The UTMB Group today celebrates the end of a memorable UTMB® World Series 2024 season recently concluded with the HOKA Chiang Mai Thailand by UTMB (Asia-Pacific Major).
To mark the occasion, UTMB Group today unveiled an infographic presenting the main trends and figures for the UTMB World Series circuit over the past year. A year marked by the consolidation of the circuit to offer UTMB experiences close to home, and the strengthening of initiatives to make UTMB events more inclusive and open.
UTMB Group thanks all the participants and renews its commitment to offering great sporting and human adventures in 2025.
Driven by the desire to make trail running more accessible and inclusive, the UTMB World Series continues to develop in regions where trail running communities are expanding.
The infographic unveiled by UTMB Group highlights that in 2024 the UTMB World Series circuit offered 43 sporting events (including 218 races across 20K, 50K, 100K, and 100M race categories), in 25 countries across 5 continents.
With 7 new events added to the calendar, the organisation brought the UTMB experience to more passionate runners worldwide close to home.
A total of 134,393 participants covered more than 13,000 km of trails and 840,000 metres of elevation gain – equivalent to 175 climbs of the Mont Blanc!
One of the main positive trends is the increasing feminisation of the sport, with the percentage of female participants rising from a quarter (25%) in 2022 to almost one third (29%) in 2024. UTMB Group is committed to the development of women’s participation and is planning new measures to encourage more women to take up trail running and to run longer distances.
The UTMB World Series circuit was also able to count on more than 15,000 volunteers in 2024, whose unfailing presence and involvement was one of the keys to the success of each event.
Strengthened commitments to communities, regions, and the environment
Beyond offering runners the chance to experience UTMB close to home, the group supports the growth of trail running by ensuring the sport is more responsible and sustainable, respecting and celebrating local cultures, communities, and their environments.
In close collaboration with local organisers, the group has continued to expand its social and environmental initiatives and strengthen the network of associations supported through its events. Thanks to this collective effort, 61 associations received support via 405 Charity Bibs offered at various events in 2024.
Enhanced live broadcasting brings fans closer to the trails
In 2024, the UTMB World Series circuit continued its work to promote the communities and territories hosting its events, in particular through the development of an engaging content strategy. The production of high-quality photos, videos and audio content, as well as the deployment of live broadcasting systems specifically adapted to this discipline, offered a unique immersive experience to fans of trail running and sport in general.
Live streaming also saw substantial growth this year with 8 events across 5 countries broadcast on live.utmb.world. They attracted over 15.8 million viewers who followed 22 races for a total of 165 hours of live coverage in 7 different languages. A major innovation this season was the introduction of live interaction with commentators, making the experience even more immersive and participatory.
These initiatives highlight UTMB Group’s on-going commitment to bringing trail running to an ever-wider audience, while raising awareness of the values and culture of the sport.
In 2025: new challenges and commitments ahead
On the eve of 2025, UTMB Group reaffirms its commitment to delivering individual and shared experiences, rooted in the exceptional territories and local cultures that host the events.
The 2025 season will see 8 new events in 7 countries to continue to meet the growing demand, and allow more runners to live the UTMB experience close to home:
- Arc of Attrition by UTMB®, leads the way in January along the magnificent and spectacular coastal path of the National Trust South West in the United Kingdom.
- Chihuahua by UTMB®, sacred land of the Rarámuri in Mexico.
- Ultra-Trail Great Wall by UTMB®, as close as possible to the Great Wall of China.
- Ultra-Trail Xiamen by UTMB®, between city, sea, and mountains.
- Torrencial Chile by UTMB®, in the majestic temperate forest of southern Chile.
- Monte Rosa Walser Waeg by UTMB®, discovering villages that are guardians of ancient traditions and legends in the Aosta Valley.
- Kaçkar by UTMB®, immersed in the wilds of Türkiye’s Kaçkar Mountains.
- Grand Raid Ventoux by UTMB®, from the vineyards of Provence to the unpredictable Mont Ventoux in France.
2025 will also greet a new Major event in May, the Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB®, which will enable runners in Oceania to win more Running Stones closer to home.
Further new commitments, including at the HOKA UTMB Mont-Blanc, will see the introduction of a carbon contribution for the organisation and voluntary contribution for participants, as well as 3 new associations supported through the Charity Bibs.
UTMB Group will continue to strengthen its commitment to sustainable, responsible and inclusive trail running, with further actions to reduce CO2 emissions outlined in the spring.
