Sticking with the business updates theme here for today.

Jeremy Gray for PetaPixel:

GoPro has announced its second-quarter financial results and some of the core numbers are dire.
…
GoPro said in April that it would lay off about 23 percent of its workforce this year amid excess costs. The company disclosed the following month that it was evaluating its options, including contemplating a potential sale.

This doesn’t look good. You’re the best product in your niche and you still can’t make the business work.

I had missed that, but Tudor isn’t the only “non-GPS/luxury watch brand” sponsoring trail. Unsurprisingly the Matterhorn Ultraks event is sponsored by Norqain. I say unsurprisingly because of course a trail event happening in and around Zermatt would have a watch sponsor, and of course, it’s a Swiss watch brand.

We are proud to be the Official Timekeeper of the Matterhorn Ultraks in Zermatt, Switzerland. The race in the Swiss mountains not only offers striking trails but also breathtaking views along the way. Matterhorn Ultraks offers competitors exceptional courses of various distances and difficulty levels so every NORQAINER can find what fits their skills and level.

Norqain even has/had a limited edition watch, the ‘Adventure Matterhorn Ultraks‘ celebrating their partnership. (The watch is already sold out, not sure how long that partnership has been going?)

Which then, of course brings me to the very important point worth asking – myself and you: which watch company should become the official partner of Beast of Big Creek? Anyone got ideas?

Tiffany Montgomery at Shop Eat Surf Outdoor has the story:

Mammut Sports Group AG, the Swiss mountain performance brand founded in 1862, announced that CPE has signed an agreement to acquire the company from Jacobs Capital.

No article ever talks about if these equity ownership deals are ever good for the brand. Yes, in some ways, maybe it’s better for the brand to sell itself, keep the employees – for now – and continue operating and making money. And maybe if I’d be in a position like this I’d do the same thing: rather sell myself than go under. But man, in this global game of endless ownership shuffle, no brand stands for anything anymore. Any sense of place is completely lost.

Publicly traded Wolverine World Wide Inc. owns Merrell, title sponsor of the Skyrunner World Series, and they just had their Q2 earnings call (from the transcript):

In trail run, Merrell continues to entrench its position with its title sponsorship of the Skyrunner World Series, composed of elite trail running races around the globe in locations such as China, Japan, France, Italy, Spain, Chile, Argentina and right here in the U.S. Merrell-sponsored athletes currently claim seven spots in the top 15 men’s and women’s standings, including the top four ranked men in the series. In the marketplace, the brand’s premier franchise, the Agility Peak 6, continued to gain traction, up double digits globally versus the previous model’s comparable first season.

(Emphasis mine.)

Merrell grew 11.1% over last quarter. That shake out run we did must’ve gone well, I’d say.

Announced today (link to the PDF policy document) and oh boy do I feel for the folks managing their social media today:

Everyone deserves to know they are welcome before deciding whether to apply to the lottery for a chance to run in our event, so today we’re sharing a new policy on transgender and non-binary athlete inclusion.

Kudos to the team in Silverton for getting this one right… and even leaving room to grow. That’s how it’s done.

Shared by Erdinger last week:

Werner Brombach, owner of the private brewery ERDINGER Weißbräu, passed away on Saturday at the age of 86 in the circle of his family after a short illness. The “Bräu von Erding” led the brewery, founded in 1886, in the second generation and made the ERDINGER Weißbier and the city of Erding known worldwide.

Still my all time favorite beer, even though I believe it tastes a lot better when drinking it back home. Nonetheless, I will find a few good bottles their original Hefeweizen one here and will enjoy ti in Werner’s honor before the summer is over. What a life, what a legacy to have built and leave behind. Prost!

For the upcoming Finals in Chamonix UTMB announced a new campaign that can be summarized to the US crowd succinctly with their version of “Leave no Trace”:

Runners, supporters, spectators: everyone has a part to play. The places we love, we protect. The people who bring them to life, we respect. A responsibility we all share. Here are the actions that come with it.

This is actually, un-sarcastically, a really good thing. UTMB draws thousands of folks from other parts of the world to its trails and mountains. It’s paramount to “teach the ways of the locals” as it comes to respecting the environment and the neighbors. And I’m not saying this because “foreigners are savages” or whatever xenophobic crap one might think, but when away from home, especially with a huge goal in mind, surrounded by likeminded folks one can sometimes forget themselves. It’s easier to leave the proverbial dropped litter if it falls not in your own backyard.

