I’ve just been browsing Liam’s Cocodona 250 race preview post and something struck me. Every single athlete Liam considers for the podium and worth mentioning here is from the US. And I am not insinuating bias, if anyone is thorough researching a runner’s potential for success at any given race it’s Liam. I am just wondering given the global popularity, and name-recognition, (and livestream) of Cocodona why hasn’t the event attracted a larger international field of runners?

Announced via the Hoka and WSER Instagram accounts:

He’s back! See you at States, @walmsleyruns!

So Jim took that Hoka sponsor spot after all. This had been rumored and hotly debated among the trail nerds for several weeks now. It’s an official way to “get into WSER” so I don’t have any beef with it*, but clearly he calculated this very shrewdly. He chose not to race any Golden Ticket events to maximize his chances to show up in California fresh and rested.

On this week’s episode of Singletrack with James Lauriello I wondered that after seeing how ACG rolls up at trail events they sponsor Hoka will have to step it up for WSER and UTMB. Well, this is HOKA stepping up: sending their biggest prize pony to one of trail’s biggest shows for a showdown for the ages. This will certainly give several of the athletes who are eying the podium something to think about.

* maybe I do have some beef with it. (These sponsor bibs COULD BE GIVEN to athletes that otherwise would have a difficult time getting qualified to run Western States. Amateur athletes that can bring diversity and color to the event and to one of our sports’ biggest stages. Hoka, and in extension Jim are sending a signal here. Will this be exciting for the fans of our sport? Yes, undoubtedly it will. But Jim clearly could’ve gotten himself into the race at any of the Golden Ticket races these past few months. By taking the sponsor slot he’s not just maximizing his chances of success, but he’s taking the bib away from someone else. That’s a choice.) I wrote this down here and will sit on it for a bit more to see if I change my mind.

Alright, I thought about it some more. Hoka apparently receives 4 sponsor bibs. One went to Jim, one to Tommie Runz and the other two bibs to two amateur women runners. Hard to argue with this selection. (I kept my initial rambling thought in there, to “show my work” and thought process.

Jim posted a lengthy (post continues in the comments) entry on his Instagram explaining his situation with his injury and how he approached him taking the Hoka sponsor slot.

I asked if Hoka would be comfortable to provide me a sponsor entry and if WS and the board would be okay with this. I’m humbled and I feel small that they didn’t hesitate to have my back to help make this happen for me. I don’t feel I should get special priority like this but it’s been a hard journey with the injury and I needed to ask for help this time. All I can say is thank you. You know I’ll do my best and try my hardest out there. See you at States.

Well worth a read.

One of them the ‘Trail Hunt‘ is kind of a fun format I hadn’t seen in our trail world:

… a unique elite race in pursuit format with limited starting spots and total prize money of EUR 30,000.

The best athletes will compete against each other over two days of action. Only the fastest runners in the vertical race will qualify for the pursuit start in the trail race. A format for power, precision, speed, and fearlessness — for those who thrive when the pressure rises. Not just a starting line. 

An elite only event with a prize purse, stretched over two days, where on the first day folks run a Vertical Race. The results of that race determines their start time for the following day’s trail race over 24km.

I’m excited we’re not done experimenting in our sport. Both on the spear end of it – finding competitions that attract elite athletes and spectators alike and on the amateur level where Innsbruck is offering a ‘Businesstrail’ event – for folks who work in Innsbruck and want to participate in a short ‘after work’ trail race. The organizer ‘Laufwerkstatt’ also offers a Team registration with the largest team receiving a special prize.

Yes, for the media all these special events and classifications are hard to evaluate beyond the novelty status, but I do appreciate the creativity for an event with thousands of participants. Innsbrucks Trailrun Festival bills itself as the largest trail running event in the German speaking region, bigger than the ‘now’ UTMB-owned Zugspitz Ultra.

Episode 345 with James Lauriello:

James Lauriello joins me on a tour de force through the entire world of trail running. We chat about ultra vs. short trail and the role our trail media plays. We ponder what the arrival of ACG means and how the established brands in the trail space are going to respond. And finally we look ahead at the (re-)launch of the US Skyrunner National Series coming this summer.

Links

• James Lauriello on Instagram
• The Steep Stuff Podcast
• The Steep Stuff Podcast on Instagram
• US Skyrunner National Series

Vacation Races, owners of lots of properties, among them several Ultras that sort of never really felt truly home in their portfolio of ‘easy half marathons adjacent to National Parks sold these properties to the only US outfit that could take them: Aravaipa Running. Announced on Instagram:

Aravaipa Running has officially acquired Zion, Antelope Canyon and Bryce Canyon Ultras and the Ultra Adventure brand from Vacation Races.

