Race feature: With the 2013 The North Face® Ultra-Trail Du Mont-Blanc® fast approaching (August 26 to September 1) Run247 will be taking a closer look at this prestigious ultra-event in the weeks running up to race day
In our last issue of Bon Courage, we take a look at the favourites entered for 2013. Even bearing in mind that some of the athletes listed may decide not to start at the last minute, the field for the UTMB looks very exciting.
Photo: © The North Face® / Alo Belluscio
Last year's second, third and fourth placed male athletes (Jonas Buud, Michael Foote and Carlos Sa) are expected to return, and there is a strong contingient of athletes from the USA. The North Face athlete and The Western States Endurance Run 2013 winner Timothy Olson will make his debut, while his team mate Mike Wolfe would no doubt like to go one better than his second place in 2010!
The North Face athlete Sebastien Chaigneau seems to be going from strength to strength after an impressive win at the Hardrock 100 Endurance Run earlier in the year and he knows the UTMB route well.
Salomon athlete Julien Chorier is another athlete who looks likely to feature in the race, returning to the UTMB with a host of big results to his name, including a second place at the Ultra-Trail Mont Fuji this year.
Still, it's easy for Run247 to pick their favourite: We're not afraid to show a bias towards Jez Bragg. We like to support our British athletes of course, and although Jez has not raced yet in 2013, taking time to recover after his adventures along the Te Araroa Trail (HERE), he has prepared incredibly well for the UTMB - and he knows what is required, having completed the UTMB four times, including a win in 2010.
Another Run247 favourite who we will be rooting for is Britain's Lizzy Hawker. Last year's winner has been struggling with injury, but is guarateed to put her heart and soul into the race if she makes it to the start!
Itanlian Francesca Canepa, who followed a second place at the UTMB with a win at the Tor de Geants in 2012 is down to race again this year and looks very comfortable on the alpine trails.
Rory Bosio, who was fourth last year, heads a strong American contigient that includes Meghan Arbogast and Amy Sproston - fourth and third respectively at this year's Western States 100 - and last but not least The North Face athlete Helen Cospolich!
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A lists of favorites in all the events can be found here: utmb.livetrail.net/lstfavoris.php *
*The runner's bib numbers link to live tracking as well as some information on their race performances in recent years!
|
UTMB
Men
|
Côte |
Race-bib |
First name, FAMILY NAME |
Country |
|
916 |
2200 |
Dakota JONES |
USA |
|
904 |
2202 |
Miguel Angel HERAS HERNANDEZ |
ESP |
|
904 |
2201 |
Anton KRUPICKA |
USA |
|
898 |
2204 |
Mike WOLFE |
USA |
|
898 |
2203 |
Timothy OLSON |
USA |
|
891 |
2205 |
Sebastien CHAIGNEAU |
FRA |
|
875 |
2206 |
Julien CHORIER |
FRA |
|
870 |
2 |
Jonas BUUD |
SWE |
|
865 |
2207 |
Jez BRAGG |
GBR |
|
863 |
2208 |
Dylan BOWMAN |
USA |
|
862 |
2209 |
Adam CAMPBELL |
CAN |
|
860 |
2210 |
