UTMB And Prize Money

(Update: Some of the screenshots have been deleted.)

Camille Herron is now making great hay of yesterday’s PTRA meeting on Twitter, posting Catherine’s and Michel’s comments, without context, inviting the trolls to pile on. Not even going to repeat here what was apparently said, but I’m giving context.

On page 151 of Doug Mayer’s book: ‘The Race that Changed Running‘:

“In the first years, we didn’t want prize money,” said Catherine Poletti. “It was a question for us of sharing the same values. We decided we’d offer the same gift to each finisher. The point of the race was for it to be fun, not for profit.”

This idea didn’t come out of thin air. The Polettis’ previous experience of awarding cash to winners had been upsetting.

Two decades ago, Catherine Poletti served as the treasurer of the CMBM trail-running club that was part of the town’s Club des Sports.CMBM managed the 23-kilometer Cross du Mont-Blanc, which was already becoming known around the world. Poletti saw Kenyan, Russian, and Ethiopian runners climb the podium and then watched helplessly as they descended directly into the arms of their coaches, who promptly presented her with invoices made out to their management companies. “I knew the money wasn’t going to the athletes,” she said. “It was exploitation.
Honestly, it was one of the worst experiences of my life. I was shocked.” From that day on, the Polettis worried that corrupt coaches would insinuate their way into UTMB. “Maybe not with Kilian,” said Catherine Poletti, “But what about the next one?”

Yes, Catherine and Michel are now being seen as the big bad wolves and Camille’s bad faith posting is adding to the general toxic environment. Congratulations, I bet that’ll get you your prize money you feel entitled too.