The man who just won the UTMB played a part in building the shoes he wore!
Vincent Bouillard crashed through headlines at the most recent UTMB, arriving at the Chamonix finish line in an incredible time of 19:54:23. At one point in time the thought of completing the 171km course in under 20 hours was impossible until Killian Jornet proved everyone wrong in 2022.
Two years on, Vincent Bouillard from Annecy stormed across the finish line almost half an hour ahead of his competitors, proving once again the course can be completed in such an incredible time.
Created in 2003, the UTMB is a looped 171km race in the French Alps, and is regarded as “the most mythical and prestigious trail running race in the world.” Thousands flock to witness the event, which many describe as the Tour de France of Ultrarunning, lining the streets of Chamonix to catch a glimpse of the titanic runners that take part.
Covering over 10,000 meters of positive elevation gain around the Mont-Blanc through Italy, Switzerland and France, the race is seen as the pinnacle of racing among endurance runners worldwide.
Who is the 2024 winner?
Frenchman Vincent Bouillard is no stranger to winning, with first place at the 2023 Kodiak Ultra (USA) and the Gorge Waterfalls (USA). However, his main line of work is as senior manager in product engineering/innovation for the UTMB’s headline sponsor HOKA.
Following the race, he stated how much the UTMB race meant to him: ““I’ve been coming to UTMB almost from the beginning – I’ve been here as a spectator, a volunteer, with my work at HOKA and I’ve crewed too so I’ve seen so many parts of this event.
“But to be here on the start line was a childhood dream.
“It was literally beyond my wildest dreams to think that I could win, that was A++++ objective on the ranking! It’s just been an incredible day.”
Who else won at the 2024 UTMB?
- Vincent Bouillard (FRA)- 19:54:23
- Baptiste Chessagne (FRA) – 20:22:45
- Joaquin Lopez (ECU) – 20:26:22
- Katie Schide (USA) – 22:09:31
- Ruth Croft (NZE) – 22:48:37
- Marianne Hogan (CAN) – 23:11:15
American athlete Katie Schide also made history at the UTMB, breaking Courtney Dauwalter’s 2021 record by 22 minutes. Schide became just the fourth person to win the Western States 100 and UTMB in the same summer, joining the exclusive club with Nikki Kimball (2007), Kilian Jornet (2007), and Dauwalter (2023). And she’s just the fifth woman and ninth runner overall to win UTMB more than once.
Following the race the North Face athlete Katie Schide said: ““What a feeling! It’s so much more than the race, it’s the training, the hours planning, the support, the crowd, everything matters, and everything makes the difference. I just can’t believe it”
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