2019 UTMB Events Top Runners Announced

The UTMB race administration has released results of the lottery draw for the 2019 edition of all its events. High-level athletes are considered separately, as the race administration holds many spots for them. About two weeks ahead of the draw, the race administration made public the top runners who have been given entrance into the 2019 races. A few top runners also gained entrance through the lottery.

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

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 170-kilometer UTMB race that’s the international-level headliner. But times they are a-changin’. This year, UTMB see less competition at the pointiest end of the field, with a long tail of what seems like normal competitive depth once you get past the very front. This effect is more prominent in the men’s race than the women’s.

For the third year in a row, the 101k CCC race remains competitive, perhaps about even to last year.

The TDS race has increased in distance to 145k, up from the 119k of the previous years. It looks like, for the second year in a row, the men’s TDS race is particularly interesting.

After its establishment a few years ago and competitive growth over those years, the 55k OCC looks like it’s going kind of big time this year, with strong competition in the women’s and men’s races.

Let’s take a look at how these four race fields are shaping up.

2019 UTMB Top Women

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

Delphine Avenier (France) – 6th 2017 CCC; 1st 2016 TDS
Cat Bradley (USA) – 8th 2018 UTMB; 1st 2017 Western States 100
Caroline Chaverot (France) – 1st 2016 UTMB; 1st 2017 Hardrock 100
Cecilia Flori (Italy but living in New Zealand) – 10th 2018 CCC; 5th 2018 Western States 100
Uxue Fraile (Spain) – 2nd at both 2018 and 2015 UTMB; 3rd 2016 UTMB; 5th 2014 UTMB
Kaytlyn Gerbin (USA) – 1st 2018 The Bear 100 Mile; 2nd 2018 Western States 100
Andrea Huser (Switzerland) – 2nd 2017 and 2016 UTMB
Mimmi Kotka (Sweden) – 1st 2017 TDS; 1st 2016 CCC
Magdalena Łączak (Poland) – 6th 2018 Trail World Championships; 1st 2018 Transgrancanaria
Emilie Lecomte (France) – 13th 2018 UTMB; 2nd 2017 Diagonale des Fous
Kaci Lickteig (USA) – 10th 2018 and 18th 2017 UTMB
Maite Maiora (Spain) – 2nd 2017 CCC; 1st 2017 Ultra Pirineu
Fernanda Maciel (Brazil) – 11th 2018 UTMB; 8th 2018 Lavaredo
Corrine Malcolm (USA) – 4th 2018 TDS; 9th 2018 Western States 100
Jo Meek (UK) – 19th 2018 UTMB; 2nd 2016 CCC
Ekaterina Mityaeva (Russia) – 5th 2018 Transvulcania; 3rd 2018 Transgrancanaria
Mariya Nikolova (Bulgaria) – 9th at both 2018 and 2017 UTMB
Maija Oravamäki (Finland) – 5th 2018 CCC; 11th 2017 Trail World Championships
Beth Pascall (UK) – 4th 2018 UTMB; 11th 2018 Trail World Championships
Núria Picas (Spain) – 2017 UTMB champion; 2nd 2014 and 2013 UTMB
Alissa St Laurent (Canada) – 5th 2018 TDS; 6th 2017 UTMB
Stephanie Violett (USA) – 16th 2017 and 8th 2015 UTMB; 6th 2018 Western States 100
Ildikó Wermescher (Hungary) – 7th 2018 UTMB; 3rd 2017 TDS
Miao Yao (China) – 1st 2018 CCC; 2nd 2018 Lavaredo Ultra Trail

More Top Women

Claire Bannwarth (France) – 9th 2018 Transvulcania
Kristin Berglund (Sweden but lives in Austria) – 11th 2017 CCC
Alessandra Boifava (Italy) – 13th 2018 CCC
Luzia Bühler (Switzerland) – 1st 2017 Wasatch Front 100 Mile
Sylvaine Cussot (France) – 8th 2018 TDS; 4th 2018 La SaintéLyon
Basilia Förster (Italy) – 13th 2017 UTMB
Nathalie Henriques (France) – 14th 2018 UTMB; 9th 2017 TDS
Sarah Keyes (USA) – 1st 2017 Ultra Trail Harricana
Martina Kirschner-Trimmel (Austria) – 1st 2018 Mozart 100k
Marie McNaughton (New Zealand but lives in Hong Kong) – 7th 2018 Eiger Ultra Trail; 4th 2018 Hong Kong 100k
Sally McRae (USA) – 1st 2018 Tarawera 100 Mile
Géraldine Prost (France) – 2nd 2018 MaXi-Race Annecy
Anna Straková (Czech Republic) – 9th 2015 Trail World Championships
Fu-Zhao Xiang (China) – 20th 2018 UTMB; 3rd 2018 Hong Kong 100k

