With the 2024 UTMB Mont Blanc pageant going down this week in Chamonix, France, we needed to check out how the numbers in the back of those occasions were trending through the years. As one of the vital focal issues of the worldwide path working international, this week of racing has a gravitational pull that pulls most of the perfect runners.
The UTMB Mont Blanc pageant is the venue of the UTMB Global Sequence Finals, each and every requiring access by way of a lottery machine. To qualify for the lottery, members should have no less than one working stone (received via completing a UTMB Global Sequence match) and a legitimate UTMB Index (completed by means of completing an match of the considered necessary distance or problem). Elite athletes with the {qualifications} are rewarded with direct access.
So, who in reality races on the UTMB Mont Blanc pageant? And the way have members’ geographies modified over the years? Those are the questions we start to reply to on this article. We take a look at how the geography of UTMB finishers has modified over the years, beginning with a continent-level view after which diving into a rustic breakdown to get a glimpse into the moving tides throughout the path working international.
Runners environment off at first of the 2023 UTMB. Picture: iRunFar/Kirsten Kortebein
Dataset
The dataset used on this research pulls finisher information from Global Path Operating Affiliation effects. The information spans from 2009 till 2023 and specializes in finishers from the UTMB (100 miles) and CCC (100 kilometers) occasions. We selected 2009 as a get started date as a result of, whilst the development began in 2003, the group didn’t institute a lottery till 2009. We selected to restrict this research to UTMB and CCC as they’re the most well liked occasions, with a kind of an identical choice of entrants through the years. The use of this dataset, we have been in a position to accomplish a related research of finishers over the years.
The next graph displays the choice of distinct nationalities of finishers recorded at UTMB or CCC through the years.
Nationalities Recorded in UTMB and CCC Finishers
Chart depicting the rise within the choice of distinct nationalities represented at UTMB and CCC from 2009 to 2023.
Continental Breakdown
Beginning with a high-level view, we discover how participation throughout continents differs for this match. Happening in Chamonix, it’s on the heart of the Eu path working scene and thus may also be anticipated to boast a big Eu presence. Through plotting the choice of finishers by means of continent through the years, this used to be certainly obtrusive, with Eu runners nonetheless accounting for just a little greater than 70% of finishers in 2023 — however a development of different continents expanding in illustration may well be noticed.
Observe that UTMB didn’t happen in 2020, and in 2021, world commute used to be restricted because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Breakdown of Finishers by means of Continent
Graph appearing the breakdown of finishers by means of continent from 2009 to 2023. Eu runners nonetheless make up the overwhelming majority, however there are expanding numbers from Asia and North The united states additionally. All pictures iRunFar/Zander Chase until in a different way famous.
Europe
Digging into the Europe information, I plotted the share of finishers coming from each and every Eu nation. France has essentially the most runners, with just about 40% of all Eu finishers in 2023 coming from France. Spain is subsequent, accounting for approximately 16% of Eu finishers in 2023. After leaving France, the 2 different international locations that the race is going via, Italy and Switzerland, also are within the most sensible 5, along side Nice Britain.
Breakdown of Best Eu International locations
Graph appearing the Eu international locations maximum represented amongst CCC and UTMB finishers each and every yr. French runners nonetheless account for almost 40% of the Eu box, however illustration from different Eu international locations is expanding. In this graph, France, Spain, Italy, Nice Britain, and Switzerland are proven.
Whilst Eu presence continues to be maximum distinguished at UTMB, this match is shooting the eye of path runners all over the world. Zooming in at the finishers by means of continent graph to exclude Europe, we will see some attention-grabbing upward tendencies, in particular from Asia and North The united states.
Breakdown of International locations With the exception of Europe
A zoomed-in model of the former graph, appearing the geography by means of continent, this time with Europe excluded. Right here we will extra obviously see an building up in runners from different continents, in particular Asia and North The united states, with a noticeable drop in Asian participation in 2021 because of COVID-19 commute restrictions.
North The united states
North American runners represented 8% of all finishers in 2023. This expansion is led by means of the U.S., whose expansion in illustration has kind of reflected that of the North American overall.
From simply over 1% in 2009, runners from the U.S. now include with regards to 6% of all the box. This expansion in approval for the development used to be highlighted ultimate yr, with American citizens taking most sensible spots at UTMB, in each the lads’s and ladies’s fields.
The 2023 UTMB males’s podium (left-to-right): 2. Zach Miller, 1. Jim Walmsley, and three. Germain Grangier. U.S. males took two of the highest 3 spots, whilst Courtney Dauwalter gained at the ladies’s aspect. Picture: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
Runners From the U.S. as a Proportion of Overall Finishers
Graph appearing the expanding proportion of the sector made up from runners from the U.S. In 2009, runners from the U.S. made up simply over 1% of the sector, a determine which has risen to just about 6% in 2023.
Breaking down the North American expansion by means of nation, we see it’s predominantly pushed by means of the U.S. and Canada, with the U.S. soaring round 70% of the percentage, and Canada inching over 20%. Those percentages have remained slightly constant through the years. The vast majority of the rest is made up of runners from Mexico, who accounted for over 7% of the North American contingent in 2023.
Breakdown of North American International locations
Graph depicting the breakdown of runners from more than a few North American international locations taking part in UTMB and CCC. As of the 2023, the U.S. accounts for 70% of those, with Canada and Mexico in 2nd and 3rd, respectively. This graph depicts the US, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Guatemala.
Asia
Taking a look on the breakdown of Asian finishers through the years, we see a special tale. The proportion of Asian finishers coming from positive international locations has fluctuated considerably over the years. In 2010, the overwhelming majority — greater than 80% — of members from Asian international locations have been from Japan. This proportion has modified over the years, now nearer to 30%, as extra members have entered the working scene from Hong Kong, Thailand, and China.
