With the 2024 UTMB Mont Blanc pageant going down this week in Chamonix, France, we needed to try how the numbers behind these occasions have been trending over time. As one of many focal factors of the worldwide path working world, this week of racing has a gravitational pull that draws lots of the greatest runners.
The UTMB Mont Blanc pageant is the venue of the UTMB World Sequence Finals, every requiring entry by way of a lottery system. To qualify for the lottery, individuals should have no less than one working stone (acquired by ending a UTMB World Sequence occasion) and a legitimate UTMB Index (achieved by ending an occasion of the requisite distance or problem). Elite athletes with the {qualifications} are rewarded with direct entry.
So, who truly races on the UTMB Mont Blanc pageant? And the way have individuals’ geographies modified over time? These are the questions we start to reply on this article. We have a look at how the geography of UTMB finishers has modified over time, beginning with a continent-level view after which diving into a rustic breakdown to get a glimpse into the shifting tides inside the path working world.
Runners setting off in the beginning of the 2023 UTMB. Picture: iRunFar/Kirsten Kortebein
Dataset
The dataset used on this evaluation pulls finisher information from Worldwide Path Operating Affiliation outcomes. The information spans from 2009 till 2023 and focuses on finishers from the UTMB (100 miles) and CCC (100 kilometers) occasions. We selected 2009 as a begin date as a result of, whereas the occasion began in 2003, the group didn’t institute a lottery till 2009. We selected to restrict this evaluation to UTMB and CCC as they’re the preferred occasions, with a roughly comparable variety of entrants over time. Utilizing this dataset, we had been in a position to carry out a comparable evaluation of finishers over time.
The next graph exhibits the variety of distinct nationalities of finishers recorded at UTMB or CCC over time.
Nationalities Recorded in UTMB and CCC Finishers
Chart depicting the rise within the variety of distinct nationalities represented at UTMB and CCC from 2009 to 2023.
Continental Breakdown
Beginning with a high-level view, we discover how participation throughout continents differs for this occasion. Going down in Chamonix, it’s on the middle of the European path working scene and thus will be anticipated to boast a big European presence. By plotting the variety of finishers by continent over time, this was certainly evident, with European runners nonetheless accounting for a little bit greater than 70% of finishers in 2023 — however a pattern of different continents rising in illustration might be seen.
Observe that UTMB didn’t happen in 2020, and in 2021, worldwide journey was restricted because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Breakdown of Finishers by Continent
Graph exhibiting the breakdown of finishers by continent from 2009 to 2023. European runners nonetheless make up the overwhelming majority, however there are rising numbers from Asia and North America additionally. All photos iRunFar/Zander Chase until in any other case famous.
Europe
Digging into the Europe information, I plotted the share of finishers coming from every European nation. France has essentially the most runners, with almost 40% of all European finishers in 2023 coming from France. Spain is subsequent, accounting for about 16% of European finishers in 2023. After leaving France, the 2 different nations that the race goes by, Italy and Switzerland, are additionally within the prime 5, together with Nice Britain.
Breakdown of High European International locations
Graph exhibiting the European nations most represented amongst CCC and UTMB finishers annually. French runners nonetheless account for almost 40% of the European subject, however illustration from different European nations is rising. On this graph, France, Spain, Italy, Nice Britain, and Switzerland are proven.
Whereas European presence continues to be most distinguished at UTMB, this occasion is capturing the eye of path runners across the globe. Zooming in on the finishers by continent graph to exclude Europe, we are able to see some fascinating upward tendencies, particularly from Asia and North America.
Breakdown of International locations Excluding Europe
A zoomed-in model of the earlier graph, exhibiting the geography by continent, this time with Europe excluded. Right here we are able to extra clearly see a rise in runners from different continents, significantly Asia and North America, with a noticeable drop in Asian participation in 2021 on account of COVID-19 journey restrictions.
North America
North American runners represented 8% of all finishers in 2023. This progress is led by the U.S., whose progress in illustration has roughly mirrored that of the North American complete.
From simply over 1% in 2009, runners from the U.S. now encompass shut to six% of the whole subject. This progress in reputation of the occasion was highlighted final yr, with People taking prime spots at UTMB, in each the lads’s and ladies’s fields.
The 2023 UTMB males’s podium (left-to-right): 2. Zach Miller, 1. Jim Walmsley, and three. Germain Grangier. U.S. males took two of the highest three spots, whereas Courtney Dauwalter received on the ladies’s facet. Picture: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
Runners From the U.S. as a Share of Complete Finishers
Graph exhibiting the rising proportion of the sector made up from runners from the U.S. In 2009, runners from the U.S. made up simply over 1% of the sector, a determine which has risen to almost 6% in 2023.
Breaking down the North American progress by nation, we see it’s predominantly pushed by the U.S. and Canada, with the U.S. hovering round 70% of the share, and Canada inching over 20%. These percentages have remained pretty constant over time. Nearly all of the rest is made up of runners from Mexico, who accounted for over 7% of the North American contingent in 2023.
Breakdown of North American International locations
Graph depicting the breakdown of runners from varied North American nations taking part in UTMB and CCC. As of the 2023, the U.S. accounts for 70% of those, with Canada and Mexico in second and third, respectively. This graph depicts america, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Guatemala.
Asia
Wanting on the breakdown of Asian finishers over time, we see a distinct story. The share of Asian finishers coming from sure nations has fluctuated considerably over time. In 2010, the overwhelming majority — greater than 80% — of individuals from Asian nations had been from Japan. This proportion has modified over time, now nearer to 30%, as extra individuals have entered the working scene from Hong Kong, Thailand, and China.
