2018 UTMB Events Top Runners Announced

The 2018 UTMB events are shaping up to be another competitive year in Chamonix, France and environs.

The race administration has released results of the lottery draw for the 2018 edition of all its events. High-level athletes are generally considered separately, as the race administration holds a certain number of spots for them. As such, the UTMB race administration, a bit ahead of the draw, made public the top runners who have been given entrance into the 2018 races.

Here you can search the full entrants lists for all the UTMB races, which now number as six events spread over about a week. Also on this page are lists of the ‘favorites’ singled out by the race administration.

Keep in mind that the entrants lists are certain to evolve as the year progresses, as elites are allowed late entrance, and, of course, not all who intend to start will be able to.

For as long as this event has been taking place, it’s been the 171-kilometer UTMB race that’s the international-level headliner. The UTMB remains the most competitive event of the festival and probably the most competitive trail ultramarathon that will take place this year, but at this point it looks less competitive than the field looked at this time last year. Now that we have some 20-20 hindsight perspective, it seems like last year’s race might have been the competitive trail ultra of the decade. Don’t get me wrong on this year, though, there’s still plenty of star power in the UTMB.

For the second year in a row, the 101k CCC race remains competitive, but also less so than last year.

The 119k TDS men’s race looks as if it’ll see a big step up in its competitiveness over previous years, and the women’s a bit more competitive, too.

Let’s take a look at how these three fields are shaping up at their pointiest ends.

2018 UTMB Top Men

The star power in the men’s UTMB race should provide for some excellent entertainment.

We divide the top UTMB men’s entrants into a couple categories, the ‘Headline Acts’ who have proven performances at long mountainous ultramarathons with deep international competition, and ‘More Top Men’ who have potential to finish in a top-20 position. We list each section in alphabetical order and additionally provide a recent and relevant result or two for each man to help identify him.

Headline Acts

Sylvain Court (France) — 3rd and 1st, respectively, at the 2016 and 2015 IAU Trail World Championships
Javi Dominguez (Spain) — Winner 2017 Tor des Géants; 5th 2016 UTMB
Gediminas Grinius (Lithuania) — 8th and 2nd, respectively, at the 2017 and 2016 UTMB
Hayden Hawks (USA) — Winner 2017 CCC; 3rd 2017 TNF 50 Mile – California
Luis Alberto Hernando (Spain) — 2nd 2015 UTMB; Winner 2017 and 2016 IAU Trail World Championships
Kilian Jornet (Spain) — 2nd 2017 UTMB; 3-time winner UTMB [Added 28 February 2018]
Michel Lanne (France) — Winner 2017 TDS; Winner 2016 CCC
Zach Miller (USA) — 6th and 9th, respectively, at 2016 & 2017 UTMB; 2nd 2017 TNF 50 Mile – California [Added 23 January 2018]
Alex Nichols (USA) — [Added 27 May 2018]
Ryan Sandes (South Africa) — Winner 2017 Western States 100; 4th 2016 Diagonale des Fous
Xavier Thévenard (France) – 2-time UTMB champion; 4th 2017 UTMB; winner 2014 TDS; winner 2010 CCC
Tim Tollefson (USA) — 3rd at both the 2017 and 2016 UTMB; 2nd 2015 CCC
Jim Walmsley (USA) — 5th 2017 UTMB; winner 2017 Tarawera Ultramarathon

More Top Men

Sondre Amdahl (Norway) — 7th 2014 UTMB
Ion Azpiroz (Spain) — 4th 2017 TDS; 13th 2015 UTMB
Guillaume Beauxis (France) — 3rd 2017 Diagonale des Fous
Mathieu Blanchard (Canada) — 14th 2017 TNF 50 Mile – California
Sébastien Camus (France) — 7th 2016 UTMB
Erik Clavery (France) — 6th 2015 UTMB
Benoit Cori (France) — 1st 2014, 2015 Les Templiers; 4th 2016 Trail World Champshionships [Added 27 May 2018; Previously in CCC section]
Bertrand Collomb-Patton (France) — 9th and 7th, respectively, at the 2014 and 2013 UTMB
Yeray Duran (Spain) — 2nd 2016 TDS; 14th 2016 IAU Trail World Championships
Ugo Ferrari (France) — 4th 2017 TDS
Jordi Gamito (Spain) — 10th and 12th, respectively, at the 2017 and 2015 UTMB; 5th 2016 TDS
Anthony Gay (France) — 6th 2017 Diagonale des Fous
Mark Hammond (USA) — 2nd 2017 Run Rabbit Run 100 Mile; 3rd 2017 Western States 100
Stephan Hugenschmidt (Germany) — 1st 2017 Eiger Ultra-Trail; 10th 2016 Trail World Championships [Added 27 May 2018]
Urs Jenzer (Switzerland) — 5th 2017 Diagonale des Fous; 2nd 2017 Eiger Ultra Trail
Thorbergur Jonsson (Iceland) — 6th and 9th, respectively, at the 2017 and 2016 CCC
Dominic Layfield (USA) — 14th 2017 Western States 100
Emanuele Ludovisi (Italy) — 9th 2017 TDS
Andrew Miller (USA) — 1st 2016 Western States 100; 1st 2016, 2018 Georgia Death Race [Added 27 May 2018]
Timothy Olson (USA) — 4th 2013 UTMB [Added 21 February 2018]
Armando Teixeira (Portugal) — 14th and 18th, respectively, at the 2016 and 2015 UTMB

