FAQ - UTMB® World Series

The UTMB® World Series is the world's leading trail running circuit, bringing together the best races in the world, which take place in exceptional locations in the heart of unspoiled nature. Open to all, the UTMB® World Series is designed to meet the expectations of both elite and amateur runners and aims to offer every trail running enthusiast an extraordinary adventure. For runners, it is the gateway to the UTMB® Mont-Blanc, which will host the UTMB® World Series Finals in the 50km, 100km and 170km distances.

The UTMB® World Series is made up of 4 levels:

• UTMB® World Series Finals
• UTMB® World Series Majors
• UTMB® World Series Events
• UTMB® World Series Qualifiers

UTMB® World Series Finals

UTMB® Mont-Blanc is the place where legends of the sport are made, and the event will now also see the official crowning of the UTMB® World Series male and female champions. UTMB® World Series titles will be awarded in each of the three key distances of the UTMB® Mont-Blanc - known as the OCC (50K), CCC® (100K) and UTMB® (100M), - and qualification can only be achieved by participating in one of the UTMB® World Series Events or UTMB® World Series Majors.

UTMB® World Series Majors

Three UTMB® World Series Majors will take place each year, where athletes can go head-to-head at the continental Series finals in the Americas, Europe and in Asia/Oceania. Each UTMB® World Series Major will include at least one race in each category - 50K, 100K and 100M - with elite and amateur finishers having at least double the chance to access the UTMB® World Series Finals.

UTMB® World Series Events

From Europe, to Asia, Oceania, the America’s and Africa, UTMB® World Series Events are the best events on the planet, taking place in exceptional locations in the heart of unspoiled nature. Organized to the highest quality standards to bring the UTMB® adventure closer to runners, each event will include at least one qualifying race in the 50K, 100K or 100M categories. These races will award Running Stones that give access to the UTMB® World Series Finals. The stars of the sport will also be able to enter the Finals based on their performance in the UTMB® World Series Events.

UTMB® World Series Qualifiers

UTMB® World Series Qualifiers are the gateway to the UTMB® World Series, with thousands of races around the world which are open to all. Participating in a UTMB® World Series Qualifier race is not mandatory to begin your adventure in the Series but runners who do take part will benefit from privileged access to the UTMB® World Series Events.

The UTMB® World Series will include a selection several premium events, spread across all continents, organized to the same exceptional standard as UTMB® Mont-Blanc: the UTMB® Worlds Series Events.

The UTMB® Mont-Blanc will host the UTMB® World Series Finals in the 50km, 100km and 170km distances, respectively known as the OCC, CCC® and UTMB®.

While the full calendar of UTMB® World Series Events will be announced in the third quarter of the year, eight leading, international events are already confirmed across Europe, Asia and Oceania, including:

• UTMB® Mont-Blanc (France, Italy, Switzerland)
• Val d'Aran by UTMB® (Spain)
• Thailand by UTMB® (Thailand)
• Panda Trail by UTMB® (China)
• Gaoligong by UTMB® (China)
• Tarawera™ Ultramarathon by UTMB® (New Zealand)
• Ultra-Trail Australia™ by UTMB® (Australia)
• mozart 100® by UTMB® (Austria)

The full UTMB® World Series calendar will be announced in the third quarter of 2021. You will be able to participate in the UTMB® World Series Events from the start of 2022.

To enter the 2022 edition, you have two options:

• Collect Running Stones by participating in the Ultra-Trail® World Tour circuit
• Get the necessary qualifying points by participating in the qualifying races

Further info on the qualifying points is available on the UTMB® Mont-Blanc website.

Only runners who have acquired at least 1 Running Stone in the last two years are eligible to enter the OCC, CCC® or UTMB® lottery. They must also own a valid UTMB® Index for the distance of their choice.

• To enter the OCC lottery, runners must own a valid UTMB® Index in the 20K, 50K, 100K or 100M category.
• To enter the CCC® lottery, runners must own a valid UTMB® Index in the 50K, 100K or 100M category.
• To enter the UTMB® lottery, runners must own a valid UTMB® Index in the 100K or 100M category.

