The 10th event, all the records have been beaten!
The 4 events are more than fully subscribed, with 5100 requests for the UTMB®, 3600 for the CCC®, 1100 for the TDS and the PTL is almost fully subscribed. The participation is increasingly international with 75 countries represented and 44% of the requests for places coming from « non-French » runners (40% in 2011, 38% in 2010).
With the craze on the increase each year for each of the 4 events, the organisation has been obliged, since 2009, to organise a pre-registration period followed by a ballot to stay within the limit of available places for each race. In effect the limited number of runners on the start line is essential for several reasons: to assure safety, to adapt to the environment, the size of the structures and villages along the route, the guarantee of authorisation from the local authorities and with respect to the runners by avoiding queues on the sometimes narrow paths....
This has become a globally mythical event, and the draw for this, the 10th event, will be particularly severe. However, the organisation sees no glory in having to have to refuse so many runners. So, as not to become totally blocked, the 2013 registration criteria will be adapted accordingly.
10 years : a continuous international craze and an exceptional evolution
From its first race in 2003, the UTMB ® has been amazingly successful with 700 runners registered, then 1600 in 2004. The exponential growth curve for the event has bewildered everybody.
From 2005, participation in the UTMB ® has been limited to 2000 runners.
In 2006 the registrations were complete in the 3 weeks.
A system of qualifying races was established in 2007, to limit the number of runners, without resorting to a monetary or sporting-level selection, which would have been against the ethics. Nevertheless, the registrations were complete within less than 10 hours! The paroxysm was reached in 2008, with registration completed within 8 minutes, and approximately 7000 requests for the UTMB ® and the CCC ®.
In 2009, to face this tidal wave and to find acceptable solutions for the runners, the organisers proposed:
- The creation of a new race, the TDS ®, offering the possibility of participation in The North Face ® Ultra Trail of the Mont Blanc ® to 1200 runners
- The tightening of the system of qualifying races.
- A principle of pre-registration followed by a possible ballot in the case of exceeding the limited number of places.
From 2010, the number of requests went up again (7 000) for all the 4 races, it was necessary for the first year to resort to a ballot! In spite of the increase of the requirements in terms of qualifying races (5 points instead of 4 for the UTMB ®), there was still an increase in 2011with 7200 requests...
2012: A severe draw!
Taking into consideration the limited number of participants for each event, those runners with priority (unlucky in the 2011 draw), and the necessary "overbooking" to accommodate those who drop out between now and August, the organisation is preparing to refuse 2500 runners for the UTMB ®, and 1500 for the CCC ®. The TDS, even though it has no draw, will not have the capacity to accept every "disappointed candidate for from one of the previous draws" who would like to be transferred. The PTL is practically complete with 67 pre-registered teams.
The results of the draw will be published on January 20th, at 10:00 (Paris time).
For those lucky enough to be drawn, the pre-registrations must be confirmed between January 21st and 31st after which time they become null and void.
As for the others, there will be 3 possibilities :
- To transfer their registration to the TDS, if they have the qualification criteria and if there is still available space.
- To choose to run with a solidarity race-bib: Actually, for the 2nd year, the organisation guarantees a place (limited to 50) to each runner who, directly or through an intermediary of one or several donors of their choice, makes a donation of €2000 to one of the associations supported by the organisation. Rendez-vous on the UTMB web-site for more information.
- To be reimbursed the €50 deposit and be able to register for 2013 without being entered in to the draw.
Registration conditions altered for 2013
The rise in the number of candidates for one of the The North Face® Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc® races obliges the organisation to alter the registration conditions.
- So for 2013, the number of points necessary is as follows:
2013 UTMB® : 7 points acquired in 2011 or 2012 in a maximum of 3 races
2013 CCC® : 2 points in 2011 or 2012
We would like to remind you that this system was not established to create a selection of the elite runners, because the acquisition of points is not gained through classification, but by simply having completed one of the 500 world-wide qualifying races listed by the organisation...
- The number of places for the TDS is changed to1500.
Some exceptional figures obtained during the pre-registration for the 10th event
75 nationalities
44% of the requests were from "non-French" (40% in 2011, 38% in 2010)
9% Spanish, 8% Italians, 5% English and, almost equally: Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and Japan with 3%.
We have noted a rise in the presence of Americans with 146 and a spectacular rise of requests from Poland (115) Portugal (68) and Argentina (50).
Level of women's participation is consistant:
8% for the UTMB®
13% for the CCC®
The average age of participants for the distance:
40,7 yrs for the CCC®
42,8 yrs for the TDS
43,2 yrs for the UTMB®
45,5 yrs for the PTL
54% the participants will be participating in one of the The North Face® Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc® events for the first time:
UTMB® : 43% - CCC® : 76% - TDS : 36% - PTL : 24%
For further information
Web : www.ultratrailmb.com
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/UltraTrailMontBlanc
Twitter : http://twitter.com/TNFUTMB
The 2012 The North Face® Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc® - or how to live a wonderful adventure through 4 events!
August 27 - September 2, 2012
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UTMB® [Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc®]
3 countries - 166 km and 9,500m of positive height gain in semi-autonomy
46:00 maximum - 2,300 runners at the start .
CCC® [Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix]
3 countries - 98km and 5,600m of positive height gain in semi-autonomy
25:00 max- 1,800 runners at the start
TDS® [sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie]
110km and 7,100m positive height gain in semi-autonomy
32:00 max - 1,200 runners at the start
PTL® [la Petite Trotte à Léon]
3 countries 290km and 22,000m positive height gain in total autonomy.
A non-stop event without final positions open to 80 teams
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