Why did the UTMB finally want to avoid "a cheap edition"?

• The Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, which attracts more than 10,000 runners from around the world each year, decided on Wednesday to postpone its 18th edition to August 2021.
• If the decision to cancel the event in 2020 is understood by the trail runners, they point the finger at the reimbursement of only 55% of the registration fees.

Mont-Blanc Marathon, 6000D, UT4M, Montagn'hard and so many other major summer trail races have been canceled in recent weeks due to the health crisis caused by the Covid-19. All eyes were therefore turned this Wednesday on the Ultra-Trail of Mont-Blanc, the benchmark of the discipline in France, which had given itself a month to decide the fate of its 18th edition. More than 10,000 runners of 111 nationalities, as well as 2,300 volunteers had registered for many months for one of the seven events offered around Chamonix (Haute-Savoie), from August 24 to 31.

With the highlight of the UTMB and its 171 km (10,000 m of elevation gain between France, Switzerland and Italy) having crowned Kilian Jornet, François D'Haene and Xavier Thévenard three times, three icons of the ultra- trail. The organization finally wanted to make the decision "most responsible for preserving the health and safety of all participants", in turn canceling its entire 2020 edition.

After carefully examining all the alternatives in accordance with government regulations, and consulting with runners, local authorities and partners, the 2020 edition of the UTMB® Mont-Blanc cannot take place: https: // t.co/tHSyFYu2QB

"To give up is to show courage"

"In the mountains, we are used to the concept of risk and commitment," explains Catherine Poletti, founder of the UTMB. When the conditions are not met, it is more reasonable to back up and go home. Risk taking is part of our culture, as is renunciation. To give up is to show courage. This outcome did not really surprise the runners, who have been forced to stop since the start of the season.

"I had to suspect it but it is always difficult to see such a big deadline fly away", explains the Lyon trail runner Yoann Stuck, who was engaged on the CCC (101 km). After having traveled 2,500 km per month on his home trainer during confinement, he hopes to be able to return to competition at the Marathon des Sables (Morocco), postponed to September, and he does not regret the choice of the organizers of the UTMB.

Trail: “I discovered vegetables and controlled aperitif”… The “metamorphosis” of Yoann Stuck, from reveler to high-flying runner https://t.co/VpMhrF4RPb via @ 20minutesLyon pic.twitter.com/pqakBom5Yb

"Under these conditions, the UTMB would not be this full race"

"Nobody among the runners wanted a discount race," he says. "The sanitary reason prevails and this decision is perfectly wise, confirms Guillaume Arthus, registered on the UTMB. I feared a truncated edition like in 2010 and 2012 where the riders could not go around Mont-Blanc for weather reasons. "

“We have of course envisaged an event adapted to the sanitary instructions, with departures in waves, reduced extreme gauges and the respect of physical distances on the supplies, evokes on this subject Michel Poletti, founder of the event. In these conditions, the UTMB would not be this full and complete race that we know and especially the one that each participant wishes to be able to experience. »The terms of cancellation, on the other hand, are talked about, since the runners will only benefit from a reimbursement of up to 55% of the registration fees. To know for example that the participants in the queen test will recover only 154 euros of the 280 euros invested.

Some don't understand that the price of a bib for one of the UTMB races, for a student, has a cost ... pic.twitter.com/43P9hBKPhI

"For an event presenting itself as the world summit of trail running ..."

"I find this reimbursement to be unacceptable," points out Yoann Stuck. A race like the 6000D can manage to transfer the entire registration fee and I don't think the UTMB is the most financially sorry. For a test presenting itself as the world summit of the trail, that does not give a damn. "Guillaume Arthus is just as reassembled:" Except in the United States, all races will either give back a free bib for the following year, or reimburse totally or at worst up to 80% of the registration fees. So when you know the monstrous means of this organization, it appeals to me… ”

While guaranteeing to each runner registered a place reserved on the same race either in 2021, 2022 or 2023, the UTMB remains unclear to justify itself on this reimbursement, this Wednesday in its press release: "The cancellation of the event is a real financial risk for the organization which has already incurred numerous expenses in different sectors ”. Could his image suffer by August 23, 2021?

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