# UTMB trail running festival in Mont Blanc

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/utmb-trail-running-festival-in-mont-blanc
> Updated: 2026-09-02T17:26:00.000Z. Sources: 34. Developments: 7.

The 23rd edition of the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) festival in the Mont Blanc massif concluded with several historic performances. In the flagship 174 km UTMB race, American Ben Dhiman achieved a landmark victory, becoming the first runner to finish the loop in under 19 hours with a time of 18:16:29. He was followed by French runner Baptiste Chassagne in second place and American Caleb Olson in third. In the women’s category, Blandine L’Hirondel made history as the first woman to break the 22-hour barrier, finishing in 21:54:49. This victory also made her the third person to win all three UTMB World Series Finals races: the OCC, CCC, and UTMB.

Other notable results from the festival include the CCC race, where Yngvild Kaspersen became the first woman to win the event twice. In the 61-kilometer OCC race, Frédéric Tranchand secured the first French win in a decade, while Lauren Gregory won the women’s division by a margin of just three seconds.

The festival, which spans France, Italy, and Switzerland, faced initial challenges including forecasted thunderstorms and heavy rain that delayed the flagship race start, as well as course reroutes. Subsequent reports from the 2026 event highlighted the endurance of various participants, including Jorge Rodríguez Bautista, who finished the 60-kilometer OCC in 8 hours, 39 minutes, and 19 seconds despite facing 31-degree Celsius temperatures and equipment issues. Additionally, Italian runner Daniele Faccia completed the 174-kilometer flagship course after more than 40 hours of continuous running.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-02: Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc features notable athlete finishes

Athletes Jorge Rodríguez Bautista and Daniele Faccia completed prestigious races at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, including the 60km OCC and the flagship 174km UTMB circuit.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ultra-trail-du-mont-blanc-features-notable-athlete-finishes

### 2026-08-31: UTMB 2026: Historic finishes at World Series Finals

The 2026 UTMB World Series Finals in Chamonix saw historic milestones, including Ben Dhiman’s first sub-19-hour men’s finish and Blandine L’Hirondel becoming the first woman to break 22 hours.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/utmb-2026-historic-finishes-at-world-series-finals

### 2026-08-29: Athletes compete in Chamonix OCC trail running race

Athletes Anabel Oviedo and Sara Alonso achieved notable results at the OCC trail running race in Chamonix, part of the UTMB World Series.

7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/athletes-compete-in-chamonix-occ-trail-running-race

### 2026-08-28: Ben Dhiman wins 2026 UTMB with historic sub-19 hour time

American Ben Dhiman won the 2026 UTMB in a historic sub-19 hour time, finishing ahead of France's Baptiste Chassagne in the premier ultra-trail race around Mont Blanc.

18 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ultra-trail-du-mont-blanc-begins-in-chamonix

### 2026-08-26: UTMB athletes achieve milestones in Chamonix races

Frédéric Tranchand won the 60km OCC trail race in Chamonix, while paraplegic athlete Pierre Cabon completed the 40km MCC course in a wheelchair.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/utmb-athletes-achieve-milestones-in-chamonix-races

### 2026-08-24: UTMB Mont-Blanc begins 23rd edition of trail running week

The 23rd UTMB Mont-Blanc begins with the PTL and MCC trail races, featuring notable participants including first-time amputee runner Travis Warwick-Oliver.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/utmb-mont-blanc-begins-23rd-edition-of-trail-running-week

### 2026-08-17: UTMB trail running festival approaches in Chamonix

The UTMB trail running festival approaches in Chamonix, with Ruth Croft and Courtney Dauwalter favored for the women's title. Meanwhile, the BORÉALYS Mont-Tremblant event recently concluded in Quebec.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mont-tremblant-hosts-inaugural-boralys-utmb-trail-running-event

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Cite as: UTMB trail running festival in Mont Blanc. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/utmb-trail-running-festival-in-mont-blanc