If at first you don’t succeed, strive, strive once more. This was Jim Walmsley’s mantra forward of successful the Extremely-Path du Mont-Blanc in a course file of 19hr 37min 43sec on Saturday (Sept 2) in Chamonix.
On a mission to win arguably the world’s most prestigious ultra-running race, the 33-year-old failed to complete the mountainous 101-mile course in 2018 and 2021, completed fifth in 2017 and fourth in 2022.
In Might final 12 months he moved to Arêches in France along with his spouse, Jess, to embrace what he referred to as “the mountain life”. Narrowly lacking out on a podium place final 12 months was progress however he described it as “unfulfilling”.
So this 12 months he has fully centered on the UTMB – with coaching going nicely aside from a month on the sidelines in Might on account of a sprained ankle – and it paid off as he took 12 minutes off Kilian Jornet’s course file this weekend to turn out to be the primary American man to win the occasion.
Jim Walmsley (UTMB)
Walmsley ran a affected person race within the early levels as Britain’s Tom Evans – racing three months after his Western States 100 victory – took to the entrance.
It was to not be Evans’ race, although, as he had issues approaching Courmayeur and was despatched to hospital for remark however is reported to be recovering nicely.
The race passes by France, Italy and Switzerland and Walmsley endured some dangerous patches as fellow American Zach Miller started to pressure the tempo within the second half of the race. Walmsley dug in, although, to chop the hole on Miller as he handed him on a descent from La Giete to Trient.
Jim Walmsley (UTMB)
“I used to be fairly robust on the hikes,” stated Walmsley, “and the place I dwell now has steep mountains and good mountaineering and that’s the place my focus has been. Within the closing levels I believed I may take a while again if my abdomen settled down.”
Twelve months earlier Walmsley made a powerful transfer at round 53 miles to open a spot on Jornet and he loved a 15-minute lead at one level however he fell aside within the remaining levels as Jornet stormed previous to clock what was, on the time, a course file of 19:49:30.
However this time – and in Jornet’s absence on account of damage – the HOKA athlete held his type to return dwelling with greater than 21 minutes to spare over Miller, who was additionally a mannequin of willpower as he made the rostrum for the primary time in six makes an attempt to turn out to be solely the third runner to interrupt the 20-hour barrier with 19:58:58.
Zach Miller, Jim Walmsley, Germain Grangier (UTMB)
Walmsley’s first phrases on the end line had been: “I really feel horrible!”
He added: “I’ve felt horrible for some time. I had a extremely robust spell when Zach made a push and I simply needed to wait it out, hoping for issues to show round.”
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With Miller runner-up, it meant a US one-two with Germain Grangier of France third in 20:10:52.
On changing into the primary American man to win, Walmsley paid tribute to the American feminine athletes who had gained on the UTMB, saying: “It simply seems like I’m including my identify to affix the robust US girls’s contingent.
“You may’t take it away from them. They’ve accomplished it many times right here and I’m pleased to face on their shoulders.”
Courtney Dauwalter (UTMB)
Certainly, an American girl gained at UTMB once more this 12 months as Courtney Dauwalter took her third victory in 23:29:14.
Impressively she did it in the identical summer time as setting course data at Western States and Hardrock ultra-races too.
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