A couple of weeks ago with international runners lining up at ‘Beast’ I stressed the importance of staying on the trails, especially in the high alpine region. This is something that’s (mostly) pretty well understood over here among trail runners, but there are regions in the world where there are fewer defined trails on rocky terrain and folks are allowed to just sort of cut across. I wasn’t going to get in trouble with the National Forest Service over this and possibly lose my permit for the coming years. So, I very much understand where UTMB is coming from with these announcements.

Volunteers, residents and staff bring this event to life. They deserve the same kindness we give the runners.

Reminding everyone that in the end, while a lot might be on the line, we’re humans, we’re people, we’re brothers and sisters, and that is what matters. What a perfect message for UTMB to have their Finals imbue out into the rest of the world.

Egon Theiner writing for German Trail Running World (auto-translated via Safari):

Quietly and quietly, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has written to its Olympic trade associations. What World Athletics suggests, why the program of Los Angeles 2028 sets the bar even higher for Brisbane 2032 – and why ‘race walking’ of all things could clear the way.

If ‘trail running’ would become an Olympic sport due to ‘race walking’ getting the boot and making space for it, it would be a hilarious side story since a very controversial trail runner recently made the announcement they were trying themselves on the sport of ‘race walking’ after having more or less ‘crashed out’ in the trail space.

The Summer Olympics are ballooning bigger and bigger – and there’s increased competition for what sports are staying in and which ones are being kicked out. The Winter Olympics are held small-ish due to the self-imposed limitations that the sports have to be on “snow and ice”. This doesn’t have to be that way, I say again.

Another summer, another wildfire forces the cancellation of Teanaway Country 100 in Washington State. Rainshadow took over the event from founder Brian Morrison and since then the event had to be cancelled twice. And that’s not on Rainshadow at all, this event, even under Morrison’s tutelage had seem more changes/cancelations and interruptions that regular runnings. Something, something being build on ancient burial ground… this event really does feel like it’s cursed. Or maybe it’s just that these are the realities of our summers in the “new normal”?

It’s been a few months that I had a chance to do some good housecleaning on the ECC UTMB calendar. We got it done – it probably will be outdated already again by tomorrow.

Here’s the breakdown of event locations from around the world:

• 69 Events
• 4 Majors, 1 Finals
• Europe: 30
• Asia: 16
• North America: 14
• South America: 5
• Oceania: 3
• Africa: 1

August is always a crazy month with just an endless barrage of UTMB updates.

Brand new event for the US market announced this morning: Ultra Trail Chattanooga:

Ultra Trail Chattanooga by UTMB brings the World Series to the Southeast, built around the River to Clouds route, where the Tennessee River sets the tempo, carrying runners from riverfront streets to Appalachian ridgelines above.

Dates are 4-6 June 2027. Distances offered: 100K, 50K, 20K. Seems like another brand new event and not a acquisition of an existing one?

Also: the new event announcements have been coming at a blistering pace. After last year’s fairly calm summer we’re back to a rapid expansion of the World Series with announcements coming out almost daily ahead of the Finals later this month.

Ryan from US Skyrunning asked me for a few words summarizing my experience bringing the Skyrunner World Series to Beast this year:

This is why I build Beast of Big Creek into an international skyrunning event. This is what trail running is all about for me.

It includes s’mores!

Groan*.

I’m way behind in posting my observations on various UTMB related news announcements and articles that were recently released. And, instead of trying to catch up chronologically I am going to comment in reverse order.

Matt Walsh blogged on TrailMix today, largely commenting on Doug Meyer’s article in Trailrunner Magazine about the state of UTMB. On Instagram UTMB’s Fabrice Perrin commented in turn on Doug’s article, which in it of itself is worth taking into account. Doug’s article is by now a somewhat annual piece ahead of UTMB week commenting on the state of the sport and recaps some of the latest changes UTMB rolled out over the course of the summer. These changes were shared and bundled together at a press conference last week, where UTMB not only listed their efforts, but implored the media to actually pick them up and share them in turn.

So back to Matt. The piece is titled ‘The Value of Being Different‘ and just that word ‘different’ had a light bulb go off in my head. In the past when we’ve talked about the evolution in our sport we’ve often only looked at it from a point of “grassroots vs. new”. Grassroots being local and therefore good. And new being capitalistic, corporate, global and therefore bad. Matt introduces the very simple word ‘different’, and why that might seem mundane, I feel like he’s on to something.

In trail running, becoming too mainstream can actually undermine some of your appeal. If every race looks the same, every athlete dresses the same and every brand speaks the same language, the things that made the sport distinctive begin to disappear. Difference itself has become part of the product.
…
This is where trail runnings tendency towards uniqueness becomes a counterweight to commerciality. Trail runners actively seek out difference (thats why they’re running off-road in the first place). They want the obscure race, the unusual route, the independent brand and the event with a personality. In that sense, the culture itself has a quasi-defence against homogenisation. The more successful trail running becomes, the more valuable those alternatives might become.

