Nice Côte d’Azur by UTMB: An adventure through the Alpine mountains to the Mediterranean Sea

The stunning French Riviera, Mercantour Massif and Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis will play host to the next edition of the UTMB World Series as over 4,000 runners get set to discover the wonders of the region as part of the first ever Nice Côte d’Azur by UTMB on 22-25 September. The event, which aims to become the biggest trail running event in the Mediterranean basin, has quickly established itself as a key event in France, and it is already one of the top five events in the country in terms of participation. Fans around the world can watch live at live.utmb.world on Friday 23rd September (12.30pm-4.30pm) and Saturday 24th September (7am-1.30pm and 5pm-7pm CET.

From the crystalline peaks of the Mercantour Massif to the stunning azure coastline of the French Riviera with the finish line on the iconic Promenade des Anglais in the City of Nice, runners will enjoy a wide variety of landscapes over one of the four distances on offer. 17km, 59km, 111km and 100-mile courses have ensured this event offers something for everyone and has attracted first-timers and elites alike from around the world.

Coming off the back of an incredible 11th place at the UTMB Mont-Blanc CCC last month, Tobias Dahl Fenre (NOR) is looking forward to taking to the start line of the 111km race which includes a challenging 5,000m+ elevation. He said, “CCC was an amazing experience for me. I recovered faster than usual and felt motivated by my experience in Chamonix. I am going to Nice to get more experience and train on key parts of my performance. I am also currently without any Running Stones due to a DNF at mozart 100 by UTMB in June, so I am really focused on crossing that finish line in Nice.

“I have had a positive experience participating in the UTMB World Series events this summer and want to set myself up well for next season with the Running Stones. Aside from all of that, the course and location in Nice look amazing and I am really looking forward to experiencing the trails and community around the race.”

Also competing in the 111km race, Gabriel Santos Rueda (ARG) has tasked himself with an interesting challenge. He said, “I have analyzed the 111km course and believe I would like to be at the finish line before dark, so it is my goal to avoid using my headtorch twice in the race.”

As his first time in Nice, Gabriel can’t wait to take it all in. He added, “I have seen lots of pictures of the French Riviera, and it looks amazing, so I am looking forward to getting the chance to run in the mountains and by the beach on the same day. For me, every first experience in a new place is unique and magical so I cannot wait!”

After a summer in Europe where he competed at both Wildstrubel by UTMB in Crans-Montana and the TDS at UTMB Mont-Blanc, China’s Qi Min is the top ranked male in the 100-miler according to his UTMB Index. In the women’s 100-miler, the Netherland’s Ragna Debats is no doubt a favourite, and after a DNF at UTMB Mont-Blanc in August, she’ll surely be looking to put things right.

Greece’s Despoina Simantrakou will also compete in the queen race and is looking forward to exploring new territories.

“I am looking forward to it, especially that I will run in a place of incredible beauty, which I have not visited in the past. What impresses me most about the race is that I will be going up and down from the sea to the sky and back. Since I am going to run the long distance (100 miles), my goal is to have as smooth a race as possible. Start slowly and pick up speed later. I know it will hurt but I want to come to terms with my pain. Finally, I want to handle the race in a way that I will be proud of later.”

From the mountains to the sea, runners will traverse through beautiful forests, past pristine lakes and over valleys before crossing the finish line in Nice and cooling down in the Mediterranean Sea.