The UTMB CCC (Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc Courmayeur – Champex – Chamonix) is a 100km race that is one of seven races featured in the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc event that takes place annually at Chamonix in France.
Here is our guide to the race, how to take part and how to follow live.
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Date, start time & live tracking
The CCC race takes place on Friday, August 25 and is scheduled to begin between 09:00-09:30 local time (08:00-08:30 UK time), with the first finishers expected to arrive at 19:30 (18:30).
UTMB®TV is the television channel for directly experiencing all the highlights of the event (starts, live-coverage, interviews, films, following the race leader, finishes).
LIVETRAIL® allows you to follow runners as they make their way round the course, giving estimated times and live tracking.
UTMB® Live will carry live feeds of 15 webcams for different races across the UTMB weekend which will also package highlights for each runner as they make their way through their races.
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UTMB CCC Route
The route begins in the centre of Courmayeur and after the first kilometres on an original route – different from the UTMB® – runners will quickly climb to 2500m of altitude to enjoy an exceptional landscape, facing the Mont-Blanc and the Grandes Jorasses.
The path to the Grand col Ferret (2537m) invites runners to enter Switzerland, where they will taste the incomparable welcome of the volunteers of La Fouly, Champex and Trient.
Already in France but still so close to Switzerland, there will be the chance to exhibit the authenticity of Vallorcine, before climbing up to Vallons des Chezerys, which host a magnificent view over the Mont-Blanc chain. It is then time to finally reach the finish line in the heart of Chamonix.
2023 changes
UTMB has taken the decision to modify the route for the 2023 CCC “for reasons beyond [their] control”.
The alteration impacts the Col des Montets section, and sees runners now head via the Béchar and the Bois de la Trappe, a variation planned for bad weather conditions.
The elevation gain and overall distance remain as normal.
Facts, Tips & FAQ
The course contains 6,100 metres of ascension and is 100km long. Competitors must complete the course in a time of 26 hours 30 minutes with a maximum start list of 1,900 runners.
On course there will be seven aid stations at 13km, 25km, 40km, 53km, 70km, 80km and 92km.
Competitors must provide a specific medical certificate in French in order to take part. The entry fee to take part in the OCC is €189 (£160).
Runners using poles must do so from the start and carry them for the whole race. No poles are authorised in the spare bags.
There are some areas of the course where, for safety or environmental reasons, poles are forbidden. These areas are marked by specific signs.
How to qualify and enter the UTMB CCC
The popularity of the UTMB races makes them increasingly difficult to enter. All runners who want to qualify have to do so through a lottery. Previously, entry to the lottery came through a points system with runners securing points from competing in UTMB affiliated races. But from 2023 onwards that system is changing with entry to the lottery requiring runners to have at least one Running Stone which they have acquired in the previous two years. Runners can collect running stones by competing in one of the UTMB World Series races
Runners also need to have avalid UTMB Indexin the category corresponding to the race. In the case of the CCCrunners need a valid and up to date UTMB Index in the 50K, 100K or 100M category
UTMB CCC records and past winners
Past winners (since 2010)
Men
- 2010 Xavier Thevenard (FRA)
- 2011 Emmanuel Gault (FRA)
- 2012 Tofol Castaner Bernat (ESP)
- 2013 Jordi Bes (ESP)
- 2014 Pau Bartolo (ESP)
- 2015 Zach Miller (USA)
- 2016 Michel Lanne (FRA)
- 2017 Hayden Hawks (USA)
- 2018 Thomas Evans (UK)
- 2019 Luis Alberto Hernando Alzaga (ESP)
- 2020 Cancelled
- 2021 Thibaut Garrivier (FRA)
Women
- 2010 Maud Gobert (FRA)
- 2011 Virginie Govignon (FRA)
- 2012 Ellie Greenwood (UK)
- 2013 Caroline Chaverot (FRA)
- 2014 Anne Lise Rousset (FRA)
- 2015 Ruth Charlotte Croft (NZ)
- 2016 Mimmi Kotka (SWE)
- 2017 Clare Gallagher (USA)
- 2018 Miao Yao (CHI)
- 2019 Ragna Debats (NED)
- 2020 Cancelled
- 2021 Marta Molist Codina (ESP)
Who is taking part at UTMB CCC in 2022
RUN247’s very own columnist Jon Albon will be in amongst the favourites to take the crown in the men’s race as he aims to follow last year’s OCC victory – he leads the field with a 945 UTMB performance index.
