Ludovic Pommeret supports Project HOPE adaptive trail initiative

Renowned French ultra-trail runners Ludovic Pommeret and Erik Clavery are participating in Project HOPE during the 2026 UTMB week in Chamonix. Rather than competing for personal rankings, the former UTMB winner and former world champion are serving as support crew members to assist four athletes with disabilities.

Project HOPE, a joint initiative by the UTMB Group and the Marathon des Sables, aims to enable these athletes to navigate approximately 170 kilometers of the UTMB course around Mont-Blanc using all-terrain wheelchairs. Each athlete is supported by a team of six to eight people responsible for pushing, pulling, and ensuring safety on the trails. The project serves as a real-world experiment to test the accessibility of high-mountain terrain.

Separately, Ludovic Pommeret, now 51, continues to be recognized for his remarkable longevity in the sport. Despite scientific consensus regarding physical decline in endurance athletes after age 35, Pommeret has achieved major victories in elite races such as the Hardrock 100 and UTMB during his 40s.