UTMB World Series expands North American offering with Kodiak Ultra Marathons by UTMB 

Kodiak Ultra Marathons™ by UTMB® has become the latest trail running event to be added to the 2023 UTMB® World Series. As the sixth event located in United States, Kodiak Ultra Marathons by UTMB will take place in Big Bear Lake, California on October 13-15 and will feature distances of 10km, half marathon (21km), 50km, 100km, and 100-mile, with Running Stones offered at select distances for the UTMB® World Series Finals at UTMB® Mont-Blanc. The event joins a list of 36 prestigious trail running events from around the world that make up the premiere series in trail running.

With close proximity to Los Angeles, California, Kodiak Ultra Marathons by UTMB also furthers the offering for runners to live their UTMB experience while exploring some of the best trails across the USA as the sixth UTMB World Series event in the United States, joining Desert RATS™ Trail Running Festival™ by UTMB® (Fruita, Colorado), UTMB® World Series American Major - The Canyons Endurance Runs™ by UTMB® (Auburn, California), Western States® 100-Mile Endurance Run (Olympic Valley and Auburn, California), Speedgoat™ Mountain Races by UTMB® (Snowbird, Utah), and Grindstone Trail Running Festival™ by UTMB® (Staunton, Virginia).

General registrations for Kodiak Ultra Marathons by UTMB will open on May 10 at kodiak.utmb.world.

“It’s an honor to have Kodiak Ultra Marathons by UTMB added as the sixth UTMB World Series event in the United States,” said Susie Schmelzer, Race Director for Kodiak Ultra Marathons by UTMB. “It is a natural addition to the UTMB World Series. The event and Big Bear Lake have so much to offer runners, family, friends and spectators that meets the standards of the other great events that are part of this Series.”

Sitting at 7,000ft in the San Bernardino Mountains, the charming Big Bear village will host the start and finish for all five races, each offering their own unique running experience through high desert, sub alpine and semi-arid climates. 

Racing for the 10th edition of Kodiak Ultra Marathons by UTMB will kick off on Friday, October 13 when runners take on the 100-mile race. This distance is a looped course that circumnavigates Big Bear Lake. From the descent through the rarely crossed Siberia Canyon, to the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain at nearly 10,000ft, the course is as challenging as it is beautiful.

On Saturday, October 14, the 100km course follows over half of the 100-mile course, while covering much of the beautiful Big Bear Valley. Runners in the 50km will enjoy the flowy single track of the Skyline ridge at 8,000ft before descending to the Village.

Finally, on Sunday, October 15, race weekend closes out with a 10km and half marathon (21km). The 10km runners will enjoy the beautiful trails with views of Big Bear Lake in the background throughout the run. The Half Marathon course ascends the Skyline ridge with views of San Gorgonio peak before descending back into town for the festival finish.

Big Bear Lake is Southern California's four-season mountain lake escape. As the jewel of the San Bernardino National Forest and known for excellent fishing, snowboarding and skiing, hiking, mountain biking and so much more, Big Bear Lake is also easy to access from Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, and Las Vegas.

UTMB World Series events are the only place for runners to access the UTMB World Series Finals, held annually at the world’s biggest trail running event, UTMB Mont-Blanc. 36 events across Europe, Asia, Oceania, the USA, South America, and Africa are currently confirmed for the 2023 season, giving runners from around the world the chance to meet their extraordinary at exceptional events across the globe. Runners can view the full calendar of events and choose their adventures here.  

For more information about the Kodiak Ultra Marathons by UTMB visit kodiak.utmb.world. For more information about the UTMB World Series visit utmb.world.

UTMB World Series 2023 confirmed events (as 28 April 2023)  

• Tarawera Ultramarathon™ by UTMB® (New Zealand), 11-12 February      
• Amazean Jungle Thailand by UTMB® (Thailand), 17-19 February    
• Istria 100™ by UTMB® (Croatia), 13-16 April     
• Ultra-Trail Ninghai by UTMB® (China) 14-16 April 
• Desert RATS™ Trail Running Festival™ by UTMB® (USA) 12-14 April 
• UTMB® World Series American Major; The Canyons Endurance Runs™ by UTMB® (USA), 28-29 April     
• Transvulcania by UTMB® (Spain), 4-6 May    
• Ultra-Trail Australia™ by UTMB® (Australia), 11-14 May    
• Ultra-Trail Snowdonia by UTMB® (Wales), 12-14 May    
• Valhöll Argentina by UTMB® (Argentina), 12-14 May    
• Trail Alsace Grand Est by UTMB® (France), 18-21 May     
• Mountain Ultra-Trail™ by UTMB® (South Africa), 26-28 May   
• Trail du Saint-Jacques by UTMB® (France), 3-4 June     
• mozart 100™ by UTMB® (Austria), 17-18 June     
• La Sportiva® Lavaredo Ultra-Trail® by UTMB® (Italy), 22-25 June     
• Trail 100 Andorra™ by UTMB® (Andorra), 24-25 June     
• Western States® 100-Mile Endurance Run (USA), 24-25 June     
• UTMB® World Series European Major; Val d'Aran by UTMB® (Spain), 6-9 July     
• Restonica Trail by UTMB® (France), 6-8 July     
• Trail Verbier Saint-Bernard by UTMB® (Switzerland), 7-9 July     
• Eiger Ultra Trail™ by UTMB® (Switzerland), 12-16 July     
• Speedgoat™ Mountain Races by UTMB® (USA), 21-22 July      
• KAT100™ by UTMB® (Austria), 3-5 August   
• UTMB® World Series Finals; UTMB® Mont-Blanc (France, Italy, Switzerland), 28 August – 3 September    
• Julian Alps Trail Run by UTMB® (Slovenia), 8-10 September     
• Wildstrubel by UTMB® (Switzerland), 14-17 September    
• Paraty Brazil by UTMB® (Brazil), 22-24 September    
• Grindstone Trail Running Festival™ by UTMB® (USA), 22-24 September 
• Nice Côte d’Azur by UTMB® (France), 28 September - 1 October  
• TransJeju by UTMB® (South Korea), 7-8 October  
• Kodiak Ultra Marathons by UTMB® (USA), 13-15 October 
• Puerto Vallarta México by UTMB® (Mexico), 3-4 November   
• Kullamannen™ by UTMB® (Sweden), 3-4 November    
• TransLantau™ by UTMB® (Hong Kong), 10-12 November     
• UTMB® World Series Asian-Pacific Major; Doi Inthanon Thailand by UTMB® (Thailand), 8-10 December    
• Ultra-Trail Kosciuszko™ by UTMB® (Australia), 7-9 December