Skip to content
football — Science — Home-and-garden — Lifestyle — sustainable-living — Climate-change — sports

Runners participating in the UTMB Mont Blanc race will receive incentives for opting for eco-friendly travel methods, with the goal of reducing the event's carbon emissions by 20%.

Majority of UTMB Mont Blanc's emissions stem from transportation, according to a recent audit, with organizers aiming to decrease this percentage significantly.

,   and  Administrator
2 min read
Major findings from a recent audit unearth that transport contributes to a whopping 88% of UTMB...
Major findings from a recent audit unearth that transport contributes to a whopping 88% of UTMB Mont Blanc's overall emissions. The race organizers are actively pushing for strategies to decrease this transport-related emission rate.

Runners participating in the UTMB Mont Blanc race will receive incentives for opting for eco-friendly travel methods, with the goal of reducing the event's carbon emissions by 20%.

Unleashing Green Strides: UTMB Mont-Blanc Pumps Up Carbon-Conscious Run

Listen up, trail-running enthusiasts! The movers and shakers behind the world's ultimate mountain marathon, UTMB Mont-Blanc, have pulled out all the stops to slash carbon emissions, and they're giving runners a sweet incentive to join the eco-revolution. Starting in 2026, participants of the vaunted 100-mile race and its shorter siblings, CCC, OCC, and ETC, can scoop up a 30% extra lottery edge—just by choosing low-carbon travel.

This new initiative hops aboard a four-pronged plan devised in slick collaboration with Protect Our Winters and the Pro Trail Runners Association. Despite the event's staggering draw to Chamonix, which fills the mountains with 10,000 runners, the organizers have their eyes on a greener horizon.

"We're all breathin' this climate change nonsense, so we're hoppin' in to do our part in protectin' Mother Nature. Transports' got us believe it or not, so we need to join forces and walk the walk," says Isabelle Viseux-Poletti, UTMB France Events Director.

Fun fact: Over 79% of UTMB participants hail from within Europe, and a whopping 60% hit the road by car, despite the rail being an option. But fear not, founders of this grippy go-getter race are zeroing in on transport to and from the event as the heavy emitter.

Thanks to a report by Utopies consultancy in 2024, UTMB heads know what they're up against: approximately 88% of the event's total emissions are caused by transport, 86% of which stems from travel to and from Chamonix.

This fancy new scheme will use the participants' home address to recommend the greenest travel option and reward those who play their cards right. Moreover, runners will have the inside track on exclusive rail deals between Paris and Geneva.

The plan extends beyond swapping tailpipe gases for greener ones—UTMB aims to slash carbon emissions by 20% by 2030 via a team effort from stakeholders. Keep your eyes peeled for annual carbon reports with the latest scoop on progress.

Already, 80% of key race locations are off-limits to private cars, with UTMB Mobility shuttles as the only way in. From 2025, runners will have the UTMB Go app to guide their carbon-light journey to the area and snowball the event's eco-impact with every step.

Even though the race took some heat for partnering with car company Dascia in the past, the gloves are off now and trail-running shoe titan HOKA has signed up to be the official title sponsor. That’s right, folks—HOKA at the helm, and with star athlete Jim Walmsley setting a stormy 2023 course record in HOKA Tecton X 3s, expect things to steam ahead.

So buckle up, eco-warriors, and see you at the finish line!

  1. The UTMB Mont-Blanc, a renowned mountain marathon, is moving towards environmental-science by devising strategies to combat climate-change and promote sustainable-living.
  2. Runners participating in UTMB Mont-Blanc's 100-mile race and its sister races can now enhance their chances in the lottery by choosing low-carbon travel options.
  3. UTMB Mont-Blanc's carbon-reduction efforts are not limited to transportation, as they aim to reduce emissions by 20% by 2030 through collaboration with various stakeholders.
  4. In line with its commitment to sustainable-living and the environment, UTMB Mont-Blanc has secured the partnership of HOKA, a well-known trail-running shoe brand.

Read also:

    Related

    Latest