One Running Stone is equivalent to one entry into the lottery to participate in the UTMB® World Series Finals, i.e., the UTMB®, CCC® and OCC races of the UTMB® Mont-Blanc. Running Stones will be awarded to all finishers of a 20K, 50K, 100K and 100M UTMB® World Series Event. Running Stones accumulate over time and each Running Stone gives an additional chance to be selected via the lottery.

Running Stones can be used to enter the lottery for only one race per edition of the UTMB® World Series Finals. If the athlete is not selected, they may use their Running Stones for a subsequent edition of the lottery for the race of their choice if they have a valid UTMB® Index in the category.

For example, if you have 9 Running Stones, your name appears 9 times in the lottery, thus tripling your odds in the lottery vs someone who only has 3 Running Stones.

The 20K, 50K, 100K and 100M categories are the main UTMB® World Series distances ranked according to the kilometer-effort, a formula for measuring the race distance in trail running by considering both the distance and elevation gain. 100M stands for 100 miles and represents races over 170km effort.

For example, a race of 78km and 4000m of elevation gain race has 118km-effort, and therefore falls into the 100K category.

• All Finishers of a UTMB® World Series Events 20K race earn 1 Running Stone
• All Finishers of a UTMB® World Series Events 50K race earn 2 Running Stones
• All Finishers of a UTMB® World Series Events 100K race earn 3 Running Stones
• All Finishers of a UTMB® World Series Events 100M race earn 4 Running Stones
• All Finishers of a UTMB® World Series Majors 20K race earn 2 Running Stones
• All Finishers of a UTMB® World Series Majors 50K race earn 4 Running Stones
• All Finishers of a UTMB® World Series Majors 100K race earn 6 Running Stones
• All Finishers of a UTMB® World Series Majors 100M race earn 8 Running Stones

The UTMB® World Series sports system has been designed to be inclusive and to unite the global trail running community with a clear structure. Set within the values of UTMB®, the UTMB® World Series is open to everyone, from elite runners to everyday runners. The global growth with the Series gives runners of all races, religions, nationalities, and sexual orientations, the ability to experience Extraordinary. Through solidarity towards each other, we uphold anti-discrimination standards, gender equity commitment, and strict commercial partner ethical guidelines.

Runners with a valid Performance Index will have privileged access to register for any UTMB® World Series Event. A valid Performance Index is achieved by completing at least one UTMB® World Series Major, UTMB® World Series Event or UTMB® World Series Qualifier race within the last 24 months.

The UTMB® Index created by Didier Curdy is at the heart of our new sports system, and over the years, it has demonstrated its relevance and its quality.

The UTMB® Index will now be accessible on utmb.world and will continue to provide the performance level of each runner participating in the UTMB® World Series races.

Runners with a valid UTMB® Index will have privileged access to register for a UTMB® World Series Event or UTMB® World Series Major and will use their UTMB® Index to validate their entry into the UTMB® World Series Finals lottery. A valid UTMB® Index is achieved by completing at least one UTMB® World Series Major, UTMB® World Series Event or UTMB® World Series Qualifier race within the last 24 months.

Yes, The UTMB® World Series Qualifiers are a gateway to the UTMB® World Series and will allow runners to connect with thousands of other runners from all over the world. Participating in a UTMB® World Series Qualifier race allows runners to gain privileged access to enter any UTMB® World Series Event and keep their UTMB® Index up to date.

This privileged access will include an exclusive registration period that will allow runners to benefit from the best ‘early bird’ rate on a first come, first served basis - excluding sold-out races where a lottery must be organized. In the event of a lottery, subscription will be exclusive to UTMB® Index owners.

However, some races may require runners proof of past race experience. In this case, runners will be required to show they possess a valid UTMB® Index in the right category.