Breakdown of Asian International locations
Graph appearing the breakdown of Asian international locations represented at UTMB and CCC. It displays extra Asian international locations represented lately, the place up to now nearly all of Asian runners have been from Japan. Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, China, and Korea are proven right here.
Taking a look at a breakdown of the choice of finishers from Japan, we see that the share of total members peaked in 2013, at virtually 6% and, even though relatively decrease lately, has remained kind of constant (save for a drop in 2021, when commute restrictions have been in position because of the COVID-19 pandemic.) In 2023, Jap runners accounted for three.5% of overall finishers.
Participation of Jap Runners
Graph appearing converting participation charges of Jap runners as a proportion of overall members since 2009. In 2023, they made up kind of 3.5% of the full fields.
This displays us that the expansion in Asian participation is because of a moderately vital leap in runners from Hong Kong, Thailand, and China.
This expansion in reputation may also be noticed from nearly no illustration (up till 2016, Thailand had no recorded finishers of UTMB or CCC) to those 3 international locations mixed contributing to kind of 6% of all finishers on the 2023 UTMB.
China’s Fu-Zhao Xiang took 2nd on the 2024 Western States 100. Xiang has additionally raced UTMB 4 earlier instances, and can race in 2024. We wonder whether Xiang’s world racing, amongst different athletes, has helped to propel world participation by means of different Chinese language path runners? Picture: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Participation of Runners From Hong Kong, China, and Thailand
Graph appearing expanding participation charges from runners from Hong Kong, China, and Thailand from 2009 to 2023.
South The united states, Africa, and Oceania
Whilst illustration from South The united states, Africa, and Oceania make up a smaller proportion of overall finishers at UTMB, they’re additionally trending upward as a p.c of the full. South American runners are led by means of Argentina, offering round 40% of the continent’s overall finishers. Brazil is in 2nd, with round 20%, and Peru is in 3rd, expanding to twelve%.
Graph appearing the breakdown of illustration of South American international locations at UTMB and CCC over the years. Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, and Venezuela are proven.
Africa is basically led by means of South Africa, which accounts for round 70% of African finishers. The choice of distinctive African international locations being represented has been expanding yr over yr, with 9 in 2023, in comparison to simplest two in 2013.
Graph appearing the illustration of African international locations — South Africa, Japanese and Southern Africa (ESA), Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria — at UTMB and CCC over the years.
In Oceania, Australia leads New Zealand kind of 80% to twenty%.
Ideas and Research
Taking a look at continent and nation tendencies of finishers at UTMB and CCC is a fascinating strategy to follow shifts within the game over the years. Primarily based in Europe, the UTMB Mont Blanc pageant has established itself as the middle of the Eu path working international, and more and more has attracted runners from around the globe.
North The united states and Asia have noticed the most important will increase over the last decade, led basically by means of wealthier international locations who, at the beginning, have get admission to to UTMB qualifying races of their nation, and, secondly, have the disposable source of revenue important to buy commute to Europe and the race entries, and elevate all of the different prices associated with participation.
There was a notable building up in runners from Thailand, Hong Kong, and China. Those international locations have come to be noticed as path working locations, with distinguished occasions going down there. For instance, Thailand hosted the 2022 Global Mountain and Path Operating Championships.
There also are a number of key figures that experience persisted to reinforce the expansion of the game in Asia. Hong Kong local Janet Ng has been president of the Global Path Operating Affiliation since 2021. Chinese language local Fu-Zhao Xiang lately completed 2nd on the 2024 Western States 100, in addition to fourth on the 2023 UTMB. And runners like China’s Jia-Sheng Shen and Miao Yao have additionally been making a reputation for themselves on the UTMB Global Sequence Finals for years, main the way in which for Chinese language racers throughout Europe.
Most of the international locations with expanding illustration at UTMB even have notable figures who’ve complex the game of their nation. Taking a look only on the alternate in uncooked numbers of finishers since 2009, Spain — the unique house of the GOAT, Kilian Jornet — has noticed the most important building up. And when an ideal megastar such because the American Courtney Dauwalter crosses the tape first, it could possibly encourage a technology.
Any other factor that caught out from this information, is that we have got no longer but noticed the inflow of Kenyan and different East African runners into extremely distances like we’ve noticed briefly distance path working and mountain working. On the 2024 Sierre-Zinal, 5 of the highest 10 males and two of the highest 10 ladies have been from Kenya.
Kenya’s Joyline Chepngeno had a breakout victory within the hypercompetitive 2024 Sierre-Zinal. Picture: Global Mountain Operating Affiliation/Marco Gulberti
Momentum like we see on this information round a game can create a tradition that acts as a flywheel for long term participation. A number of articles were written in regards to the socio-culture elements that result in Jamaicans being such nice sprinters. The tradition constructed up over the years round ultrarunning in a rustic may just result in positive international locations changing into dominant within the game.
We’ve got questions on what the geography of the game will appear to be one day. Can we see a shift into longer distances from Kenyan runners, as path working continues to popularize of their nation and boundaries to access are higher addressed? Will this occur in different international locations that aren’t but represented? And naturally there are the larger looming questions, will the game be capable to take on the socioeconomic boundaries that save you complete world illustration at an match just like the UTMB Mont Blanc pageant?
Because the 2024 UTMB Mont Blanc pageant takes position this week, we will be able to will eagerly apply alongside as runners from all over the world make their approach round Mont Blanc.
Name for Feedback
- What different continent or nation tendencies do you in finding attention-grabbing?
- Indubitably financial elements give a contribution to international locations having excessive illustration at UTMB. What do you suppose are every other elements?
- Who do you suppose will win this yr’s UTMB?