UTMB® World Series organizers have today confirmed two long-standing events in the USA will be added to the global UTMB World Series circuit in 2023, totaling a now official calendar of 34 events. Celebrating its 20th anniversary on the beautiful trails of Fruita, Colorado, Desert RATS™ Trail Running Festival™ by UTMB® will welcome runners of all abilities across five distances from the 14-16 April, while from 22-24 September, Grindstone Trail Running Festival™ by UTMB® will offer one of the toughest challenges on the East Coast of the Shenandoah Valley in Staunton, Virginia.
Registrations for Desert RATS Trail Running Festival by UTMB are open at desertrats.utmb.world, and runners can register for pre-sale entries to Grindstone Trail Running Festival by UTMB at grindstone.utmb.world beginning tomorrow, 21 December, for a limited time.
The announcement follows the news last week that The Canyons Endurance Runs™ by UTMB was selected as the UTMB World Series Major in the Americas for 2023. Runners in North America now have even more chances to live the UTMB experience on their home trails, with six events across the continent confirmed for next year that also includes Puerto Vallarta Mexico by UTMB®, Speedgoat™ Mountain Races by UTMB® and Western States® 100-Mile Endurance Run.
In the UTMB World Series’ second year, runners will be able to choose from 34 events in total across the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania to start their journey to the UTMB World Series Finals, held in the UTMB (100M), CCC (100K), and OCC (50K) races of UTMB Mont-Blanc.
A celebration of trail running for everyone at Desert RATS Trail Running Festival by UTMB
For two decades, Desert RATS (Running Across the Sand) Trail Running Festival by UTMB has brought the trail running community together for an epic weekend adventure. In 2023, the race is set to be bigger than ever, with the addition of a 62.1mile (100km) race to the existing 30 mile, (50km), 26.2-mile marathon (42km), 13.1-mile half-marathon (21km) and 6.2-mile (10km) races. The event takes place from the 14-16 April 2023, and registration is already open here.
Located in the high desert of southwestern Colorado, the course sweeps through desert landscape and striking red slickrock cliff buttes. Runners will traverse the cliff edges overlooking the Colorado River and venture up into the incredible flat-topped mesas, where they will be rewarded with breath taking views across all categories.
“We are so excited for the opportunity to become part of the UTMB World Series! The Desert Rats Festival has always been a way for our trail running community to connect and celebrate the spring running season on the epic desert trails in Fruita, Colorado, and now we can offer even more festival fun, including a new 100K distance. We can’t wait to see everyone out there crushing their goals at the 20th anniversary Desert Rats in 2023,” shared Kyla Claudell and Reid Delman, Desert RATS Race Directors.
One of the toughest challenges on the East Coast at Grindstone Trail Running Festival by UTMB
Grindstone Trail Running Festival by UTMB invites runners to step up to the challenge of a highly technical course, where they will face high elevation, ridges, peaks, valleys, and all the grit the Shenandoah Valley has to offer in Virginia, USA from the 22-24 September 2023. Pre-sale registration will open tomorrow 21 December at grindstone.utmb.world.
Held during peak fall foliage, the Shenandoah Valley captures all the beauty of the East Coast. With miles through the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, runners will take in peaks, valleys, sunrises, and sunsets. They will also discover diverse wildlife as they climb the Appalachian Mountains and trek along the ridge to stunning views.
The event offers three unique courses and an adventure for every runner, including 100 miles, plus a new 62.1 mile (100km) and a 13.1 mile (21km) half-marathon race.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to see Grindstone become part of the UTMB World Series. For me, it’s truly an honour to welcome runners from all over the world to experience some of the best trails on the U.S. East Coast. By adding 100km and half-marathon distances, we have amazing options for those not quite ready to tackle the full 100-mile version!” said Dr. Clark Zealand, Grindstone Trail Running Festival UTMB Race Director.
UTMB World Series 2022: A ground-breaking first year
After 25 events this year, the inaugural UTMB World Series concluded last weekend with the Ultra-Trail Kosciuszko™ by UTMB in Australia. In total, 56,097 runners took to the trails around the world at a UTMB World Series event in 2022, with 103,315 Running Stones awarded for their efforts as part of the ultimate quest to reach the UTMB World Series Finals at the home of trail running, UTMB Mont-Blanc.
In 2023, the UTMB World Series is going to be even bigger, welcoming more runners across the globe to join the UTMB adventure. New events in the USA, South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia have all now been confirmed as the Series continues its promise to share the best racing experience with as many runners as possible, delivering unique events in extraordinary destinations.
Runners can view the full calendar of events and choose their adventures here.
UTMB World Series 2023 Event Schedule
- Tarawera Ultramarathon™ by UTMB® (New Zealand), 11-12 February
- Amazean Jungle Thailand by UTMB® (Thailand), 17-19 February
- Istria 100™ by UTMB® (Croatia), 13-16 April
- Desert RATS™ Trail Running Festival™ by UTMB® (USA), 15-16 April
- AMERICAN MAJOR: The Canyons Endurance Runs™ by UTMB® (USA), 28-29 April
- Transvulcania by UTMB® (Spain), 4-6 May
- Ultra-Trail Australia™ by UTMB® (Australia), 11-14 May
- Ultra-Trail Snowdonia by UTMB® (Wales), 12-14 May
- Valhöll Argentina by UTMB® (Argentina), 12-14 May
- Trail Alsace Grand Est by UTMB® (France), 18-21 May
- Mountain Ultra-Trail™ by UTMB® (South Africa), 26-28 May
- Trail du Saint-Jacques by UTMB® (France), 3-4 June
- mozart 100™ by UTMB® (Austria), 17-18 June
- La Sportiva® Lavaredo Ultra-Trail® by UTMB® (Italy), 22-25 June
- Trail 100 Andorra™ by UTMB® (Andorra), 24-25 June
- Western States® 100-Mile Endurance Run (USA), 24-25 June
- EUROPEAN MAJOR: Val d’Aran by UTMB® (Spain), 6-9 July
- Restonica Trail by UTMB® (France), 6-8 July
- Trail Verbier Saint-Bernard by UTMB® (Switzerland), 7-9 July
- Eiger Ultra Trail™ by UTMB® (Switzerland), 12-16 July
- Speedgoat™ Mountain Races by UTMB® (USA), 21-22 July
- KAT100™ by UTMB® (Austria), 3-5 August
- UTMB® WORLD SERIES FINALS: UTMB® Mont-Blanc (France, Italy, Switzerland), 28 August – 3 September
- Julian Alps Trail Run by UTMB® (Slovenia), 8-10 September
- Wildstrubel by UTMB® (Switzerland), 14-17 September
- Paraty Brazil by UTMB® (Brazil), 22-24 September
- Grindstone Trail Running Festival™ by UTMB® (USA) 22-24 September
- Nice Côte d’Azur by UTMB® (France), 28 September - 1 October
- TransJeju by UTMB® (South Korea), 7-8 October
- Puerto Vallarta México by UTMB® (Mexico), 3-4 November
- Kullamannen™ by UTMB® (Sweden), 3-4 November
- TransLantau™ by UTMB® (Hong Kong), November
- ASIA-PACIFIC MAJOR: Doi Inthanon Thailand by UTMB® (Thailand), 8-10 December
- Ultra-Trail Kosciuszko™ by UTMB® (Australia), December UTMB