His nearest rivals are set to be the US pair of David Sinclair and 2017 CCC winner Hayden Hawks.
On the women’s side, Blandine L’Hirondel, the 2021 OCC race winner, is looking to add the 100km crown to her title from 12 months ago. She is the leading contender on the UTMB performance index.
She’ll be rivalled by Ruth Charlotte Croft who is looking for a second success over the 100km distance – she won the 2015 iteration of the race and is a two-time OCC winner.
UTMB CCC kit list
Basic kit
- Running pack to carry mandatory kit throughout the race.
- Smartphone: the runner must be reachable at any time before, during and after the race:
– mobile phone with international roaming allowing for its use in the three countries
– Keep the phone on, airplane mode is forbidden and could give rise to penalties.
– LiveRun application installed and activated.
– An external battery is highly recommended - Personal beaker 15 cl minimum (bottles or flasks with lids are not accepted)
- Minimum water supply: at least 1 litre
- 2 working torches with spare cells/batteries for each torch
Recommendation : 200 lumens or more for the main torch - Survival blanket of 1.40m x 2m minimum
- Whistle
- Self-adhering elastic bandage for bandaging or strapping (minimum 100 cm x 6 cm)
- Food reserve
Recommendation: 800kcal (2 gels + 2 power bars each of 65g ) - Jacket with hood for bad weather in the mountains. The jacket must be made of a waterproof* and breathable** membrane
– the jacket must, imperatively, have an integrated hood or one which is attached to the jacket by the original system designed for that purpose by the manufacturer.
– the seams must be sealed.
– the jacket must not have sections of fabric which are not waterproof, but air vents fitted by the manufacturer (under-arm, in the back)-since they do not damage in any obvious way the impermeability- are accepted.
The runner must judge whether, according to the before-mentioned criteria, the jacket complies with the regulations and therefore is suitable for bad weather in the mountains. However, during a check, the race director’s opinion shall prevail. - Long-legged trousers or race leggings OR a combination of leggings and socks to cover the legs completely
- Cap or bandana or Buff
- Additional warm second layer: a warm second layer top with long sleeves (excluding cotton) weighing at least 180g (men’s size medium – M) OR the combination of a long-sleeved warm undergarment (first or second layer, excluding cotton) weighing at least 110g (men’s size medium – M) and a windproof jacket* with durable water-repellent protection (DWR protection)
*the wind-proof jacket does not replace the mandatory waterproof jacket, and vice versa - Hat
- Warm and water-proof gloves
- Waterproof overpants
- ID – passport/ID card
Hot weather kit (may be required by the organization, depending on weather conditions)
- Sunglasses ***
- Saharan cap or any combination which completely covers the head and nape of the neck
- Sunscreen
Recommendation: minimum sun protection factor (SPF) 50 - Minimum water supply: 2 liters
Cold weather kit (may be required by the organization, depending on weather conditions)
- Protective eyewear ***
- 3rd warm layer (intermediary layer between the 2nd layer and the waterproof jacket)
- Recommendation: fleece or compressible down jacket
- Sturdy, closed-toe trail-running shoes (minimalist or ultralight shoes excluded)
*** it is possible to use the same glasses if they are suitable both for the sun and bad weather (such as glasses with photo-chromatic lenses)
All clothing items must fit the runner – in terms of size – and they must not be altered in any way after leaving the factory. The mandatory gear must be carried in a running pack for the duration of the whole race. The running pack is tagged during race-pack collection and must not be changed during the race.
Other recommended equipment (including but not limited to)
- Spare warm clothing, essential in case of cold and rainy weather or in case of injury
- Poles in the case of rain or snow for your safety on slippery ground
- Vaseline or anti-heat cream
- at least 20€ cash (just in case…).
- Reusable bowl
- GPS watch
- Knife or scissors for cutting elastic bandage
- Emergency sewing kit
