Saturday 17 March 2018

UTMB 2020 - moving the goalposts

I've been trying to get into the UTMB for a few years now. In 2015, I only had 8 points which would have been good enough for all previous years until they put it up to 9 that year. I have made the required points for the last two years but have been unlucky in the ballot twice. If I get the points this year, I will be in automatically as two-time losers automatically get in.

The points have been at 15 (9 old points) for the last couple of years and look to be the same for 2020. However a somewhat pretentiously titled "NEW CLASSIFICATION OF TRAIL-RUNNING" article  http://www.i-tra.org/?id=193 on the ITRA has moved the goalposts somewhat. They have changed the categories for how many points you get for each race.

THIS IS ONLY FOR 2019 RACES / 2020 UTMB ONWARDS.


At present, a 100 miler with more than 9,000 feet of climbing scores 6 points (e.g NDW100 and SDW100) and a 50 miler with more than 3,000 feet of climbing would now be 4 points (e.g. NDW50 and SDW100)

The SDW100 is 191km effort equivalent (160k + 3,100 climbing), and NDW100 is (167km + 3,300m climbing) 200km so will now be 5 points. The NDW50 is 100 points so will be a 3 pointer. Previously, completing these 3 races would have given you 16 points - more than enough but now would be 2 points short for 2020 UTMB.

Hopefully UTMB will lower the required points given that the ITRA points criteria have changed. We will find out next year. ...

1 comment:

  1. Not likely that UTMB will reduce required points - they may actuall have to increase requirements as the number of qualified runners entering the "ballot" is increasing. This will give a problem with the "3 draw guarantee". Thus, they will most liekly have to either change from 2 to 3 draws to get a "guaranteed" spot - or to increse qualification requirements.

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