra-Trail Australia, Tarawera Ultramarathon, Istria 100, Val d'Aran, Lavaredo Ultra Trail, Transvulcania, Doi Inthanon Thailand and Canyons Endurance Runs became part of the circuit.

By the mid-2020s, the UTMB World Series had become the largest branded circuit in trail ultrarunning. UTMB's official website described the circuit as including over sixty events across Asia, Oceania, Europe, Africa and the Americas.[3] In 2024, Le Monde reported that the group had announced 51 World Series events in 28 countries for 2025 and had attracted criticism from some independent race organizers over its acquisition and franchising strategy.[10]

Major events

The UTMB World Series calendar changes from year to year. For 2026, UTMB announced a calendar of 64 events across five continents.[11] The announced 2026 events include:

More information Event, Location ...
Event Location Country or territory Region Notes Ref.
Mountain Ultra-Trail by UTMB George, South Africa South Africa Africa Mountain event in the Outeniqua Mountains region [12]
Oh Meu Deus by UTMB Serra da Estrela Portugal Europe New 2026 World Series event [13]
Arc of Attrition by UTMB Cornwall United Kingdom Europe Coastal ultramarathon [14]
Chianti Ultra Trail by UTMB Chianti Italy Europe Tuscan trail-running event [15]
Istria 100 by UTMB Istria Croatia Europe European spring ultramarathon [16]
Tenerife Bluetrail by UTMB Tenerife Spain Europe Mountain race associated with Teide National Park [17]
Trail Alsace Grand Est by UTMB Alsace France Europe Race in the Grand Est region [18]
Ultra-Trail Snowdonia by UTMB Llanberis United Kingdom Europe Mountain race in Eryri / Snowdonia [19]
mozart 100 by UTMB Salzburg Austria Europe Race around Salzburg and nearby lakes [20]
Grand Raid Ventoux by UTMB Mont Ventoux France Europe Race around Mont Ventoux [21]
Trail 100 Andorra by UTMB Ordino Andorra Europe Pyrenean mountain event [22]
Trail du Saint-Jacques by UTMB Haute-Loire France Europe Race linked to the Way of St. James [23]
Zugspitz Ultra Trail by UTMB Zugspitze region Germany Europe New 2026 World Series event [24]
Lavaredo Ultra Trail by UTMB Cortina d'Ampezzo Italy Europe Race in the Dolomites [25]
Val d'Aran by UTMB Val d'Aran Spain Europe 2026 Europe Major [26]
Restonica Trail by UTMB Corte, Haute-Corse France Europe Mountain race in Corsica [27]
Trail Verbier St-Bernard by UTMB Verbier  Switzerland Europe Alpine mountain event [28]
Eiger Ultra-Trail by UTMB Grindelwald  Switzerland Europe Race near the Eiger [29]
Monte Rosa Walser Waeg by UTMB Aosta Valley Italy Europe Alpine race near Monte Rosa [30]
Bucovina Ultra Rocks by UTMB Bucovina Romania Europe New 2026 World Series event [31]
Gauja Trail by UTMB Gauja National Park Latvia Europe New 2026 World Series event [32]
KAT100 by UTMB Fieberbrunn Austria Europe Mountain race in the Kitzbühel Alps [33]
UTMB Mont-Blanc Chamonix France Europe Annual World Series Finals; includes OCC, CCC and UTMB [34]
Wildstrubel by UTMB Crans-Montana, Kandersteg and Adelboden  Switzerland Europe Alpine race around the Wildstrubel region [35]
Kaçkar by UTMB Kaçkar Mountains Turkey Europe / Asia Mountain race in northeastern Turkey [36]
Julian Alps Trail Run by UTMB Kranjska Gora Slovenia Europe Race in the Julian Alps [37]
Nice Côte d'Azur by UTMB Nice and the French Riviera France Europe Race linking the Mercantour mountains and the Mediterranean coast [38]
Puglia by UTMB Puglia Italy Europe Race in southern Italy [39]
Kullamannen by UTMB Mölle Sweden Europe Coastal and forest trail event [40]
Mallorca by UTMB Serra de Tramuntana, Mallorca Spain Europe Mediterranean mountain event in a UNESCO World Heritage landscape [41]
Lake Toba by UTMB Lake Toba Indonesia Asia Race around a volcanic lake landscape [42]
Kaga Spa Trail Endurance 100 by UTMB Kaga, Ishikawa Japan Asia Trail race in Japan [43]
Malaysia Ultra-Trail by UTMB Malaysia Malaysia Asia Southeast Asian trail event [44]
Dajingmen by UTMB Zhangjiakou China Asia Race in northern China [45]
TransJeju by UTMB Jeju Island South Korea Asia Island mountain race [46]
Mount Yun by UTMB Shanxi China Asia Chinese mountain trail event [47]
Shu Dao Mountain by UTMB Sichuan China Asia Race in western China [48]
TransLantau by UTMB Lantau Island Hong Kong Asia Hong Kong trail event [49]
Chiang Mai Thailand by UTMB Chiang Mai province Thailand Asia-Pacific 2026 Asia-Pacific Major [50]
Oman by UTMB Oman Oman Asia New 2026 World Series event [51]
Amazean Jungle Thailand by UTMB Betong Thailand Asia Jungle and mountain race in southern Thailand [52]
Ultra Trail Mogan by UTMB Mogan Mountain China Asia New 2026 World Series event [53]
Xiamen by UTMB Xiamen China Asia Chinese coastal trail event [54]
Xtrail Kenting by UTMB Kenting National Park Taiwan Asia New 2026 World Series event [55]
Torrencial Chile by UTMB Valdivian temperate forests Chile South America Trail event in southern Chile [56]
Quito Trail by UTMB Quito Ecuador South America High-altitude Andean event [57]
Paraty Brazil by UTMB Paraty Brazil South America Coastal and rainforest race [58]
Bariloche by UTMB Bariloche Argentina South America Patagonian mountain race [59]
Valhöll Argentina by UTMB Ushuaia Argentina South America Southern Argentina trail event [60]
Western States Endurance Run Olympic Valley to Auburn, California United States North America Historic 100-mile race [61]
Speedgoat by UTMB Snowbird, Utah United States North America Mountain race in the Wasatch Range [62]
Boréalys Mont-Tremblant by UTMB Mont-Tremblant Canada North America New 2026 World Series event [63]
Ultra Trail Whistler by UTMB Whistler, British Columbia Canada North America Mountain event in the Whistler Blackcomb region [64]
Snowbasin by UTMB Snowbasin United States North America Mountain race in Utah [65]
Grindstone Trail Running Festival by UTMB Virginia United States North America Appalachian mountain event [66]
Chihuahua by UTMB Chihuahua Mexico North America Race in northern Mexico [67]
Kodiak Ultra Marathons by UTMB Big Bear Lake, California United States North America 2026 Americas Major [68]
Pacific Trails by UTMB California United States North America Coastal California trail event [69]
Desert Rats Trail Running Festival by UTMB Fruita, Colorado United States North America Desert trail-running festival [70]
Canyons Endurance Runs by UTMB Auburn, California United States North America Race linked to the Western States trail region [71]
Rothrock by UTMB Rothrock State Forest United States North America New 2026 World Series event [72]
Puerto Vallarta México by UTMB Puerto Vallarta Mexico North America Coastal and mountain race in western Mexico [73]
Kosciuszko by UTMB Thredbo, New South Wales Australia Oceania Race in the Snowy Mountains [74]
Tarawera by UTMB Rotorua New Zealand Oceania Major New Zealand trail ultramarathon [75]
Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB Katoomba, New South Wales Australia Oceania 2026 Oceania Major [76]
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Media coverage

