Star Studded Line Up at the Eiger Ultra Trail

Press Release / 20.07.2023

Eiger Ultra Trail by UTMB® welcomed a star-studded line-up over the 12-16 July, including Kilian Jornet (ESP), Robbie Simpson (GBR) and Dani Moreno (USA) who both secured an all-important Running Stone to verify their spot at the UTMB® World Series Finals next month.

With over 4,200 runners from 85 different nationalities taking on one of the four distances on offer, German runners Hannes Namberger and Katharina Hartmuth were victorious in the queen E101 race, battling hot conditions in the Swiss mountains.

Crossing the line in 11:38:35, Namberger established a strong lead ahead of Raphael Sprenger (CHE) and Josh Wade (GBR) who rounded out the podium in 12:04:17 and 12:17:15 respectively.

“It was a very hot day, and I was suffering a lot, but I am super happy with the success. Now I will start to focus on the UTMB training, and we will see what happens in Mont-Blanc,” said Namberger, who will be looking for redemption in Chamonix after suffering a DNF in the UTMB® race in 2022.

Hartmuth also had a tough day out, despite finishing 25 minutes and 6 seconds ahead of second-placed Virginie Quinodoz (CHE) and Jocelyne Pauly (FRA). She said, “I felt bad in the first five hours because I couldn’t really eat as my stomach was bad. I had some problems with my glute muscle at 60km and then had the most massive blisters, so it was actually not my best day.”

The CCC® 2022 winner, Petter Engdahl won at the E51 this weekend adding to his recent third-place at Marathon du Mont Blanc 50K and 13th at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships last month. He finished ahead of a strong Stephen Wenk (CHE) and Andreas Reiterer (ITA).

“I felt really good today and made it hard for the others from the beginning but then the heat started to kick in from halfway and it was a real fight. I have never been here before, but I have heard so much about it and it was an amazing race. I will now spend the rest of summer in Chamonix, to prepare for UTMB World Series Finals,” said Engdahl.

It was win-win for the Swedes, with Emilie Forsberg also taking the tape in the women’s race and dipping just under the six-hour mark in 05:59:10.

“I heard Eiger Ultra Trail by UTMB was really beautiful and I think this is one of the most beautiful races I have ever done. I am very happy we came here! I knew the uphill was probably going to be in my favor and that the last 7km was on the flat and in the heat which is where I would probably suffer a lot,” said Forsberg who now turns her focus to the CCC during UTMB World Series Finals in just over a month’s time.

Eleanor Davis (GBR) was happy to return to the race that saw her first fall in love with trail running two years ago. Her talent and success continued, finishing in second place behind Forsberg in the E51 despite not feeling great in the first half of the race and having to conquer her fear of heights on the cliff walk section of the course. Anne-Cécile Thévenot (FRA) rounded out the podium in third.

In the E35, Great Britain’s Robbie Simpson came out victorious ahead of Stian Dahl Sommerseth (NOR) and Gian Marchet Schicktanz (CHE), with just 7 minutes separating the top three.

“I did Comrades Marathon a few weeks ago, and I’ve only done a few mountain sessions since then so I wasn’t sure how I would feel. I felt really average but got stronger and stronger and managed to hang on during the descent,” said Simpson.

Having finished third at OCC in 2022, Danielle Moreno just needed to finish the E35 race to earn a Running Stone to validate her place for the UTMB World Series Finals in August. She did more than just finish, smashing the course to take a comfortable win and provide a confidence boost ahead of the target race in August. She was joined by Bianca Tarboton (ZAF) and Julia Peter (CHE).

While Kilian Jornet took to the start line of the E16 Pleasure Trail, there was a surprise and unforgettable victory for 16-year-old Lorick Buclin (CHE) in his second ever race. It was a sprint for the finish however, with Buclin finishing just 19 seconds ahead of Raphaël Devantay (CHE), with Armin Reif (GER) following closely behind in third.

It was a tough race for Jornet, who suffered an injury just a few days before, but who needed to finish in order to gain a Running Stone and verify his slot for the UTMB World Series Finals. He said, “Grindelwald is an amazing place, and it is a beautiful surrounding. Training was going very well until two days ago when I got an injury. I am happy with my shape and how training was going, so I just need to recover from my small injury.”

With just over one month to go until the first ever UTMB World Series Finals in August, the UTMB World Series will take to America next weekend with Speedgoat Mountain Races by UTMB®, before returning to Europe for KAT100™ by UTMB® in Austria at the beginning of August.