Aite TAMANG |
NEP |
|
859 |
2211 |
Vajin ARMSTRONG |
NZL |
|
856 |
10 |
Tsuyoshi KABURAKI |
JPN |
|
850 |
2212 |
Xavier THEVENARD |
FRA |
|
848 |
53 |
Gary ROBBINS |
CAN |
|
844 |
2214 |
Yoshikazu HARA |
JPN |
|
844 |
2213 |
Jason LOUTITT |
CAN |
|
843 |
2215 |
Michael WARDIAN |
USA |
|
842 |
3 |
Michael FOOTE |
USA |
|
841 |
158 |
Zigor ITURRIETA RUIZ |
ESP |
|
841 |
4 |
Carlos SA |
POR |
|
839 |
2216 |
Pascal GIGUET |
FRA |
|
836 |
2217 |
Emmanuel GAULT |
FRA |
|
831 |
12 |
Javier DOMINGUEZ LEDO |
ESP |
|
830 |
230 |
Yan Qiao YUN |
CHN |
|
829 |
2218 |
Giuliano CAVALLO |
ITA |
|
828 |
2219 |
Gustavo REYES |
ARG |
|
822 |
2220 |
Andrew TUCKEY |
AUS |
|
822 |
36 |
Clarke MCCLYMONT |
AUS |
Women
|
769 |
2251 |
Nuria PICAS ALBETS |
ESP |
|
757 |
16 |
Elisabeth HAWKER |
GBR |
|
740 |
44 |
Rory BOSIO |
USA |
|
734 |
120 |
Meghan ARBOGAST |
USA |
|
720 |
68 |
Amy SPROSTON |
USA |
|
719 |
37 |
Emma ROCA RODRIGUEZ |
ESP |
|
714 |
30 |
Francesca CANEPA |
ITA |
|
709 |
2258 |
Maja MENEGHIN-PLISKA |
SUI |
|
707 |
2259 |
Shona STEPHENSON |
AUS |
|
702 |
196 |
Helen COSPOLICH |
USA |
|
690 |
2260 |
Ildiko WERMESCHER |
HUN |
|
680 |
56 |
Katia FORI |
ITA |
|
678 |
2261 |
Simonetta GADLER |
ITA |
|
677 |
83 |
Emilie LECOMTE |
FRA |
|
668 |
2262 |
Gill FOWLER |
AUS |
|
658 |
2263 |
Nora SENN |
SUI |
|
650 |
2264 |
Silvia Ainhoa TRIGUEROS GARROTE |
ESP |
|
648 |
3304 |
Clare ABRAM |
GBR |
|
646 |
2265 |
Luz PEREZ CARBAJO |
ESP |
|
642 |
2267 |
Juliette BLANCHET |
FRA |
|
642 |
2266 |
Manuela VILASECA |
BRA |
|
641 |
2268 |
Jaione SASIETA BARRENETXEA |
ESP |
|
633 |
394 |
Ruling XING |
CHN |
|
626 |
310 |
Josiane PICCOLET |
FRA |
|
625 |
4795 |
Meaghen BROWN |
USA |
|
616 |
3434 |
Maddi ARRAZOLA |
ESP |
|
610 |
2788 |
Sofia CANTILO |
ARG |
|
608 |
4786 |
Claire NEDELEC |
FRA |
|
607 |
3933 |
Berta MORENO LLAGOSTERA |
ESP |
|
600 |
4323 |
Francesca MAI |
ITA |
CCC
Men
|
863 |
5000 |
Thomas LORBLANCHET |
FRA |
|
829 |
5001 |
Jesus Maria ROMON MARTINEZ |
ESP |
|
827 |
5002 |
Sylvain CAMUS |
FRA |
|
823 |
5003 |
Clément PETITJEAN |
FRA |
|
819 |
5004 |
Sébastien CAMUS |
FRA |
|
815 |
5005 |
Jordi BES |
ESP |
|
813 |
5006 |
Fridleifur FRIDLEIFSSON |
ISL |
|
811 |
5007 |
Nicola GIOVANELLI |
ITA |
|
806 |
5008 |
Yeray DURAN LOPEZ |
ESP |
|
797 |
5009 |
Aurélien DUNAND-PALLAZ |
FRA |
|
795 |
5010 |
Julien COUDERT |
FRA |
|
793 |
5011 |
Augustin GUIBERT |
FRA |
|
791 |
5012 |
Daniel GARCIA GOMEZ |
ESP |
|
789 |
5013 |
Aurélien COLLET |
FRA |
|
787 |
5015 |
Jeannick SERY |
FRA |
|
787 |
5014 |
Fabrice ARNAUD |
FRA |
|
784 |
5016 |
Julien JORRO |
FRA |
|
781 |
5018 |
Francesco CARONI |
ITA |
|
781 |
5017 |
Laurent BEUZEBOC |
FRA |
|
780 |
5019 |
Sondre AMDAHL |
NOR |
|
772 |
5020 |
Matteo LUCCHESE |
ITA |
|
771 |
5021 |
Thomas BEIRNAERT |
BEL |
|
769 |
5022 |
Fredéric FUSS |
FRA |
|
767 |
5024 |
Gareth DAVIES |
CAN |
|
767 |
5023 |
Joris MILLERET |
FRA |
|
758 |
7542 |
Julien FRANCOIS |
FRA |
|
753 |
5025 |
Helgi JULIUSSON |
ISL |
|
749 |
5026 |
Claus BECH |
DEN |
|
748 |
5027 |
Jan ZEMANIK |
CZE |
|
743 |
5029 |
Ixaka ONEDERRA INURRITEGI |
ESP |
Women
|
718 |
5035 |
Fernanda MACIEL |
BRA |
|
689 |
5052 |
