2014 UTMB: one start after the other, but no two races are alike!

TDS, OCC, CCC UTMB… although they started one after the other, each race has its own distinct personality. This very Friday, August 29, 2014, Courmayeur sounded the starting gun of the CCC, while in Chamonix racers were busy preparing for the UTMB to start later in the evening. A quick summary and photos of the different UTMB races.

OCC [Orsières-Champex-Chamonix]: the latest addition to the UTMB family

This new race crosses through 2 countries, covering 53 km and 3300 m of vertical gain. 1200 runners lined up at the starting line for this first edition. On Thursday, August 28, 2014, Nicolas Martin cruised to first place in 05:07:45, with an average speed of 10.21 km/hr. For the women, Italian Sonia Glarey ran the fastest time, finishing in 06:37:40.

CCC® [Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix]: a partly cloudy start with a few rays of sunshine

Everyone calls this the UTMB's kid sister, but that does not make the race any less demanding. This morning, 1900 runners dashed through the streets of Courmayeur on their way to covering the 101 km and 6100 m vertical gain separating them from Chamonix. The race started in three waves while the Swiss, French, and Italian national anthems played - the three countries the runners cross through. Catherine Poletti gave the last race briefing, providing the most up-to-date weather forecast. The greatest risk for the runners today will likely be the fog.

Lighting strategies at night in the fog
Use two lamps: one headlamp and one close to the ground. This method significantly reduces any glare and will provide decent visibility.

Photos of the start
The crowd gathers, and the runners focus. One last stolen kiss before the long race unfolds. One last salute… This is also the start for those who came to cheer on a friend or a family member in this adventure called the CCC®. Between excitement and worry, they are also an integral part of the race. The spectators will experience the CCC® in their own way, and it will be just as intense for them as for the runners.
 

CCC® - race leaders at 06:23:26

UTMB® [Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc®]: unstable weather at the start

The impending thunderstorm did not seem to discourage the 2300 runners lined up at the starting line this afternoon. With nerves of steel they walked through the pouring rain down the streets of Chamonix 15 minutes before the start! The race will take 20 hours for the frontrunners and up to 46 hours for those who finish just before the final time barrier. Some will spend two nights running the 168 km around the Mont Blanc range, covering 9600 m of vertical gain.