This weekend, New Zealand’s leading trail runner Ruth Croft will make her debut at the sport’s most prestigious and challenging race, the UTMB® in Chamonix, France.

The UTMB is one of the world’s best known endurance races. It is the centrepiece of the HOKA UTMB Mont-Blanc, a week-long event based in Chamonix, France, which sees 10,000 runners compete in seven different races, and the UTMB World Series Finals.

The UTMB sees runners take on a mountainous 176km (106-mile) route featuring 10km of elevation across France, Switzerland, and Italy. This year’s race takes place from Friday 30 August to Sunday 1 September.

The women’s field is expected to be a showdown between legends of the sport and rising stars. Ruth along with 2022 UTMB champion Katie Schide (USA) are the standout names.

Though Ruth will tackle the UTMB for the first time, she is no stranger to the trails of Mont-Blanc having claimed victory twice in the 50km OCC race (2018 & 2019) and the 100km CCC race (2015) and will start as one of the favourites for the coveted title of UTMB champion.

“Training has been going well, a lot smoother than last year to be honest.

“My health has been in a better place this year which meant I was able to have one of the better base building periods in New Zealand over the summer and have been building on that since coming to Europe.

“I’ve had a fun month up at altitude in Tignes, France, it was like little New Zealand up there with a lot of Kiwis and adopted Kiwis based there to train, so that bought some home comforts,” says Ruth.

“I actually got a virus leading into UTMB last year which meant I couldn’t race. 

“If anything, it has made me more aware that half the job is just getting on the start line healthy, happy, and not overcooked.

“I feel my coach and I have been able to find that balance this year.”

Undeniably one of the best trail runners in the world, Ruth has won her last three races including the Tarawera Ultra-Trail by UTMB 102km in February and has finished on the podium of every race she’s lined up for dating back to October 2020.

Her greatest career victory to date came two years ago when she won the famous Western States 100-Mile Endurance Race in California, USA, after finishing second the year before.

Both Western States races are the only two 100-mile races Ruth has done, with this year’s UTMB set to be her third.

“For me, 100 miles, no matter what the course, just comes down to self-management, focusing on myself and not what the other women around me are doing.

“I’ll be making sure I am not dropping any sub four-minute kilometres out of Chamonix, as that won’t be helping me in the back half of the race.

“A successful race for me is always about having some fun along the way. Well, as much as you can over 170km,” she says.

The UTMB start line - Photo Franck Oddoux for UTMB.

“I have a good dose of both excitement and also intimidation, which will keep me in check.

“Martin [Croft’s partner] is going to be back crewing me, and I’ve got some support from friends and family, so I’m looking forward to sharing the loop with them.”

Ruth will line up on Friday knowing that if she races to the best of her ability a shot at the title is within her grasp.

“Whatever happens during the race however, Ruth will aim to have as much fun as possible and represent New Zealand with pride with the eyes of the world watching on.

“This is definitely our biggest stage that we have in our sport, and after watching the Olympics it’s been cool to see that even though we are a small country at the bottom of the Pacific we can compete against the best in the world.

“I was impressed with watching Hamish Kerr win the high jump in Paris, he just looked so calm and that he was genuinely having fun, and that is what I want to bring to UTMB,” says Ruth.

Fellow Kiwi Nancy Jiang will join Ruth on the UTMB start line this year.

Like Ruth, Nancy is a former Tarawera Ultra-Trail champion, her 102km win coming in 2023.

On the men’s side, New Zealand’s Scotty Hawker will line up for his seventh UTMB race.

The Christchurch runner has previously placed third in the UTMB in 2019 and second in the CCC in 2021.

The UTMB begins on Friday afternoon local time, 4:00am NZT on Saturday morning, with the first runner across the line expected a day later, estimated around 11:45pm NZT on Saturday night.

Full coverage of the women’s and men’s UTMB races will air live and for free on live.utmb.world.

For more information about the HOKA UTMB Mont-Blanc and UTMB World Series Finals visit montblanc.utmb.world. For more information about Tarawera Ultra-Trail by UTMB visit tarawera.utmb.world.