End of season success and celebrations as UTMB World Series concludes unforgettable 2023 season in Thailand and Australia

The UTMB® World Series Asia Pacific Major welcomed over 5,000 runners from around the world to Chiang Mai, Thailand for Doi Inthanon Thailand by UTMB®. Close battles played out across the competitive field in each race category, with Ji Duo (CHN, UTMB Index 874) and Lin Chen (CHN, UTMB Index 689) storming to victory in the queen Trans-INT 160.

With Jiaju Zhao (CHN, UTMB Index 887) leading the charge in the opening stages of the race, he looked set to repeat history and defend his title from 2022 but Ji Duo continued to apply the pressure from behind before eventually moving up into the lead at the 45km mark and retaining it for the rest of the race.

“_It is my first time in Thailand. I arrived in Chiang Mai earlier in November to train and acclimatize and it is great to see that has paid off. The first part of the race was so difficult that I thought about giving up, but I kept going and eventually nailed it_” said Duo.

With Zhao later withdrawing from the race, Duo established an hour’s buffer on second-placed Gediminas Grinius (LIT, UTMB Index 844), with Benat Marmissolle (FRA, UTMB Index 875) rounding out the international podium.

It was an all-Chinese podium in the women’s race, with Lin Chen taking the tape and clinching a top-ten overall finish amongst a stacked field. Anna Li (UTMB Index 683) put the pressure on, finishing just over five minutes behind. Yuanyun Wu (CHN, UTMB Index 708) taking the final podium spot.

The strength of the China’s trail-running community continued to shine in the Elephant 100, with Guangfu Meng (UTMB Index 876) securing first in an impressive time of 10:09:22. Just one minute separated second and third, with Peiquan You (UTMB Index 838) claiming second ahead of Hui Bai.

The top ten finishers in the women’s race came from around the world, including America, Ireland, Vietnam, Spain, Netherlands, France, Japan and China. Hau Ha Thi (VNM, UTMB Index 740) took the top step, ahead of Ragna Debts (NED, UTMB Index 780) and Emilie Maroteaux (FRA, UTMB Index 688).

In the Hmong 50 race, Tao Luo (CHN, UTMB Index 881) was fastest to the finish at Royal Rajapruek Park, ahead of Meikael Beaudoin Rousseau (USA, UTMB Index 874) and Aiai Shi (CHN). It was an Italian 1-2 in the women’s race with Elisa Desco (ITA, UTMB Index 741) and Marina Cugnetto (ITA, UTMB Index 727) also finishing 7th and 8th overall. Ruifang Zhou (CHN, UTMB Index 689) rounded out the podium in third.

With over 1,100 starters in the Palace 20 event, it proved the perfect distance for runners looking to try trail running for the first time or those looking to race against the clock and each other across the looped trail at Doi Suthep-Pui National Park.

Daniel Curts (USA) was fastest finisher in the 20K distance, posting a time of 02:16:45 ahead of Toby Sparkes (AUS) and Nhon Do Trong (VNM, UTMB Index 737). In the women’s race, Chloe Souvigne (FRA, UTMB Index 569) took a commanding win ahead of Yupa Saelee (THA, UTMB Index 568) and Benita Cusic (DEN, UTMB Index 589).

Full results can be found here.

UTMB® World Series headed to the rooftop of Australia over 7-9 December, as runners conquered Oceania’s newest Ultra-Trail event. Surrounded by snow gum forests, alpine meadows and mountain streams, Chris Lenkic (AUS, UTMB Index 746) and Manuela Soccol (BEL, UTMB Index 669) stormed to surprise victories in their debut 100-milers.

“_It is unreal, I am still in shock to be honest and can’t believe it. Last year I did my first 100km here, and I have had some good results this year and felt confident. I thought I was capable of finishing within the top five so to come away with the win in my first 100-miler is unbelievable_” said Lenkic, who took the lead at the 100km mark from Vlad Shatrov (AUS, UTMB Index 807) who later went on to DNF.