Caroline CHAVEROT |
FRA |
|
675 |
5050 |
Annie BAUMBER |
GBR |
|
673 |
5051 |
Sandrine MOTTO-ROS |
FRA |
|
659 |
5053 |
Anne VALERO |
FRA |
|
652 |
5054 |
Kim BARGER |
USA |
|
649 |
5055 |
Marie-Noelle BOURGEOIS |
FRA |
|
647 |
5056 |
Simona MORBELLI |
ITA |
|
635 |
5057 |
Amalia MATTHAIOU |
GRE |
|
632 |
5059 |
Luciana MORETTI |
ARG |
|
632 |
5058 |
Mercedes ARCOS ZAFRA |
ESP |
|
631 |
5061 |
Delphine AVENIER |
FRA |
|
629 |
5060 |
Isobel WYKES |
GBR |
|
622 |
5064 |
Claire VANNSON |
FRA |
|
619 |
5062 |
Agnès HERVE |
FRA |
|
608 |
5063 |
Marina PLAVAN |
ITA |
|
599 |
5649 |
Ionela Paula DOGARU |
ROU |
|
581 |
5157 |
Jolene MELLON |
IRL |
|
579 |
6696 |
Aurora LOPEZ LUQUE |
ESP |
|
575 |
6550 |
Debora GARAVINI |
ITA |
|
572 |
6648 |
Carla DENNENY |
GBR |
|
567 |
5184 |
Sarah FOURNIER |
SUI |
|
564 |
5180 |
Agnès BARDY |
FRA |
|
563 |
5404 |
Joëlle ETTINGER |
SUI |
|
561 |
6046 |
Ines MELZER |
GER |
|
561 |
5519 |
Laure REBUFFET |
FRA |
|
561 |
5509 |
Agnes LEGRAND |
FRA |
|
561 |
5488 |
Ann BRANCH |
GBR |
|
560 |
6424 |
Amandine BOLE |
FRA |
|
556 |
6548 |
Christèle DURAND |
FRA |
TDS
Men
|
824 |
8000 |
Pere AURELL BOVE |
ESP |
|
812 |
8002 |
Stefano TRISCONI |
ITA |
|
810 |
8003 |
Antoine GUILLON |
FRA |
|
801 |
8006 |
Arnaud JULIA BONMATI |
ESP |
|
799 |
8004 |
Christophe MEIER |
SUI |
|
793 |
8005 |
Franck BUSSIERE |
FRA |
|
788 |
8007 |
Renaud ROUANET |
FRA |
|
784 |
8011 |
Ryan BAUMANN |
SUI |
|
783 |
8008 |
Sebastien TALOTTI |
FRA |
|
779 |
8010 |
Léo BECHET |
FRA |
|
779 |
8009 |
Quentin STEPHAN |
FRA |
|
776 |
8012 |
Fabrizio ROUX |
ITA |
|
775 |
8014 |
Jules-Henri GABIOUD |
SUI |
|
775 |
8013 |
Daniel DOHERTY |
IRL |
|
768 |
8015 |
Olivier MORIN |
FRA |
|
761 |
8039 |
Iñaki CATALAN |
ESP |
|
760 |
8016 |
Matthieu BRIGNON |
FRA |
|
759 |
8017 |
Clement POSECAK |
FRA |
|
757 |
8041 |
Stéphane EVEQUE-MOURROUX |
FRA |
|
755 |
8034 |
Damien TRIVEL |
FRA |
|
754 |
8035 |
David TREBAUX |
FRA |
|
751 |
8036 |
Fulvio CHILO |
ITA |
|
749 |
8037 |
Ole CLAUSEN |
DEN |
|
746 |
8038 |
Fabien MEYNET |
FRA |
|
744 |
8040 |
Baptiste DUBOIS |
SUI |
|
742 |
8042 |
Thomas ANDERSEN |
NOR |
|
738 |
8043 |
Daniel AMAT ASENCIO |
ESP |
|
737 |
8044 |
Juan Maria JIMENEZ LLORENS |
ESP |
|
730 |
8045 |
Mathieu MOTSCH |
FRA |
|
727 |
8046 |
Luca GUERINI |
ITA |
Women
|
Côte |
Race-bib |
First name, Family name |
Country |
|
734 |
8018 |
Nathalie MAUCLAIR |
FRA |
|
691 |
8019 |
Claire PRICE |
GBR |
|
687 |
8020 |
Lisa BORZANI |
ITA |
|
686 |
8021 |
Cinzia BERTASA |
ITA |
|
663 |
8022 |
Sophie LIMOGES |
CAN |
|
642 |
8023 |
Sandrine BARON |
FRA |
|
633 |
8024 |
Nathalie LE FLANCHEC |
FRA |
|
628 |
8025 |
Emanuela Scilla TONETTI |
ITA |
|
623 |
8026 |
Marjolein BIL |
NED |
|
615 |
8027 |
Ildiko DEVENYI |
HUN |
|
611 |
8028 |
Manikala RAI |
NEP |
|
605 |
8029 |
Valerie BOITTE |
FRA |
|
604 |
8030 |
Dreama LEHMAN |
USA |
|
602 |
8031 |
Elisabet MARGEIRSDOTTIR |
ISL |
|
600 |
8032 |
Marta PORETTI |
ITA |
|
598 |
8033 |
Estelle CARRET |
FRA |
|
592 |
8606 |
Bertille FAURE |
FRA |
|
587 |
9135 |
Sylvie LEJAS |
FRA |
|
587 |
9115 |
Ute BAIRD |
GBR |
|
579 |
9215 |
Delphine BIOLLAZ |
FRA |
|
573 |
9612 |