2018 UTMB Top Women

Well, well, well, what do we have here but a fascinating set of women set to compete with each other in the UTMB women’s race.

We divide the top UTMB women’s entrants into a couple categories, the ‘Headline Acts’ who have proven performances at long mountainous ultramarathons with deep international competition, and ‘More Top Women’ who have the capacity to finish in a top-20 position. We list each section in alphabetical order and additionally provide a recent and relevant result or two for each woman to help identify her.

Headline Acts

Christelle Bard (France) — 3rd 2017 UTMB; 3rd 2016 TDS; 4th 2015 CCC
Juliette Blanchet (France) — 4th 2016 UTMB; 2nd 2016 Diagonale des Fous
Magda Boulet (USA) — 19th and 5th, respectively, at the 2017 and 2016 UTMB; 2nd 2015 CCC
Caroline Chaverot (France) — Winner 2016 UTMB; Winner 2016 IAU Trail World Championships
Uxue Fraile (Spain) — 3rd 2016 UTMB; 2nd 2015 UTMB; 5th 2014 UTMB
Andrea Huser (Switzerland) — 2nd at both 2017 and 2016 UTMB; Winner 2015 TDS
Mimi Kotka (Sweden) — Winner 2017 TDS; Winner 2016 CCC
Kaci Lickteig (USA) — Winner and 2nd, respectively, at the 2016 and 2015 Western States 100
Emilie Lecomte (France) — 2nd at 2017 and 2015 Diagonale des Fous; Winner 2014 Tor des Géants
Fernanda Maciel (Brazil but living in Spain) — 1st 2018 Penyagolosa CSP; 4th 2014 UTMB [Added 27 May 2018]
Jo Meek (Great Britain) — 2nd 2016 CCC; 7th 2016 IAU Trail World Championships
Beth Pascall (Great Britain) — 6th 2017 Diagonale des Fous; 8th 2016 IAU Trail World Championships
Teresa Nimes (Spain) — 11th 2017 UTMB; 3rd 2016 CCC
Kaori Niwa (Japan) — 4th and 8th, respectively, at the 2017 and 2016 UTMB
Núria Picas (Spain) — Winner 2017 UTMB; 2nd in both 2014 and 2013 UTMB
Amy Sproston (USA) — 8th at 2017 and 2012 UTMB; 2nd 2016 Western States 100
Stephanie Violett (USA) — 16th and 8th, respectively, at the 2017 and 2015 UTMB
Ildikó Wermescher (Hungary) — 3rd 2017 TDS; 7th 2016 UTMB

More Top Women

Elisabet Barnes (Sweden but living in Great Britain?) — 2-time Marathon des Sables winner
Yulia Baykova (Russia but living in Italy?) — 14th 2017 UTMB; 6th 2016 CCC
Lucia Buehler (Switzerland) — Winner 2017 Wasatch Front 100 Mile
Francesca Canepa (Italy) — 1st 2015-18 Istria 100 Mile [Added 27 May 2018]
Basilla Förster (Italy but lives in Germany?) — 13th 2017 UTMB
Sophie Grant (Great Britain) — 15th, 10th, and 12th at last 3 UTMBs
Nathalie Henriques (France) — 9th 2017 TDS
Sarah Keyes (USA) — 12th 2016 TNF 50 Mile – California
Irene Kinnegim (Netherlands) — 18th 2016 UTMB
Aliza Lapierre (USA) — 7th 2017 Lavaredo Ultra Trail
Maria Nikolova (Bulgaria) — 9th and 16th, respectively, at the 2017 and 2015 UTMB
Jocelyne Pauly (France) — 5th 2016 Diagonale des Fous
Holly Rush (Great Britain) — 7th and 8th, respectively, at the 2017 and 2016 CCC
Susana Simoes (Portugal) — 13th 2016 UTMB
Manu Vilaseca (Brazil but living in Spain) — 10th 2015 UTMB
Fuzhao Xiang (China) — 3rd, 4th at 2018, 2017 Vibram Hong Kong 100k [Added 5 March 2018]

2018 CCC Top Men

A strong men’s field is shaping up in the CCC.