2019 UTMB Top Men

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

Pau Capell (Spain) – 3rd 2018 and 6th 2015 CCC; 6th 2017 UTMB; 1st 2016 TDS
Benoit Cori (France) – 14th 2017 and 4th 2016 Trail World Championships
Sylvain Court (France) – 1st 2018 Mont Blanc 90k; 3rd 2016 and 1st 2015 IAU Trail World Championships
Javi Dominguez (Spain) – 10th 2018, 5th 2016, and 3rd 2013 UTMB
Dani Garcia (Spain) – 3rd 2013 CCC; 5th 2017 Trail World Championships
Florian Grasel (Austria) – 9th 2018 UTMB; 1st 2018 Mozart 100k
Robert Hajnal (Romania) – 2nd 2018 UTMB; 15th 2018 Trail World Championships
Mark Hammond (USA) – 3rd 2018 and 2017 Western States 100
Hayden Hawks (USA) – 1st 2017 CCC; 1st 2018 Lavaredo Ultra Trail
Janosch Kowalczyk (Germany) – 10th 2018 and 11th 2017 Trail World Championships
Andrew Miller (USA) – 1st 2018 Georgia Death Race; 1st 2016 Western States 100
Zach Miller (USA) – 9th 2017 and 6th 2016 UTMB; 1st 2015 CCC
Chris Mocko (USA) – 3rd 2017 Lake Sonoma 50 Mile; 7th 2016 Western States 100
Alex Nichols (USA) – 2nd 2018 Hong Kong 100k; 2nd 2017 Western States 100
Tom Owens (UK) – 20th 2018 TDS; 5th 2017 CCC
Min Qi (China) – 2nd 2018 CCC; 1st 2018 Hong Kong 100k
Andris Ronimoiss (Latvia) – 6th 2018 CCC; 11th 2018 Trail World Championships
Jason Schlarb (USA) – 4th 2014 UTMB; 1st 2018 Run Rabbit Run 100 Mile
Ian Sharman (UK but lives in the USA) – 9-time top-1o Western States 100 finisher including 4th in 2018
Marcin Świerc (Poland) – 2nd 2017 CCC; 17th 2018 Trail World Championships
Andy Symonds (UK living in France) – 16th 2017 UTMB; 4th 2018 Les Templiers
Tim Tollefson (USA) – 3rd both 2017 and 2016 UTMB; 2nd 2015 CCC

More Top Men

Justin Andrews (USA but lives in China) – 17th 2017 CCC; 10th 2018 Hong Kong 100k
Ion Azpiroz (Spain) – 4th 2018 TDS; 13th 2015 UTMB
Guillaume Beauxis (France) – 3rd 2017 Diagonale des Fous
Victor Bernad (Spain) – 23rd 2018 and 13th 2017 UTMB
Sylvain Camus (France) – 2nd 2017 TDS
Julien Chorier (France) – 17th 2017 and 8th 2016 UTMB; 9th 2018 TDS
Francesco Cucco (Italy) – 5th 2018 Diagonale des Fous
Kyle Curtin (USA) – 1st 2018 Tahoe 200 Mile
Takashi Doi (Japan) – 11th 2015 UTMB
Ugo Ferrari (France) – 29th 2018 UTMB; 4th 2016 TDS
Ryan Ghelfi (USA) – 7th 2018 Lake Sonoma 50 Mile
Paul Giblin (UK) – 22nd 2018 UTMB; 9th 2018 Western States 100
Yoshikazu Hara (Japan) – 7th 2016 Lake Saroma 100k
Scott Hawker (New Zealand) – 11th 2017 UTMB; 3rd 2017 Ultra-Trail Cape Town
Moises Jiménez (Venezuela but lives in France) – 10th 2018 TDS
Harry Jones (UK but lives in Thailand) – 8th 2018 CCC; 5th 2018 Hong Kong 100k
Thorbergur Jonsson (Iceland) – 9th 2015 Trail World Champs; 6th 2017 CCC
Jing Liang (China) – Ran 267k/165 miles at 2017 Hangzhou Ultramarathon 24-Hour Race
Andrea Macchi (Italy) – 5th 2018 Lavaredo Ultra Trail; 3rd 2017 Tor des Géants
Jerome Mirassou (France) – 6th 2018 TDS
Masatoshi Obara (Japan) – 16th 2016 UTMB
Yun-Hui Yu (China) – 11th 2018 CCC

2019 CCC Top Women

[Editor’s Note: Starting with this CCC section, a narrower portion of top runners are listed and their exemplary results are truncated. This is a compromise with UTMB being the headline race and the practical necessity in keeping this article manageable in scope. Please feel free to share additional favorite entered for the CCC, TDS, and OCC in the comments!]