I will add to this that runners recognize this – consciously or subconsciously. And as long as trail races are feasible to fund their operations via just the bib sale this model works. Once demand on race directors grow – aka to add costly livestreams – brands need to help fund these growing demands – otherwise entry fees grow to exorbitant costs and runners will flee.

But most brands are risk averse, some might even say uncreative and unimaginative, especially when it comes to their marketing spend. Everyone looks for ROI through the same tried and true formulas and very few are willing to paint outside the lines.

So, if we trust that race directors will continue to push the creative envelope with their race format and event setups, and if they get validated in these efforts via runners actually signing up then what we need is brands willing to make some bets and come along for the ride. There’s brand value creation possible beyond the spreadsheet ROI, I promise.

*corny headline alert!

Skyrunner World Series has updated their annual ranking with last week’s race results from Beast of Big Creek.

Here’s how these rankings work (taken from the organizer PDF I received):

To appear in the overall ranking, athletes must complete FOUR races plus the SkyMasters – FIVE races in total. The top four results—along with the SkyMasters – will count toward the final standings. Qualification for the SkyMasters requires athletes to finish at least four races and secure a top -20 placing in one of them.

A total of seven races have been designated as RED races, each awarding 1.5x points. All other races will be known as the WHITE races. RED races will play a strategic role in the overall ranking, with the following combinations eligible:

• 2 RED + 2 WHITE + SkyMasters
• 1 RED + 3 WHITE + SkyMasters

Beast was a “RED” race and therefore runners were awarded 1.5 points. The point system works as follows:

• RED: 1st – 150pts. and descending from there based on placement.
• WHITE: 1st – 100pts. and descending from there based on placement.
• SKYMASTERS: 1st – 200pts. and descending from there based on placement.

This is all a bit confusing, but when you sit for it a bit it makes sense. There are ranking and qualification systems and in our sport, and most are much more straightforward: run a qualification race = qualify for the Finals. UTMB works like that – by and large, WSER with their Golden Ticket races, and even Hardrock in some sense. You just have to finish the qualifying race and you’re in… the lottery. World Trail Majors is trying a point system, but with their 100M distances it’s just too hard to get runners to commit to more than two races on their calendar thus making rankings largely uneventful. Golden Trail World Series has a similar ranking system and leaderboard but only has 7 races + the Finals.

The SWS rankings serve two purposes:

• Of course, and mostly they help elite runners plan their season, if they are all in on they skyrunning circuit.
• It’s a gauge and point of interest for fans, spectators if you will. You can actually follow your runners throughout the season. 18 races + the Spymaster Finals allows for a lot of movement on that table and a lot of strategic considerations.

For fans and spectators this could really be fun – and maybe even the missing piece to the whole fandom* thing we’ve been talking about now for awhile. I’ll have Etienne Rodriguez on Singletrack later this month to talk about all this and more.

*In any other sport the strategic conversations where fans debate the what ifs and what could be as teams meet week after week is half the fun. This is currently missing in trail running – mostly. A working leaderboard with real stakes attached it them could be a game changer.

Is this a jumping of the shark moment, or rather an uncloaking of what the shirt really is? Urban run club influencers can’t be pleased with this hotly demanded garment now being available to the masses. Oh, and whil I am asking cryptic questions: what does it say that currently only the men’s doily version is available at the very un-radical outdoor retailer?

Much talked about – eventually – effort by Sophie Grant on one of Europe’s most beloved long distance routes. (I chuckled when our dear friends on Freetrail’s Rest Day described the Via Alpina as a route that people are now discovering… oh sweet summer child… this route isn’t new. Big Alps crossings, and especially this one have been celebrated, attempted, and talked about for many many many years… just in the wrong continent, apparently.) But back to Sophie:

On Saturday, August 1, New Zealander Sophie Woods (née Grant) finished her traverse of the entire length of the Alps, on the Via Alpina route, setting a new overall supported fastest known time of 28 days, 17 hours, and 59 minutes. This beats both the prior men’s record of 35 days, 21 hours, and 4 minutes, set by the U.K.’s Jake Catterall in 2024, and the previous women’s record of 38 days, 2 hours, and 54 minutes, set by Tessa Caspers (The Netherlands) in 2025.