Christine NGUYEN |
FRA |
|
568 |
8571 |
Anne-Marie MAUGER |
FRA |
|
568 |
8270 |
Elouise PEACH |
AUS |
|
565 |
9763 |
Hortense BEGUE |
FRA |
|
561 |
8717 |
Anne VILLEMIN |
FRA |
|
561 |
9764 |
Stephanie SAMPER |
FRA |
|
559 |
8709 |
Rachel FALLACARA |
FRA |
|
556 |
8750 |
Hannah SHIELDS |
IRL |
|
553 |
8729 |
Agnes THOMAS |
FRA |
|
553 |
8588 |
Gaelle MOUTHON |
FRA |
Run247 columnist Kirsty Reade, despite her recent win at the adidas Thunder Run 24 (HERE), has not made it on the official list of favourites, but her preparation for the 2013 TDS has been thorough. Before starting a well deserved taper she travelled to the Lake District for a final weekend of training. The challenge was to take in as much ascent and descent as her legs would take:
At the other end of the field, or hopefully somewhere in the middle, is me. I ran the CCC in 2011 and 2012 and was unsuccessful in the ballot for the UTMB for this year but decided that I couldn’t live without my annual trip to Chamonix so transferred to the TDS. Compared to the CCC, while it’s ‘only’ another 20km on paper it’s also another 1300m of ascent (that’s an extra Ben Nevis) and they allow another 7 hours as the cut-off to complete it, which is probably the fact which makes me most nervous of all.
As preparation for the race I made one of my regular trips to the Lake District for Run247 editor Britta to put me through my paces. I can’t help but notice that Britta’s training regime for me has got a lot harder since she hasn’t been running (she’s currently injured). When she used to run with me it was nice ascents of Loughrigg, with a bit of a sit down to admire the view at the top. Since she’s been injured she’s had me out running with Ben Abdelnoor, top fell runner and recent winner of the Lakeland 50, which almost killed me, and this weekend ‘encouraged’ me to enter the Howtown fell race. This was perfect preparation for the TDS in every way – nice climbs, fairly long, and the most horrendous weather. Nothing reminds me of my 2 CCC experiences more than high winds and heavy rain, fighting to stay upright and trying not to cry. Could have done with a bit of snow and thunder and lightning for the full effect but you can’t have it all. Then she sent me off for a nice run round the Fairfield Horseshoe on Monday and the finishing touches to my TDS training were complete.
I’m pretty confident I’ve got the distance in me, I’m not at all sure I’ve got the climbing in me (though this weekend was a big confidence boost), but I’m looking forward to the TDS massively. Being out in Chamonix and experiencing the atmosphere that surrounds the UTMB is just beyond awesome. The TDS starts on the morning of Wednesday 28th August and I hope that by the same time the next day I’ll be sat on the steps by the finish line feeling very happy and possibly having a little cry into my finisher’s gilet. Then I’ll have a bit of a rest before helping Britta cover all the exciting press conferences and of course the UTMB itself. Go Jez and Lizzy!
Photo: The weather relents a little - on the way up the Fairfield horseshoe, looking down Windermere across Loughrigg