Here are the headliner 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.

Gemma Arenas (Spain) – 4th 2018 and 5th 2015 Trail World Championships
Katie Arnold (USA) – 1st 2018 Leadville Trail 100 Mile
Lucy Bartholomew (Australia) – 3rd 2018 Western States 100
Amanda Basham (USA) – 4th 2018 and 2016 Western States 100
Laia Cañes (Spain) – 3rd both 2017 and 2015 CCC; 2nd 2018 Trail World Championships
Azara García (Spain) – 1st 2018 Les Templiers; 2nd 2016 Trail World Championships
Lucie Jamsin (France) – 8th 2017 Trail World Championships
Ailsa Macdonald (Canada) – 1st 2018 Black Canyon 100k
Abby Mitchell (USA) – 6th 2018 Lake Sonoma 50 Mie
Maryline Nakache (France) – 3rd 2018 Les Templiers
Holly Page (UK) – 9th 2018 Trail World Championships
Brittany Peterson (USA) – 4th 2018 Transvulcania
Ajda Radinja (Slovenia) – 8th 2018 CCC
Katie Schide (USA but lives in Switzerland) – 2nd 2018 CCC
Anna-Marie Watson (UK) – 7th 2017 UTMB; 1st 2018 Oman by UTMB
Kelly Wolf (USA) – 5th 2017 CCC; 1st 2018 Tarawera 100k

2019 CCC Top Men

We list the headliner CCC men’s entrants in alphabetical order and additionally provide a recent and relevant result for each man to help identify him.

Jordi Bes (Spain) – 3rd 2014 TDS; 1st 2013 CCC
Ivan Camps (Spain) – 7th 2018 CCC
Jiří Čípa (Czech Republic) – 9th 2018 and 8th 2017 Trail World Championships
Cristofer Clemente (Spain) – 2nd both 2018 and 2017 Trail World Championships
Marco De Gasperi (Italy) – 4th 2018 CCC; 4th 2018 Transvulcania
Tim Freriks (USA) – 1st 2017 TNF 50 Mile; 1st 2017 Transvulcania
Thibaut Garrivier (France) – 3rd 2018 Transvulcania
Benoit Girondel (France) – 1st 2018 and 2017 Diagonale des Fous
Germain Grangier (France) – 5th 2018 CCC
Jessed Hernandez (Spain) – 1st 2018 Ultra Pirineu
Luis Alberto Hernando (Spain) – 2nd 2015 UTMB; 1st 2018, 2017, and 2016 Trail World Championships
Johan Lantz (Sweden) – 6th 2018 Les Templiers
Jorge Maravilla (USA) – 4th 2-16 and 2015 TNF 50 Mile
Sam McCutcheon (New Zealand) – 3rd both 2018 and 2017 Tarawera 100k
Diego Pazos (Switzerland) – 5th 2018 TDS; 5th 2015 CCC; 11th 2014 UTMB
Cody Reed (USA) – 7th 2018 Western States 100; 2nd 2018 Tarawera 100k
Emerson Trujillo (Peru) – 4th 2017 Ultra Pirineu
Long-Fei Yan (China) – 2nd 2016 Hong Kong 100k

2019 TDS Top Women

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

Hillary Allen (USA) – 3rd 2017 Transvulcania
Meredith Edwards (USA) – 2nd 2016 TDS
Katrin Götz (Switzerland) – 3rd 2018 Lavaredo Ultra Trail; 6th 2016 Trail World Championships
Sophie Grant (New Zealand but lives in the UK) – Top 15 in last 4 UTMB editions
Holly Rush (UK) – 21st 2018 UTMB; 7th and 8th at 2017 and 2016 CCC
Audrey Tanguy (France) – 1st 2018 TDS; 2nd 2018 Diagonale des Fous
Manu Vilaseca (Brazil but lives in Spain) – 18th, 10th, and 8th at 2018, 2015, and 2013 UTMB
Leah Yingling (USA) – 2nd 2018 The Bear 100 Mile

2019 TDS Top Men

Here are the top TDS men’s entrants. We list the entrants in alphabetical order and additionally provide a recent and relevant result for each man to help identify him.