What an incredible achievement. And yes, Stephanie is right when she says on Instagram:

When men attempt records like this, there are film crews and live trackers and headlines. Sophie has her loyal friends, @zoe_salt_photography taking amazing photos, and of course her partner George, who is ALWAYS behind her. But honestly, she should have the world watching her because what she is doing is beyond comprehension and human capability.

What does it take for the media to pick up stories like hers and celebrate her – and not just after we’ve gotten yelled at? Who was part of her media team on the ground sending updates along the way?

PS: Sophie’s story can be watched online as part of the Trail Running Film Festival’s ‘Online Long Films‘.

UTMB announced this name change a couple of weeks ago:

Ultra-Trail Snowdonia becomes Eryri by UTMB in 2027.
…
In 2022, Snowdonia National Park reverted to the historic Welsh name of Eryri. UTMB is proud to be following in this tradition by renaming the iconic Ultra-Trail Snowdonia.

This name change was largely met with positivity. Often, especially with locals who’ve carried the history of an event over the year any changes are considered bad corporate policy and “just another sign of how all good things die”. But not in this case. UTMB deserves some credit here.

Hiroshima Ultra-Trail joins the World Series:

This is a city that chose to rebuild as a place of peace, and the run carries that spirit, returning along the Peace Line, the axis that joins the Cenotaph to the A-bomb Dome.

What a place for an international sporting event. And what an incredible statement to the notion that “time does indeed heals wounds”.

The event will be on 9-11 April and registration opens later this month/ Three races will be available in the following categories: 100K, 50K, 20K.

My UTMB World Series Calendar on Electric Cable Car is currently woefully outdated but I will get all the new announcements and changes uploaded before the end of the month – promise!

How is this a real thing?

Inspired by the concept behind Starbucks® Coffee & Protein, which combines coffee and protein in one convenient bottle to simplify busy mornings, the vest pairs function and fashion in a single piece to make morning routines easier so you can move from your morning walk straight into whatever comes next.

And sold out, of course.

Late stage capitalism, man.

Who wore what, and which shoes created champions at this year’s Beast of Big Creek? Coincidently iRunFar just posted their analysis of the entire Westerns States field, and which shoes runners choose when the race in question is a 100 mile race on California Carpet^(TM). But, what’ if it’s a short, steep, technical mountain race in the Pacific Northwest? Which shoes do runners select?

Here’s your full list, broken down by gender, athlete, and ranking:

WOMEN OVERALL — TOP 10

1. Eve Pannone – Brooks Catamount Agil
2. Natalie Beadle – Arc’teryx Sylan 2
3. Claudia Corral – Scarpa Spin Ultra 2
4. Carmen Graves – Merrell Long Sky 2
5. Kalie McCrystal – Nnormal Kjerag Brut
6. Careth Arnold – Altra Mont Blanc Carbon
7. Robin Vieira Brower – Norda 005
8. Ainhoa Garikano – Salomon S/Lab Salomon Genesis 2
9. Abby Stone – NNormal Kjerag Brut
10. Rachel Hebaus – Hoka Mafate 5

MEN OVERALL — TOP 10

1. Morgan Elliott – Merrell MTL Agility Sky – prototype – launch date Spring 2027
2. José Manuel Quispe – Merrell MTL Long Sky 2
3. Daniel Antonioli – Scarpa prototype – launch date UTMB week
4. Jackson Cole – La Sportiva Prodigio Pro
5. Beñat Albisu – La Sportiva Prodigio Pro
6. Joshua Potvin – Merrell MTL Agility Sky – prototype – launch date Spring 2027
7. Cole Campbell – Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed 2
8. Scott Maguire – Norda 005
9. Ibai Angulo – Salomon S/Lab Pulsar 4
10. Jimmy Buchanan – La Sportiva Prodigio Pro

Sorted by brand and shoe type this is what this looks like:

• Merrell scored 4 in the top 20 *
• La Sportiva follows with 3.
• NNormal, Scarpa, Norda all had two runners wearing their shoes.

In a delightful surprise (to me personally) the La Sportiva Prodigio Pro was the most worn shoe. Three athletes, all men – wore that shoe on Saturday + plus, me the race director who marked the course in it – that should count for something too, right?

Merrrell’s athletes split their selection with two runners wearing the MTL Agility Sky (which will be announced in the Spring of ’27) and the MTL Long Sky 2.

Two women wore the NNormal Kjerag Brut, and two more folks ran in the Norda 005.

Brands completely missing here are: Nike/ACG, Mount 2 Coast, On, The North Face.

There’s probably more smart analysis that can be pulled from this data, but for now, if you’re looking for a shoe good for skyrunning, let this be an inspiration.

(*The Skyrunner World Series is sponsored by Merrell and they had their full NA athlete team present.)