Races that wish to become a UTMB® World Series Qualifier will be able to apply early June. They will become UTMB® World Series Qualifiers in 2022 and will allow runners to gain privileged access to UTMB ® World Series Events in 2023. This privileged access will include an exclusive registration period that will allow runners to benefit from the best “early bird” rate on a first come, first served basis - excluding sold-out races where a lottery must be organized. In the event of a lottery, subscription will be exclusive to UTMB® Index holders.

In 2022, runners will be able to enter the UTMB® World Series Events directly. In case of a sold-out race, runners will have to go through a lottery.

To participate in the UTMB® World Series Finals, the best athletes on the planet must qualify for the UTMB® World Series Majors or UTMB® World Series Events races over a period of 15 months. This allows elite runners to optimize their season or their recovery periods.

The first 10 men and women on the UTMB® World Series Majors, as well as the first 3 men and women on the UTMB® World Series Events in each of the 50K, 100K and 100M categories, will win a place at the UTMB® World Series Finals in the equivalent category. They will have the possibility to change category for the Final if they wish. To do this, they must inform the UTMB® Mont-Blanc organization before mid-June, indicating the reasons for the request.

If a runner does not wish to use their entry to one of the UTMB® World Series Finals - or does not need it because they already have a bib - their entry will be redistributed by mid June. These entries - as well as all of those which become available for any other reason - will be offered to runners who have completed at least one race in the 50K, 100K or 100M categories of the UTMB® World Series Events or UTMB® World Series Majors in the previous year and will be selected according to the best UTMB® Index. In this instance, if a runner does not use their entry, it will be offered to the next ranked runner, and so on until all available access is distributed.

For races that take place three months before UTMB® World Series Finals, any qualified elite runner can choose whether to participate in the UTMB® World Series Finals the same year or the following year. For runners who decide to take part in the Final the following year to that in which they qualified, we may consider granting a wild card for a shorter race in the qualifying year. 

The Ultra-Trail® World Tour was created in 2014 to gather the best Ultra-Trail® Running races around the world, and it has heavily contributed to the growth and international awareness of its race members as well as helped hundreds of runners to discover new destinations.

Thanks to this success, UTMB Group will now continue to build the future of trail running around the iconic UTMB® brand, in partnership with The IRONMAN Group - the largest operator of mass participation sports in the world.

Ultra-Trail® World Tour will indeed cease from January 2022. But a significant number of events from the Ultra-Trail® World Tour will join the UTMB® World Series.

There are 2 types of priority entries:

• Priorities following the cancellation of the 2020 event for runners who did not register in 2021 and 2022: these runners can still do so in 2023. In this case, the runners must have a valid UTMB® Index in the their race category.
• Other kind of priority entries (solidarity, partners, press race bibs): to be eligible for one of those bibs, runners must meet all sport criteria, i.e. they must own a valid UTMB® Index and at least 1 Running Stone.

PTL ®, TDS®, MCC and YCC will maintain their specific entry processes. More details will be communicated this autumn.

Yes. If you collect Running Stones in 2021 and you don’t use them to register for the 2022 UTMB® Mont-Blanc, you will be able to use them to enter the 2023 UTMB® Mont-Blanc and beyond.

The UTMB® World Series is the world's premier trail running circuit, bringing together the best races in the world, held in exceptional locations in the heart of unspoiled nature.

Open to all, the UTMB® World Series meets the expectations of both elite and ordinary runners and aims to give every trail running enthusiast an extraordinary adventure. For runners, it is the gateway to the UTMB® Mont-Blanc, which will host the UTMB® World Series Finals in the 50km, 100km and 170km distances.    The UTMB® World Series is made up of 4 levels: 

• UTMB® World Series Finals
• UTMB® World Series Majors
• UTMB® World Series Events
• UTMB® Index Races

Yes. UTMB® World Series partnerships offer the opportunity to get involved with the number one trail running marketing brand in the world, and to benefit from this unique promotional platform. Opportunities are available for brands from across the world.