We list top entrants in alphabetical order and additionally provide a recent and relevant result for each man to help identify him.

Nicolas Bouvier-Gaz (France) – 7th 2017 CCC; 5th 2017 Les Templiers
Robbie Britton (Great Britain) — 11th 2016 CCC
Jared Burdick (USA) — 5th 2017 Lake Sonoma 50 Mile
Pau Capell (Spain) — 6th 2017 UTMB; winner 2016 TDS [Added 27 May 2018]
Cristofer Clemente (Spain) — 2nd 2017 IAU Trail World Championships; 2nd 2016 Ultra Pirineu
Tom Evans (Great Britain) — 4th 2017 CCC; 3rd 2017 Marathon des Sables
Tim Freriks (USA) — Winner 2017 TNF 50 Mile – California; Winner 2017 Transvulcania Ultramarathon
Pascal Giguet (France) — 7th 2017 TDS [Added 27 May 2018]
Harry Jones (Great Britain) — 8th 2017 Hong Kong 100k
Ben Koss (USA) — 2nd 2017 Gorge Waterfalls 100k
Rob Krar (Canada but lives in the USA) — 2nd 2017 Ultra-Trail Australia; 2-time Western States 100 champion
Erik-Sebastian Krogvig (Norway) — 3rd 2017 Lavaredo Ultra Trail
Jorge Maravilla (USA) — 10th 2017 CCC; 4th at both the 2016 and 2015 TNF 50 Mile – California
Alexandre Mayer (France) — 9th 2015 UTMB
Min Qi (China) — Winner 2018 Vibram Hong Kong 100k [Added 5 March 2018]
Cody Reed (USA) — 15th 2017 IAU Trail World Championships
Andris Ronimoiss (Latvia) — 4th 2017 Ultra-Trail Cape Town
Erik Sorenson (USA) – 8th 2016 TNF 50 Mile – California
Matt Urbanski (USA) — 2nd 2017 Cascade Crest 100 Mile
Vaidas Žlabys (Lithuania) — 2nd 2017 Transgrancanaria; 4th 2018 Tarawera [Added 27 May 2018]

2018 CCC Top Women

Here are the top CCC women’s entrants.

We list them in alphabetical order and additionally provide a recent and relevant result for each woman to help identify her.

Laia Canes (Spain) — 3rd 2017 CCC; 7th 2017 IAU Trail World Championships
Cecilia Flori (Italy but lives in New Zealand) — 3rd 2017 Tarawera Ultramarathon
Camille Herron (USA) — 100-mile world record in 2017; Winner 2017 Comrades Marathon
Laura Kline (USA) — 11th 2016 TNF 50 Mile – California
Amy Leedham (USA) — 10th 2017 TNF 50 Mile – California
Maite Maiora (Spain) — 2nd 2017 CCC; Winner 2017 Zegama Marathon
Jasmin Nunige (Switzerland) — 5th 2017 Comrades Marathon; Winner 2016 Les Templiers
Maija Oravamäki (Finland) — 11th 2017 IAU Trail World Championships
Anne-Lise Rousset (France) — 11th 2017 TNF 50 Mile – California; 2nd 2017 Transvulcania Ultramarathon
Katie Schide (USA but lives in Switzerland) — 6th 2017 Les Templiers
Miao Yao (China) — 1st 2018 Vibram Hong Kong 100k [Added to our list 28 Jan 2018]

2018 TDS Top Men

Woooo, the men’s TDS race is taking a big step up in its competitiveness for 2018!

We divide the top TDS men’s entrants into a couple categories, the ‘Headline Acts’ who have proven performances at long mountainous ultramarathons with deep international competition, and ‘More Top Men’ who have the capacity to finish in a top-20 position. We list each section in alphabetical order and additionally provide a recent and relevant result or two for each man to help identify him.

