Jim Walmsley Becomes First American Male to Win UTMB Mont-Blanc
Walmsley Breaks Kilian Journet’s Course Record
HOKA Press Release
September 2, 2023
Crossing the finish line in 19:37:43, HOKA®, a division of Deckers Brands (NYSE: DECK), sponsored athlete, Jim Walmsley, became the first American Man to win the Dacia UTMB® Mont-Blanc. Since moving to Arêches-Beaufort, France in 2022, Walmsley has been hyper-focused on his preparation for UTMB. He finished 4th at the race in 2022 and opened his 2023 ultra-trail season on the UTMB® World Series with a win at the Istria 100 by UTMB® in Croatia.
The Dacia UTMB® Mont-Blanc is regarded as the most prestigious and competitive ultra-trail running event in the world. The breathtaking course features over 32,687 feet of elevation gain on its 106.2-mile trail around Mont Blanc, taking runners through France, Italy, and Switzerland. Since its start in 2003, the event has remained committed to its founding principles: surpass one’s limits, play fair, and respect people and the environment.
Jim Walmsley Wins UTMB (Image courtesy HOKA)
With an average speed of 8.78 km/hour, and an overall time of 19:37:43, Walmsley came in under the course record time recorded last year by Kilian Journet. He also becomes the third person to finish what is considered one of the most technical courses in the world in under 20 hours.
“Jim continues to amaze the trail running community,” says Mike McManus, Director of Global Sports Marketing at HOKA. “After a 4th place finish last year, he made it his mission to arrive at the 2023 race in the best position to win. His move to the French Alps is just one example of his unwavering dedication to the sport and this race. We are honored and humbled to have him on the HOKA team.”
Immediately following the race, Jim said, “Surprisingly, I battled a lot of lows throughout the night and throughout the whole race, and I’m shocked that things clicked right in the end. I feel really lucky that I got the last run and good push, and was able to hold on to the finish because I was falling apart.”
The HOKA brand’s continued partnership as the Premiere Footwear and Apparel Sponsor of the UTMB® World Series is rooted in a shared mission to inspire trail athletes throughout the world, while continuing to make the sport more accessible. As a leading innovator in the trail running space, HOKA remains committed to creating best-in-class footwear and apparel products for those seeking to perform to their fullest potential on the trails and beyond.
Walmsley wore an unnamed HOKA prototype trail shoe throughout the 106.2-mile race. HOKA continues to be a leader in the technical trail footwear space, with beloved franchises including the Speedgoat, Tecton X, and Mafate. Whether you are looking for a max-cushioned workhorse for easy miles or a highly-responsive race shoe with carbon fiber propulsion, HOKA has a trail shoe for every runner. For more information on all of HOKA’s trail offerings, click HERE.
Walmsley swarmed by the fans (image courtesy of HOKA)
Walmsley the first American male winner of UTMB