[Editor’s Note: Photographer Kirsten Kortebein created these images at the 2019 UTMB. Enjoy! To learn more about what happened at UTMB, read our in-depth results article. All photos: iRunFar/Kirsten Kortebein. Reuse without permission is not permitted.]
An OCC finisher arrives to the Chamonix, France finish line surrounded by her family. The OCC is one of the races in the UTMB week-long festival. It’s 55 kilometers long and took place this year on Thursday, August 29.
A couple catches a moment together in the at-times-chaotic Chamonix, France.
The UTMB’s 2,600 runners head out of Chamonix on Friday evening, August 30. UTMB is the week’s most competitive event, and it makes a 170-kilometer loop around Mont Blanc, in doing so passing through Italy and Switzerland in addition to France.
A young fan writes a good-luck message for Poland’s Marcin Świerc outside of the Les Contamines aid station. Świerc, a favorite for a top-10 finish in the men’s UTMB, unfortunately withdrew at the 50-kilometer mark.
Another young fan in Les Contamines is apparently waiting to cheer for France’s Xavier Thévenard, who went on to take second place at UTMB.
Spain’s Pau Capell rockets out of the Les Contamines aid station as darkness falls on Friday night. Capell went on to win the 2019 UTMB.
UTMB runners’ family and friends take a 4:00 a.m. on Saturday morning ‘nap’ in the Courmayeur aid station, 80 kilometers into the UTMB and in Italy, while waiting for their runners to arrive.
Beth Pascall, of the United Kingdom, heads into the Courmayeur aid station. She went on to take fifth, a strong follow-up to her fourth place last year.
A Swiss sunrise greets racers on Saturday morning.
Venezuela’s Moisés Jiménez runs through La Fouly in Switzerland on Saturday morning. He took 16th place in his debut 100 miler.
The USA’s Courtney Dauwalter is calm and confident as she cruises into La Fouly. Dauwalter went on to win the 2019 UTMB.
Lluis Ruiz of Spain cools off at the Trient aid station on Saturday afternoon in Switzerland. After a cool night on Friday, temperatures rose on Saturday leaving many racers feeling the effects of the heat.
China’s Can-Hua Luo heads out of Vallorcine, France and toward the race’s final climb and descent. Luo took 11th place.
On Saturday evening, a PTL team crosses the finish line in Chamonix amidst the top UTMB finishers. PTL is the UTMB festival’s longest event, a team race that’s 300 kilometers long and gives entrants 152 hours to complete.
After nearly 44 hours on the trails, Kin-Wai Leung of Hong Kong nears the UTMB finish line on Sunday morning.