Breakdown of Asian International locations
Graph exhibiting the breakdown of Asian nations represented at UTMB and CCC. It exhibits extra Asian nations represented in recent times, the place beforehand the overwhelming majority of Asian runners had been from Japan. Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, China, and Korea are proven right here.
a breakdown of the variety of finishers from Japan, we see that the share of general individuals peaked in 2013, at virtually 6% and, though barely decrease in recent times, has remained roughly constant (save for a drop in 2021, when journey restrictions had been in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic.) In 2023, Japanese runners accounted for 3.5% of complete finishers.
Participation of Japanese Runners
Graph exhibiting altering participation charges of Japanese runners as a proportion of complete individuals since 2009. In 2023, they made up roughly 3.5% of the overall fields.
This exhibits us that the expansion in Asian participation is because of a fairly vital leap in runners from Hong Kong, Thailand, and China.
This progress in reputation will be seen from virtually no illustration (up till 2016, Thailand had no recorded finishers of UTMB or CCC) to those three nations mixed contributing to roughly 6% of all finishers on the 2023 UTMB.
China’s Fu-Zhao Xiang took second on the 2024 Western States 100. Xiang has additionally raced UTMB 4 earlier instances, and can race in 2024. We surprise if Xiang’s worldwide racing, amongst different athletes, has helped to propel worldwide participation by different Chinese language path runners? Picture: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Participation of Runners From Hong Kong, China, and Thailand
Graph exhibiting rising participation charges from runners from Hong Kong, China, and Thailand from 2009 to 2023.
South America, Africa, and Oceania
Whereas illustration from South America, Africa, and Oceania make up a smaller proportion of complete finishers at UTMB, they’re additionally trending upward as a p.c of the overall. South American runners are led by Argentina, offering round 40% of the continent’s complete finishers. Brazil is in second, with round 20%, and Peru is in third, rising to 12%.
Graph exhibiting the breakdown of illustration of South American nations at UTMB and CCC by the years. Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, and Venezuela are proven.
Africa is primarily led by South Africa, which accounts for round 70% of African finishers. The variety of distinctive African nations being represented has been rising yr over yr, with 9 in 2023, in comparison with solely two in 2013.
Graph exhibiting the illustration of African nations — South Africa, Jap and Southern Africa (ESA), Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria — at UTMB and CCC by the years.
In Oceania, Australia leads New Zealand roughly 80% to twenty%.
Ideas and Evaluation
continent and nation tendencies of finishers at UTMB and CCC is an fascinating technique to observe shifts within the sport over time. Based mostly in Europe, the UTMB Mont Blanc pageant has established itself as the middle of the European path working world, and more and more has attracted runners from world wide.
North America and Asia have seen the most important will increase over the previous decade, led primarily by wealthier nations who, firstly, have entry to UTMB qualifying races of their nation, and, secondly, have the disposable revenue needed to buy journey to Europe and the race entries, and carry all the opposite prices associated to participation.
There was a notable enhance in runners from Thailand, Hong Kong, and China. These nations have come to be seen as path working locations, with distinguished occasions going down there. For instance, Thailand hosted the 2022 World Mountain and Path Operating Championships.
There are additionally a number of key figures which have continued to bolster the expansion of the game in Asia. Hong Kong native Janet Ng has been president of the Worldwide Path Operating Affiliation since 2021. Chinese language native Fu-Zhao Xiang just lately completed second on the 2024 Western States 100, in addition to fourth on the 2023 UTMB. And runners like China’s Jia-Sheng Shen and Miao Yao have additionally been making a reputation for themselves on the UTMB World Sequence Finals for years, main the best way for Chinese language racers throughout Europe.
Lots of the nations with rising illustration at UTMB even have notable figures who’ve superior the game of their nation. Wanting solely on the change in uncooked numbers of finishers since 2009, Spain — the unique house of the GOAT, Kilian Jornet — has seen the most important enhance. And when a brilliant star such because the American Courtney Dauwalter crosses the tape first, it might encourage a technology.
One other factor that caught out from this information, is that we now have not but seen the inflow of Kenyan and different East African runners into extremely distances like we’ve seen in brief distance path working and mountain working. On the 2024 Sierre-Zinal, 5 of the highest 10 males and two of the highest 10 ladies had been from Kenya.
Kenya’s Joyline Chepngeno had a breakout victory within the hypercompetitive 2024 Sierre-Zinal. Picture: World Mountain Operating Affiliation/Marco Gulberti
Momentum like we see on this information round a sport can create a tradition that acts as a flywheel for future participation. A number of articles have been written in regards to the socio-culture elements that result in Jamaicans being such nice sprinters. The tradition constructed up over time round ultrarunning in a rustic might result in sure nations changing into dominant within the sport.
We now have questions on what the geography of the game will seem like sooner or later. Will we see a shift into longer distances from Kenyan runners, as path working continues to popularize of their nation and obstacles to entry are higher addressed? Will this occur in different nations that aren’t but represented? And naturally there are the larger looming questions, will the game be capable of deal with the socioeconomic obstacles that forestall full international illustration at an occasion just like the UTMB Mont Blanc pageant?
Because the 2024 UTMB Mont Blanc pageant takes place this week, we are going to will eagerly observe alongside as runners from across the globe make their approach round Mont Blanc.
Name for Feedback
- What different continent or nation tendencies do you discover fascinating?
- Undoubtedly financial elements contribute to nations having excessive illustration at UTMB. What do you assume are another elements?
- Who do you assume will win this yr’s UTMB?
