The amounts are still far from those offered in other sports. But it’s a small step further towards the professionalization of elite athletes in the trail running world.
In 2024, the bonuses awarded to the first 10 runners on the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) will more than double compared to the 2023 edition.
€20,000 for the female and male winners of the UTMB
The winner will now each leave with €20,000, instead of €10,000 a year ago. The second and third placed will receive respectively 13,000 and 8,000 € (for 5,000 and 3,000 a year ago).
The prize money, which is lower, has also been revised upwards for the OCC and the CCC, races organized as part of the UTMB week in Chamonix and serving as a framework for the UTMB World Series Final.
The top 5 of each of the Majors of the UTMB World Series, whether in the 50 K, 100 K or 100 Miles formats, will also be rewarded each time with an identical prize money, ranging from €5,000 for the winner at €1000 for fifth place.
Each time, the allocation will be strictly similar for men and women.
“Our ambition, as a major player in trail running, is to contribute positively to the evolution of trail running”, Frédéric Lénart, general director of the UTMB Group, told us this Monday. “Athletes, it is true, often have a professional occupation alongside their sporting activities. But they also invest more and more time in their preparation. Every year a little more. While they most often benefit from the support of brands, we also have a role to play as UTMB Group. We want runners to be able to make a better living from their sport and that is why we have decided to support them more through these prize money.”
An announcement which is obviously received positively by the athletes. “This will encourage current pro athletes to prioritize these races while helping to inspire the next generation of runners to pursue a career in trail running.”for example reacted Jim Walmsley, winner of the 2023 edition of the UTMB.
The schedule of Majors and Finals of the UTMB circuit
- HOKA Val d’Aran by UTMB, UTMB World Series European Major (Spain – July 3-7, 2024)
- HOKA UTMB Mont-Blanc, UTMB World Series Finals (France, Italy, Switzerland, August 26 to September 1, 2024)
- HOKA Chiang Mai Thailand by UTMB, UTMB World Series Asia-Pacific Major (Thailand – December 6-8, 2024)
- HOKA Kodiak Ultra Marathons by UTMB, 2025 UTMB World Series Americas Major.