Headline Acts

Fabien Antolinos (France) — Winner 2017 Lavaredo Ultra Trail; 5th 2015 UTMB
Dylan Bowman (USA) — 7th 2017 UTMB; 4th 2017 Speedgoat 50k
Sylvain Camus (France) — 2nd 2017 TDS; 8th 2016 Diagonale des Fous
Tofol Castanyer (Spain) —
[Added 27 May 2018]
Julien Chorier (France) — 17th and 8th, respectively, at the 2017 and 2016 UTMB
Aurélien Collet (France) — 2nd 2018 Transgrancanaria; 9th 2017 CCC [Added 5 March 2018]
Paul Giblin (Great Britain) — 9th and 5th, respectively, at the 2017 and 2016 Western States 100
Antoine Guillon (France) — 2nd 2017 TDS; 2nd 2016 & 2017 Diagonale des Fous [Added 5 March 2018]
Tom Owens (Great Britain) — 5th 2017 CCC; 4th 2015 IAU Trail World Championships
Diego Pazos (Switzerland) — 4th 2017 Diagonale des Fous; 6th 2016 IAU Trail World Championships
Ludovic Pommeret (France) –3rd 2017 CCC; 2016 UTMB champion
Marcin Świerc (Poland) — 2nd 2017 CCC; 14th 2016 Transvulcania Ultramarathon
Pablo Villa (Spain) — 10th 2017 IAU Trail World Championships; 4th 2012 TDS

More Top Men

Giuliano Cavallo (Italy) — 3rd 2016 CCC
Maxime Cazajous (France) — 5th 2017 Transgrancanaria
Kim Collison (Great Britain) — 9th 2016 Buff Epic Trail
Fulvio Dapit (Italy) — 4th 2017 Lavaredo Ultra Trail
Ben Duffus (Australia) — 2nd 2016 Ultra-Trail Australia
Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz (France) — 10th 2017 Les Templiers
Emmanuel Gault (France) — Winner 2017 EcoTrail de Paris
Jessed Hernandez (Spain) — 2nd 2016 Ultra Pirineu
Arnaud Lejeune (France) — 4th 2016 Eiger Ultra Trail
Dmitry Mityaev (Russia) — 8th 2017 Transvulcania Ultramarathon
Sota Ogawa (Japan) — 3rd 2017 Hasetsune Cup
Paddy O’Leary (Ireland but lives in the USA) — 14th 2017 CCC
Kazufumi Ose (Japan) — 9th 2017 Ultra-Trail Australia
Jean Pommier (USA) — Ran a 3:19 trail 50k in 2017
Longfei Yan (China) — 2nd 2016 Hong Kong 100k
Yanqiao Yun (China) — Winner 2017 Hong Kong 100k
Vaidas Zlabys (Lithuania) — 2nd 2017 Transgrancanaria

2018 TDS Top Women

While the women’s TDS race isn’t as competitive as the men’s, there are some interesting entrants and it looks like it’ll be more competitive than in 2017.

We list the entrants in alphabetical order and additionally provide a recent and relevant result for each woman to help identify her.

Caroline Benoit (France) — 4th 2016 CCC
Rory Bosio (USA) — 2-time UTMB winner
Sylvaine Cussot (France) — 4th 2014 CCC
Sonia Escuriola (Spain) — 5th 2015 CCC
Clare Gallagher (USA) — Winner 2017 CCC [Added 5 March 2018]
Kathrin Götz (Germany) — 6th 2016 IAU Trail World Championships
Keely Henninger (USA) — 4th 2017 CCC
Teresa Kaiser (USA) — Winner 2017 San Diego 100 mile
Megan Kimmel (USA) — 3rd 2017 TNF 50 Mile; 1st 2017 Marathon du Mont-Blanc; 1st 2015 TNF 50 Mile [Added 27 May 2018]
Yanxing Ma (China) — 12th 2017 UTMB
Corrine Malcolm (USA) — 4th 2017 Leadville Trail 100 Mile
Marie McNaughton (New Zealand but lives in Hong Kong) — 15th 2016 UTMB
Alissa St Laurent (Canada) — 6th 2017 UTMB
Perrine Tramoni (France) — 5th 2017 Diagonale des Fous
YiOu Wang (USA) — 2-time Lake Sonoma 50 Mile winner

Top Runners Not Currently on Any 2018 UTMB Event Entrants List

Here are a couple top runners who’ve yet to show up on any of the UTMB event entrants’ lists though they’ve had success at races in the festival previously:

Men

Pau Capell (Spain) — 6th 2017 UTMB; winner 2016 TDS [Now running CCC as of May 27, 2018]
François D’haene (France) — 3-time UTMB champion including in 2017

Women

Nathalie Mauclair (France) — Winner 2015 UTMB

Call for Comments

Which top entrants did we miss? With so many names to sift through, we’re sure we missed a couple top runners. Let us know if you think someone should be included on these lists.

Who do you think will be competing for men’s and women’s wins in the UTMB, CCC, and TDS events?
Who would you most like to see added to the field?

Last updated 27 May 2018.