UTMB’s second race in China set for 2020 debut, as Panda Trail promises a contrasting route to Gaoligong
- There will be three race distances at the event in Sichuan – 120km, 60km and 30km – as the brand shows confidence in the appetite of the Chinese market
A new race has joined the “by UTMB” circuit, which comprises trail races that serve as automatic qualifiers for original Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) in Chamonix. The new addition, called Panda Trail by UTMB, is held in Sichuan province and is now the second branded event to be held in China, alongside Gaoligong in Yunnan.
The location of Panda Trail – Dujiangyan City and Wenchuan County east of Chengdu – reflects the drive to turn western Sichuan, the habitat of the giant panda, into the mountain and outdoor sports centre of China. The local authorities look at Europe’s Alps as a model for the development of a sustainable outdoor industry.
UTMB International, which operates the branded events outside the Chamonix race, belongs to Swiss company OC Sports which already has a history of cooperation with local government in Dujiangyan. It jointly hosted the multi-day road cycling race Haute Route in October this year.
This year’s Panda Trail on November 9 was a trial race with just over 60 runners, staged for the final assessment by UTMB International. The first official edition is to be held from September 25 to 27, 2020, with full race details announced and online registration opening on January 20.
Three distances will be on offer – 120km, 60km and 30km. The finishers of the 120km will qualify automatically for the original UTMB in Chamonix 2021.