UTMB Mont-Blanc and UTMB World Series events have been covered by international newspapers, broadcasters, sports magazines and specialist endurance-running publications. Coverage has focused on the original UTMB race in Chamonix, the expansion of the World Series, major race results, elite athletes, safety issues, environmental impact and commercial growth.

In the United Kingdom, The Guardian has covered UTMB Mont-Blanc since at least 2009, describing the race as an extreme mountain-running challenge around Mont Blanc.[77] BBC Sport has covered UTMB Mont-Blanc as a major international ultrarunning event, including race starts, event features and British performances.[78][79]

French coverage has treated UTMB as both a major sporting event and a growing international endurance business. Le Monde reported on the expansion of UTMB into an international group and examined criticism of its acquisition and franchising strategy.[10] L'Équipe has maintained regular coverage of UTMB Mont-Blanc, including race previews, route changes, broadcasts, environmental measures and elite athletes.[80][81]

In the United States, Runner's World has covered UTMB Mont-Blanc through race previews, athlete features, viewing guides and results reports.[82][83] Specialist publications such as iRunFar and Outside have produced race previews, results reports, course analysis and commentary on professional trail running.[84][85]

Whistler dispute

In October 2023, UTMB and Vail Resorts announced Ultra Trail Whistler by UTMB in Whistler, British Columbia. The announcement drew criticism because it followed the departure of the locally organized Whistler Alpine Meadows races from the Whistler Blackcomb area.[86] Canadian Running Magazine, iRunFar and local British Columbia media reported criticism from runners and organizers who viewed the new event as an example of UTMB's expansion into spaces previously occupied by independent local races.[87][88][89] UTMB later published an open letter stating that the organizers of the previous local race had already indicated that they would leave Whistler before the UTMB event was created.[90]

Athlete governance discussion

In January 2024, a private email associated with elite runners Kílian Jornet and Zach Miller was leaked publicly. The email raised concerns about UTMB's expansion, the role of The IRONMAN Group, athlete representation and communication with elite runners.[91] Jornet and Miller later met with UTMB representatives. Trail Runner reported that the meeting addressed rapid expansion, sporting rules and communication with elite athletes.[92]

See also

References

External links

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