Lenkic held onto the lead over the Thredbo Valley Track and all the way into the finish, finishing in 19:23:07 and just two minutes ahead of second-placed Takumi Sawayanagi (JPN, UTMB Index 792). Hayato Nishikata (JPN, UTMB Index 774) rounded out the podium in third.

Having suffered a DNF at her first 100-mile attempt in America last year, Manuela Soccol ran a smart race before making her move up from third to first ahead of last year’s winner, Stephanie Auston (AUS, UTMB Index 721) and Claire O’Brien-Smith (AUS, UTMB Index 618).

“_The win was really a bonus as I just wanted to finish no matter what, even if I needed to crawl. I ran a lot with Stephanie, and we talked a lot, and I was trying to catch back up with her after the technical parts as I am so bad at that. We entered the last aid station together and then I didn’t see her anymore!_” said Soccol, whose time of 22:24:48 also earned her sixth place overall. On qualifying for the Dacia UTMB® Mont-Blanc – UTMB World Series Finals, she said; “_The first thing I said to my boyfriend at the finish line was that I am never doing 100 miles again, but I will change my mind. UTMB is on my bucket list._”

In the Kosci100, Ruy Ueda (JPN, UTMB Index 896) dominated from start to finish, taking the tape in 09:49:28 to finish nearly twenty-minutes ahead of his nearest competitor, Rhett Gibson (AUS, UTMB Index 803) despite bad cramps faltering his progress. British runner, Adrian de la Nougerede (GBR, UTMB Index 663) rounded out the podium in third.

_“Ultra-Trail Kosciuszko has some very cool mountains and is very scenic and beautiful. This is my first time in Australia, and I like it a lot! My wife ran the 27km distance yesterday and it has just been a great experience_” said Ueda.

Having finished third over the distance in 2022, Patricia McKibbin (AUS, UTMB Index 721) went two better in 2023, also leading from start to finish in the women’s race.

“_It is a great feeling to take the win. I think once I go to bed and wake up tomorrow it will sink in a bit more, but I am really pleased. It wasn’t necessarily my race plan to go out hard, but I really wanted to qualify for the CCC again next year, so I just took off at my pace and tried to hang on for the rest of the day_” said McKibbin who was joined by Hannah McRae (AUS, UTMB Index 609) and Sophie Broome (GBR, UTMB Index 612) on the podium.

Finland’s Tuomas Kari (UTMB Index 847) stormed over the Kosci50 course to take the tape in Thredbo. Finishing in 4:17:54, Kari established a ten-minute buffer on second-placed Billy Curtis (AUS, UTMB Index 814). Japan’s Koken Ogasawara (UTMB Index 838) rounded out the podium in third.

It was an all-Australian podium in the women’s race, with Madison Reynolds (AUS, UTMB Index 693) securing the win ahead of Lauren Rooke (UTMB Index 650) and Demi Caldwell (UTMB Index 644).

With Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB® being her first trail-running event last year, Reynolds is new to trail running and was blown away by the atmosphere: “_We had such awesome support from the crowd. I didn’t have my name on my bib, so I wrote it on, and everyone was cheering out my name, I felt like a bit of a superstar!_”

In the Kosci27, Thomas Banks (AUS, UTMB Index 804) took the win ahead of Max Taylor (AUS, UTMB Index 827) and Etienne Blumstein-Jones (AUS, UTMB Index 769).

In the women’s race, Laura Gillard (AUS, UTMB Index 667) edged ahead to take the tape by just fifteen seconds ahead of Em O’Sullivan (AUS, UTMB Index 646) with Abigail McGeachie (AUS, UTMB Index 643) rounding out the podium in third.

Full results can be found here.

**Wrapping up the season in Thailand and Australia, UTMB World Series looks forward to welcoming runners back to the mountains to immerse themselves in nature and achieve the extraordinary once again in 2024 and beyond. **