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The Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc and top trail runners discuss how to balance the sport’s development ‘with its values at the centre’.
Hong Kong 100 directors create World Major Trails series with races in Asia, Africa, Europe and America, to put ‘original spirit of trail and ultra running’ back at the centre of the sport.
The Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc is the most famous and high-profile ultra-running event in the world.
‘I will be capable someday of taking care of my family much better than a boy,’ says Hong Kong-based runner Sunmaya Budha, who finished second in prestigious trail race at UTMB.
Eszter Csillag climbed from 17th to fifth with a conservative well-planned pace at the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc.
Readers discuss how pandemic restrictions are affecting the organisation of an international race in November and how the city’s ongoing crisis of confidence weighs on the minds of arrivals.
Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc chief praises recent ‘outstanding performances’ of Chinese runners at top European races as they look to make another splash at Chamonix in August.
Emily Woodland has battled colon cancer for the last year, and is now determined to finish the 100km TransLantau by UTMB this November.
Mira Rai emerged as a trail running prodigy in 2014 and has won races around the world. Now the former child soldier wants to help other women like her, and the Hong Kong chapter of Asia Trail Girls is supporting her initiative.
With a lack of races at home and in the region, Zhao Jiajiu and Xiang Fuzhao took full advantage to win the men’s and women’s races respectively.
‘We hope we can show Hong Kong is not just shopping malls and a big city,’ says Lantau race co-director Sabrina De Nadai of ‘amazing trails’.
Janet Ng says she wants to see an increase in participation of women in trail running.
The opening of the trail-running festival was marred by the first death of a competitor at the event, before Courtney Dauwalter and Francois D’Haene scored incredible wins in main event.
Top trail runner from Hong Kong, Wong Ho-chung, finishes 11th at UTMB and talks about losing part of his sight during the race in the French Alps.
D’Haene wins another UTMB just weeks after winning the Hardrock 100 mile in the USA, but Dauwalter finishes seventh overall as she destroys women’s field.
Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc’s 101km Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix men’s race features three-way battle after blistering start.
L’Hirondel smashes women’s record on her way to 20th place as Albon emerges victorious in ‘Battle of the Britons’.
Helicopter rescue unsuccessful following fall on steep descent from Passeur de Pralognan in France, as Chinese trail running community share condolences after Gansu deaths.
Team director Ryan Blair hits out as Nicole Kidman is given ‘a free pass’ while Wong Ho-chung scrambles ahead of UTMB to rebook flights, hotels and family arrangements.
‘Beautiful to be able to organise UTMB again,’ says co-founder Michael Poletti after event was cancelled last year.
The Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc Group adds Tarawera in New Zealand and Ultra-Trail Australia to its list and are looking for races in North America.
The famous French brand hosts a race in China’s Sichuan province, with conditions better suited to digging than running. Athletes are required to provide a negative Covid-19 test within a week of the race.
The 2019 Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc champion attempts to break the 171km (106-mile) route record despite fact that the race was cancelled due to coronavirus
Bob Crowley, head of ITRA, warns that social distancing rules will be in trail running deep into 2021, but he hopes the community aspect will not suffer.
At 1.83m and 82kg, Dmitry Mityaev is not your typical ultra runner, but it does not stop him crushing the 140km Elbrus record.
Rob Naylor bucks online nomination trend by setting himself 100km challenge round and round the same flat road, having never done ‘anything so boring’.
The Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc has cancelled the 2020 running festival, due to take place at the end of August, because of the pandemic
Bob Crowley replaces Michel Poletti, sparking the second chapter of the International Trail Running Association based on technology and independence.