Having run a plethora of marathons, the trail running community gets bigger and better
The Ultra-Trail World Tour begins in 2014. The announcement was made in Chamonix, France, on the sidelines of The North Face Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc earlier this year.
The Ultra-Trail World Tour will propose an international competitive circuit, in partnership with the International Trail Running Association (ITRA).
The series of long-distance trail races will employ a points-based ranking system similar to that used cycling, tennis and skiing to crown annual male and female champions, and is open to all. Each race on the circuit will be 100 kilometers or longer, and will be worth a certain number of points based on category and race designation. Every finisher will be awarded points at the completion of a race, and world rankings will be updated after each race.
Objective:
- Provide opportunity to anyone interested in taking part, throughout the year, in the most beautiful long-distance trail races of the world (at least 100k in length).
- Let everyone take part in popular events which top runners are associated with.
- Allow the top trail runners to meet regularly and compete with each other in an annual circuit.
- Carry trail running’s values by providing the opportunity to everyone to improve themselves through traveling, discovering new cultures, and sharing ideas with other athletes from all around the world.
- Use the experience, history and traditions of each events, to offer to the athletes a renewed vision of their sport and new experiences.
- Associate races suitable for every athlete, in spectacular and diversified environments and with various difficulties and technical elements.
2014, a promising yearFor its very first year, the Ultra-Trail® World Tour will be present on all the continents, with a dozen venues spaced out throughout the year.
The following have been confirmed:
January 18th: Vibram Hong Kong 100 (Hong Kong, China)
March 1st: The North Face Transgrancanaria (Spain)
March 15th: Vibram Tarawera 100km Ultramarathon (New Zealand)
April 4th to 14th: Marathon des Sables (Morocco)
April 25th to 26th: Ultra-Trail Mt.Fuji (Japan)
June 27th to 29th: The North Face Lavaredo Ultra Trail (Italy)
June 29th: The Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run (USA)
August 29th: The North Face Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc® (France, Italy, Switzerland)
Read our upcoming exclusive interview with Ultra-Trail World Tour director Jean-Charles Perrin.Place: Chamonix, France
