Salomon ultra-running athlete Courtney Dauwalter has done the unthinkable, winning her third iconic 100-mile ultra-trail of the season at the UTMB in Chamonix on Saturday afternoon.
With the victory, she has become the first person to win the Western States 100, Hardrock 100 and UTMB in Chamonix in the same calendar year.
Dressed in her colorful Shortney Salomon shorts and a bright yellow “Shortney” jersey that seemed fitting of a leader on the trails of France, the American completed the loop around the Mont Blanc Massif in 23 hours, 29 minutes and 14 seconds to win the race for the third time in her career.
After breaking the course record at the Western States 100 in late June, then doing the same three weeks later at the Hardrock 100 in Colorado in July, Dauwalter decided to see what was possible at the famed UTMB®, which features more than 10,000 meters of elevation gain and takes runners from the starting line in Chamonix, France into Italy and Switzerland before returning to the iconic ski village.
Simply running “The Triple” of those three ultra-races in one season is considered a monumental physical and mental task. Winning all of them in 70 days as Dauwalter has done is otherworldly.
Courtney Dauwalter said: “The entire second half of the race, my body did not want to run anymore, and my stomach was very finicky. I have to thank my husband, Kevin, and my entire crew of my family and also all the volunteers and the fans. That was one of the most incredible atmospheres I have ever seen. Without all of them I would not have made it back here to Chamonix to celebrate with all of you.
“I think whenever you are given the opportunity to do something challenging and difficult, you should. Today was very, very difficult, but worth it.”
Using a full kit of Salomon products, including a future version of the S/LAB Genesis shoe, the 38-year-old Dauwalter led from the early stages on Friday evening and ran alone for many of the race. She even kept pace with her own 2021 course record through checkpoints over the first half of the 172-kilomter circuit into Italy. The final half of the race from Switzerland back into France was a journey through what she calls the “pain cave.”
In addition to her Genesis shoes, the rest of Dauwalter’s running kit included a yet-to-be-released ULTRA 10 running vest from the new Salomon ULTRA range, as well as a Bonatti jacket. The Shortney shorts and T-shirt colorway that Dauwalter wore will be part of the Spring 2024 Salomon range. Shortney apparel (shorts) is currently available in other colours.
