UTMB World Series set to break new ground in Africa with 2023 Mountain Ultra-Trail by UTMB
• Mountain Ultra-Trail by UTMB to welcome runners to the Western Cape of South Africa on May 26-28 2023
• Entries open on 16 November 2022 here
(Cape Town, South Africa/Chamonix, France/Tampa, USA) - For the first time ever, the UTMB® World Series will head to Africa in 2023, with the confirmation that Mountain Ultra-Trail (MUT) by UTMB in the Western Cape of South Africa will join the circuit.
There are now 30 events across Africa, Europe, the Americas, Oceania, and Asia confirmed for the 2023 UTMB World Series, with further event announcements to come in the following weeks, as the organizers UTMB Group and The IRONMAN Group look to expand the offering to runners from all over the world and support their quest to the UTMB World Series Finals.
At the heart of the Garden Route National Park is the city of George and a 200km stretch along the southern coast of South Africa, providing the perfect backdrop for the MUT by UTMB, with true wild mountains that boast some of the country's best trails right on the urban edge.
Considered a mountain trail paradise, runners at MUT by UTMB will have the chance to traverse the Outeniqua Mountain Range which towers high above the garden city of George. The race will take place on May 26-28 2023, and entries will open here on 16th November 2022.
For the first time the event will host a 100-mile race, alongside the established MUT 100km which has 4,500m+ of elevation gain, and the MUT 60km (3,054m+) - both of which offer runners everything from big climbs, rocky trails, technical downhills, and spectacular views of the Outeniqua Mountain Range to keep the endorphins going and distract from the burn in the legs.
The MUT Marathon 42km offers many of the highlights of the longer distances without some of the bigger climbs, however runners can still expect this course to be a challenge, and straight from the start runners will take on the biggest climb of the route, the Cradock Pass.
The MUT Challenge 25km (910m+) and the MUT Lite 10km (475m+) are all also once again on the menu giving runners of all abilities the chance to take part in the fifth edition of the event, one of the country's fastest growing races.
Race Director Zane Schmahl said: “We are excited to be joining the biggest series in trail running and to be the first event on the African continent to form part of the UTMB World Series. It is a dream come true for our event and we are hard at work for the MUT by UTMB to live up to the expectations of one of the most premiere events in the world.”
In 2022, 52 South African runners toed the startline of the UTMB Mont-Blanc, and now more runners will have the chance to qualify for the UTMB World Series Finals on their home turf. All finishers of races in the 100M, 100K, 50K and 20K categories at MUT by UTMB will be awarded Running Stones which can be used to enter the lottery for the Finals in 2023. Those who complete the MUT 100 Miler will be awarded 4; 3 are on offer for the MUT 100km; 2 for both the MUT 60km and the MUT Marathon 42km; and 1 for the MUT Challenge 25km.
Runners can register for all distances from Wednesday 16th November at https://georgemut.run.