More info can be found at ultraadventures.com, which already links to the Aravaipa website. With Zion and Bryce now under Aravaipa ownership it takes the organization to Utah, another state conquered. This acquisition also brings together a nice set of well-known 100 Mile races, which would make for a fun circuit, or even Series. I’ll spare myself any jokes about monopolies.

Taken from their website:

We’re thrilled to establish The Run Grants to support the people, places, and ideas that give life to the sort of trail running.

The details:

We have committed $8,000 to support the Rut Grant’s inaugural season and our partners at The North Face have generously matched our commitment, bringing our total grant pool to $16,000. Grant sizes will range from $500 to $3,500 depending upon the funding request.

We’re going through a season where the trail running industrial complex seems to grow a lot while at the same time its creative interpretation of what trail running is supposed to look like. Seeing one of the ‘big events’ in our space ‘The Rut’ partnering with a big brand like The North Face to break the formula that being cheered on in our media space is refreshing to see. More of this please!

At least for this year. From the official statement posted on the UTMB website:

UTMB Group has made the exceptional decision to maintain the 2026 edition. Preparations are already at an advanced stage, the event is sold out, and 6,500 runners along with 3,000 supporters have already committed to traveling to Nice. Furthermore, numerous local economic and tourism stakeholders are already fully mobilized for this event. Honoring its commitments is a core value of UTMB Group, even if it means accepting a budget deficit and absorbing a significant financial impact following the 2026 edition.

This gives all parties a few month to renegotiate and figure out a path forward for 2027 and beyond.

A small one if you will, but a prominent and important one. Not sure if I want to call this ECC 2.0, but it’s a solid update that changes the main homepage feed and brings clarity to the different type of articles I am posting each week.

Over the last couple of years the live and post race coverage on Electric Cable Car has grown by quite a bit. Who would have thought that trail runners are interested in race results? I am now reporting on close to 100 events each year. This creates 300+ race results and over 600 podiums. That’s a lot of posts to share in the main feed. And it started to feel a bit cluttered. I wanted a better way of highlighting the results and also not dilute the main feed of ‘general trail news’.

Now the five latest event posts with race results are pinned to the top for easy access. You can click on each item to get to the full results page.

If you’re reading this from an email or via RSS subscription I encourage you to visit the main homepage of ECC to check it out. I hope you like it.

In yesterday’s episode of Freetrail ‘Canyons 100k & 50k Instant Recap Show‘ Zach mentions that he has the intention to race UTMB again.

Everyone’s wanting to get back to Chamonix eventually. I’m just keeping track here.

UPDATE: Various sources on Reddit are confirming this.

Just heard via sources that someone burned down 25 porta potties at the start line of the 100K race at Canyons by UTMB event this weekend? Still waiting to hear more details and will update when I get more information.

Added the official statement I received from the UTMB press office:

A fire was reported Friday night at the China Wall 100k start venue of the Canyons Endurance Runs by UTMB®.  Event staff quickly notified authorities, and the situation was contained without impacting race operations. Most importantly, no athletes, volunteers, staff, or first responders were injured. We are grateful for the swift response from local emergency responders, and we are working with USFS and local authorities as they review the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Glad to hear that this all gotten taken care of without turning into a disaster.

UPDATE: The page is now updated with the 2027 information.

Western States updated their webpage with information on the Golden Ticket races. Here’s the list of races:

• CCC – HOKA UTMB Mont-Blanc 100K France, Italy, Switzerland, August 28, 2026 (top 3 M/F)
• Javelina Jundred Presented by HOKA 100M Arizona, October 31, 2026 (top 2 M/F)
• Black Canyon Presented by HOKA 100K, Arizona, February 13, 2027 (top 3 M/F)
• Tarawera Ultra-Trail by UTMB 102K New Zealand, February 13, 2027 (top 2 M/F)
• Chianti Ultra Trail by UTMB 120K, Italy, March 20, 2027 (top 2 M/F)
• The Canyons Endurance Runs by UTMB 100K, California, April 24, 2027 (top 3 M/F)

For 2027 there are no changes compared to the last couple of years, which is probably why they didn’t make a big deal of the announcement.

Another massive weekend on the global racing calendar. Here are the top events around the world:

• Mt. Fuji 100 – Japan – a World Trail Major event
• Madeira Island Ultra Trail – Portugal – a World Trail Major event
• Canyons Endurance Runs – California – a UTMB World Series event
• Kailas Penang Skyrace – Malaysia – a Skyrunner World Series event

I’ll be covering the Canyons races on the ECC Live Ticker and will keep an eye on for results at the Penang Skyrace. And working in my yard in between.

