Updated on 31 August 2026, after the 2026 edition.
In terms of history, it is fair to say that the UTMB® has broken many records, whether in participant numbers, distance covered, number of wins or race times.
The participant record
The event is now capped at 10,000 participants across all races, but the number of applications continues to grow, with more than 29,000 applications for the 2026 edition. In the flagship race, 2024 saw the highest number of participants, with 2,761 runners setting off from Chamonix.
The win records
In the men's race, two runners share this record. Famous Spanish runner Kilian Jornet and French runner François D'Haene each have 4 wins at the UTMB®. In the women's race, Britain's Lizzy Hawker has the most wins with 5 victories, ahead of American runner Courtney Dauwalter, who has 3 wins.
The speed record
Comparing times from one edition to another requires caution. The course is regularly modified according to weather conditions, and a diversion that removes a technical high-altitude section can save several dozen minutes. This is why the fastest time in the race's history and the official record do not refer to the same performance.
The fastest time ever recorded
It now belongs to American runner Ben Dhiman, in 18 hours 16 minutes and 29 seconds at the 2026 edition. It is the first time under 19 hours in the race's history. However, this time is not officially recognised as a record: the course had been modified at the last minute and the start delayed by two hours due to a storm forecast for the original time slot.
Three other performances fall into the same category, faster than the official record but achieved on a revised route: François D'Haene in 19h01'54" (2017), Tom Evans in 19h18'58" (2025) and Jim Walmsley in 19h37'43" (2023).
The official record
On the full course, it is still held by Kilian Jornet, with a time of 19 hours 49 minutes and 30 seconds set in 2022. In the women's race, the record belongs to American runner Katie Schide, in 22 hours 9 minutes and 31 seconds, set in 2024.
In 2026, French runner Blandine L'Hirondel completed the race in 21h54'49", faster than this record, but could not replace it for the same reason as Ben Dhiman in the men's race.
What changed in the 2026 edition
Beyond the winner's time, 2026 will be remembered as the year the overall level stepped up. Three men went under 19 hours on the same day: Ben Dhiman, Baptiste Chassagne in 18h47'38" and Caleb Olson in 18h48'24". And the entire men's top 10 finished under 20 hours, from the winner to Jean-Philippe Tschumi in 19h58'24".
Find the full history of winners in our UTMB® honours list.
The youngest winner record
In 2008, Kilian Jornet won the UTMB® at just 20 years old, in his first appearance in the race. He finished more than an hour ahead of the runner-up.
The oldest winner
In 2007, one year before Jornet's achievement, Italian runner Marco Olmo won for the second consecutive year, at the age of 58.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UTMB® record?
The official record, set on the full course, is 19h49'30" for men (Kilian Jornet, 2022) and 22h09'31" for women (Katie Schide, 2024).
What is the fastest time ever run at the UTMB®?
18h16'29", by Ben Dhiman in 2026. It was the first time under 19 hours, but as the course was modified at the last minute, the performance is not officially recognised as a record.
Why don't some faster times count?
Because they were achieved on a course modified for weather or safety reasons. This applies to the times set by Ben Dhiman in 2026, Tom Evans in 2025, Jim Walmsley in 2023 and François D'Haene in 2017, all faster than the official record.
Has a man ever gone under 19 hours?
Yes, for the first time in 2026, and there were three of them on the same day: Ben Dhiman, Baptiste Chassagne and Caleb Olson.