Pere Aurell (Spain) – 1st 2018 Transvulcania; 2nd 2018 Tromsø Skyrace
Patrick Bringer (France) – 3rd 2015 Trail World Championships; 1st 2018 Endurance Trail des Templiers
Tòfol Castanyer (Spain) – 4th 2018 TDS; 8th 2016 Trail World Championships
Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz (France) – 2nd 2018 Madeira Island Ultra-Trail
Yeray Duran (Spain) – 2nd 2016 TDS
Jimmy Elam (USA) – 1st 2018 Quad Rock 50 Mile; 1st 2018 Broken Arrow Skyrace 52k
Tom Evans (UK) – 1st 2018 CCC; 3rd 2018 Trail World Championships
Jordi Gamito (Spain) – 3rd 2018 UTMB; 5th 2016 TDS
Dmitry Mityaev (Russia) – 3rd 2018 TDS; 2nd 2018 Transvulcania
Paddy O’Leary (Ireland but lives in the USA) – 5th 2017 TNF 50 Mile; 14th 2017 CCC
Giulio Ornati (Italy) – 9th 2016 UTMB
Hallvard Schjølberg (Norway) – 4th 2018 UTMB
Francesc Sole (Spain) – 7th 2015 UTMB
Yan-Qiao Yun (China) – 1st 2017 Vibram Hong Kong 100k; 10th 2018 TDS

2019 OCC Top Women

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

Cristina Bes (Spain) – 2nd 2016 TDS; 2nd 2014 CCC
Anna Comet (Spain) – 2nd 2015 Transvulcania; 14th 2017 Trail World Championships
Morgane Cretton (France) – 6th 2018 OCC
Ruth Croft (New Zealand) – 1st 2018 OCC; 1st 2018 Mont-Blanc Marathon
Maria Dalzot (USA) – 6th 2018 Chuckanut 50k
Anna-Mae Flynn (USA) – 3rd 2016 Lake Sonoma 50 Mile; 6th 2018 Transvulcania
Laura Kline (USA) – 11th 2016 TNF 50 Mile; 3rd 2016 Cayuga Trails 50 Mile
Nancy Jiang (New Zealand) – 5th 2018 OCC
Emily Schmitz (USA) – 4th 2018 Pikes Peak Marathon
Dominika Stelmach (Poland) – 20th 2017 Trail World Championships
Dominique Van Mechgelen (Belgium) – 3rd 2017 Transgrancanaria Marathon
Mónica Vives (Spain) – 3rd 2018 OCC
Yuri Yoshizumi (Japan) – 4th 2017 CCC; 13th 2016 Trail World Championships

2019 OCC Top Men

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

Gautier Airiau (France) – 8th 2018 OCC
Thibaut Baronian (France) – 4th 2018 Mont-Blanc Marathon; 2nd 2017 OCC
Pau Bartolo (Spain) – 1st 2014 CCC; 1st 2015 TDS; 11th 2016 CCC
Erenjia Jia (China) – 1st 2018 OCC
Juan Maria Jimenez (Spain) – 10th 2016 UTMB
Nico Martin (France) – 2nd 2016 Trail World Championships; 7th 2018 OCC
Adrien Michaud (France) – 5th 2017 Zegama Marathon; 4th 2018 Trail du Ventoux
Florian Neuschwander (Germany) – 1st 2018 Sean O’Brien 100k
Patrick Reagan (USA) – 1st 2017 & 2018 Javelina 100 Mile; 2nd 2017 & 2018 Vasaloppet 90k
Florian Reichert (Germany) – 13ht 2016 Transvulcania
Andreu Simon (Spain) – 5th 2018 Ben Nevis Ultra; 14th 2018 Zegama Marathon
Ruy Ueda (Japan) – 2nd 2016 CCC; 1st 2017 Hasetsune Cup
Alex Varner (USA) – 1st 2015 Lake Sonoma 50 Mile; 5th 2016 Way Too Cool 50k
Pablo Villalobos (Spain) – 4th 2018 OCC
Cole Watson (USA) – 1st 2018 Chuckanut 50k; 12th 2018 Transvulcania

Top Runners Not Currently on Any 2019 UTMB Event Entrants List

Notably, some of the superstars of recent history at the UTMB festival of races are not currently on the entrants list of any 2019 race. We list them in alphabetical order.

Women

Rory Bosio (USA) – 2nd 2018 TDS; 1st 2014 and 2013 UTMB
Francesca Canepa (Italy) – 1st 2018 UTMB
Nathalie Mauclair (France) – 1st 2015 UTMB
Jocelyne Pauly (France) – 3rd 2018 UTMB

Men

François D’haene (France) – 1st 2017, 2014, and 2012 UTMB
Kilian Jornet (Spain) – 2nd 2017 UTMB; 1st 2011 and 2009 UTMB
Ludovic Pommeret (France) – 1st 2016 UTMB
Xavier Thévenard (France) – 1st 2018, 2015, and 2013 UTMB
Jim Walmsley (USA) – 5th 2017 UTMB; 1st 2018 Western States 100

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, TDS, and OCC events?