I don’t play Fantasy and I don’t count Indexes. My takes are biased, spontaneous and are meant just for fun. Take them for what you wish, but here are my ‘runners to watch’ for this year’s Canyons races.

100M:

• Mercedes Siegle Gather (Merrell) – American, who we might see later in the year at Beast of Big Creek.
• Noa Ohms (Salomon) – German, he attempted the FKT of the Black Forest ‘Westweg’ Winter route. That was my first multi-day backpacking adventure – I hiked only a small stretch of it.

100K:

• Caret Arnold (Altra) – American, won TDS last year and is on the starting list of Beast of Big Creek.
• Cameron Lasley – American, friend of mine from my hometown Olympia, Washington.

50K:

• Molly Seidel (Satisfy) – American, who I picked because the team she listed on her UTMB profile is “Sad Girl Singletrack Club, enough said!
• Tyler Wing – American, I’m on the ‘Trail Talk’ trail running forum with him.

25K:

• Allie Mcclaughlin (Hoka) – American, who has a film in this year’s TRFF and will be at Beast of Big Creek.
• Courtney Coppinger (Brooks) – American, who we might see later in the year at Beast of Big Creek.

There you have it. Very scientific and totally not biased. Runners, let’s rage!

Via Reddit:

Alex Honnold, who climbed Taipei 101 live on Netflix a few months ago, was seen standing on top of the Vegas Sphere

As to the why? Here’s the (probable) answer:

Sphere Studios Announces Two New Experiences In Production

One of them will be called ‘From the Edge’ and is a production by E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin:

From The Edge will feature premier athletes – free diver Alenka Artnik, skier Markus Eder, rock climber Alex Honnold, BASE jumper Katie Hansen Lajeunesse, and surfer Kai Lenny – and take audiences inside the world of extreme sports.

Getting the band back together again.

He shared his new project via LinkedIn (auto translated):

So yes, I’m going back in 2026 for a new chapter of UTMB Slow Path.
A project that remains faithful to the same simple idea: to link several events of the UTMB World Series circuit by giving the route its rightful place.
Between April 19 and June 15, I will leave Provence to reach Alsace, before crossing the entire Massif Central from north to south. Along the way, they will have the pleasure of participating in the Grand Raid Ventoux by UTMB, the Trail Alsace by UTMB and the Trail Andorra 100 by UTMB
But the main thing will be elsewhere. Walking. For a long time. Crossing the landscapes of France at human height. Accepting not to go fast.
Most of this route will be done on foot, with a few junctions by train or bus, simply because the time I have does not allow me to do everything differently.
I will make this trip alone. But I hope I will have the pleasure of sharing a few stages with those who want to join me, for a few kilometers or a few days.

Last year Michel and his brother “slow path-ed” around the world, this year he’s connecting various UTMB events in France. Fun project, almost ‘Laz’-like. For those without LinkedIn, you can follow Michel’s journey on Polarsteps.

Via press email sent today:

• All historical race scores from 2019 to the present will be recalculated using the new V2.0 formula and will immediately replace the current scores.
• From 27 April 2026 onwards, only V2.0 scores will be visible and used in all UTMB systems, rankings, and qualification processes. Previous scores will no longer be accessible or used as reference.

They are promising faster calculations and results, and they are changing the way a ‘finisher’ is displayed:

• With the introduction of UTMB Index V2.0, race results may now appear under three different statuses: Score, Finisher, or Not Scored. 
• For races where there is insufficient data to calculate a score accurately, runners will be awarded a Finisher status. This status will provide all associated benefits, but without a numerical score.
• Examples include races with fewer than 5 finishers or races stopped midway.
  
  The existing criteria for Not Scored races remain unchanged, for example races less than 20km-effort.

This system feels wildly ambitious and complicated, not sure I fully understand why it exists, aside from defining who is an ‘elite’. I wonder if the new version is vibe-coded.

Side note: UTMB promised a few years ago to rethink their Index and give us gender parity in the way the results get calculated, I supposed this didn’t make it into the V2 release.

Nice-Matin, area newspaper reports: The new mayor of Nice, France Éric Ciotti takes drastic measures (auto-translated from French):

The new mayor of Nice swept away with the back of his hand three major sporting events installed in Nice and pampered by Christian Estrosi, his predecessor.

I don’t know much about French politics, but reading the Wikipedia page on Ciotti it sounds like he’s a far right politician, and stands for everything you come to expect from people like him.

Catherine Poletti: “We are in shock”

This is not the final decision yet. There will be appeals, and probably money will be exchanged to smooth things over, as one can expect. But also, wow. Nice Côte d’Azur by UTMB is in its fifth edition and one of the largest UTMB events in their World Series.

As we’re awaiting the start of the Canyons Endurance Runs by UTMB, which I will cover here on Electric Cable Car on my live ticker page, I thought I take a moment to share the total numbers of runners who’ve started each race over the last few years. (As far back as UTMB Live lists)

So, while Canyons lost the Major status after the 2024 race the numbers didn’t drop as dramatically as one might think. It’ll be interesting to see how these numbers will compare to this year. I’ll report after the event.

1. For all years the 100K has been a WSER Golden Ticket race.
2. In 2023 and 2024 Canyons was a UTMB Major and awarded double the number of stones. This changed in 2025 when Kodiak Ultra Marathons in Big Bear, CA became the Americas Major.
3. ECC summary of results for 2025 can be found here, for 2024 here, and my post in 2023.

And I’m sharing a post from Lavaredo Ultra Trail’s Instagram account for the occasion:

The mountains are not a backdrop. They are living spaces, fragile ecosystems, and the very reason why events like this can exist at all.

Earth is our only home. Our time here may be temporary, but the impact we leave behind is not. The way we treat nature today will shape the way we live tomorrow.

Today is a reminder to move through nature with greater awareness, deeper respect, and lighter impact.

Today we celebrate the land that challenges us and carries us forward. 

“The mountains are not a backdrop – they are living spaces…” what a beautiful sentence and sentiment, the whole thing. Love it.

Lavaredo 120K was the last big race I ran and my ultimate dream goal race. It’s been almost a year. I ran a trail marathon outside Issaquah, Washington back in November and shortly after broke my toe and took a very very long break. It might be time to get back into the saddle and think of some new goals. Or just make my goal to go back to Lavaredo again. What a stunning place to race!

iRunFar just published an interesting article by Zander Chase highlighting some data around the 200 mile phenomenon.

The 200-Mile Phenomenon: A Data-Based Look at Their Growth and Demographics

Browsing some of the numbers and charts I was reminded of a recent post by Aravaipa on the Cocodona’s Instagram channel:

We’re still 400 volunteers short of full capacity, and we need YOU to help bring this race to life.

Three weeks to the event, still 400! volunteers short. As an RD myself this terrifies me. (But I also cannot put me in the same category as Aravapia in size and scope, I will fully admit this.)

But these two post got me thinking of how many volunteers it takes to run these large scale events and so I did some numbering.

• Western States: 369 runners, 1,600 volunteers, not counting pacers and crew for runners.
• UTMB: (2025 numbers) 11,362 runners across the various races, 2500 volunteers, not counting crew for runners.
• Cocodona: (2026 numbers) 1,373 runners across the various races, 400 volunteers still short, not counting pacers and crew for runners.

I glanced over the volunteer signup form for Cocodona and it looks like (generously) 2/3 of the spots are filled. So we could assume they’d need about 1,200 for the event in total. That would put them at a ratio of approximately a volunteer per runner?

Comparing that to Western States, which runs such a unique operations – as a nonprofit with massive history – that it can afford a massive volunteer to racer ratio of over 4! Which is nuts. If that would be the standard for trail races hardly a single event could operate.

UTMB for the Finals week in Chamonix has at a ratio of .2 volunteers per runner, which seems very efficient and sustainable.

Not sure what the conclusion is I am coming to here – if any. Every sport utilizes volunteers and not everything can be visualized in a spreadsheet. In many ways volunteers are the lifeblood of every events that bring people together. And even if the organization is a full on profit-driven corporation their business model will always rely on dedicated people who love giving their time and expertise to help others fulfill their dreams. There’s something slightly weird about asking people to give their time and expertise to a business venture one draws a profit from – I struggle with this. But people do love to get involved, be part of something, and they explicitly want something easy and not immediately get hired and get full tied down. So volunteering does provide an important outlet for folks who love to give back and love to be part of something. Jesus, I am talking myself into circles, for this I apologize. So, what can I say. Go out there and be part of something. Get involved. Volunteer. Do something you love, and give back!

A couple of side notes:

• I am curious what the number of paid staff is that is added for each of these big events. Clearly UTMB in Chamonix must have a much larger number of paid staff and contractors. Bus drivers, medical and search and rescue, etc I assume are paid positions in the Alps.
• One aspect not considered in these numbers is that of pacers and crew. While not required by any of these events they do add to the equation in some ways. For example Cocodona does allow active pacers to utilize the aid station food and drinks. Do race organizations feel better knowing that many of their runners are running through the night with their pacer who (hopefully) is there to ensure the runner stays safe? I would assume so.