I was 4 hours over the qualifying time 
annoyingly . The lakeland 100 has not been cancelled yet - but I am not expecting it to go ahead . but at least plenty more opportunities and time to get in that qualifying race. Iām 50 next year as well -so will probably find another UTWT race to do 
Spent an enjoyable birthday afternoon watching this. What a great look back to when 4 top runners was a stacked field at WS!
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Watched that a couple of weeks ago FP, cracking viewing. Wont comment for fear of spoilers other than the pacers were equally as impressive!
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Missed this but for anyone wanting to get into future UTMB races it looks like they have some kind of loyalty\qualifying scheme from doing one of their other races from next year. Depending on the length of race you do you get āstonesā towards a UTMB slot.
(apologies if this has been posted above and Iāve missed it). Also appreciate there may not be many of the qualifiers this year as well.
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Yeah they keep touting that in my inbox. TBH, the more I see of UTMB the more itās becoming like Ironman. Dollars to doughnuts, in a few years time, the Stones will be the only way into UTMB.
Iām wondering if theyāll extend that validity of the points folks accumulated last year?
I thought it looked like a combination of AWA and the legacy program.
Going to make the ballot even harder.
Thereās a few races that will possibly have problems with qualifiers.
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Sounds like UTMB has gone, strange that the ban ends the day the TDF starts though 
, hardly a surprise but will wait for official confirmation.
The Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 seasons will not resume after France banned all sporting events, including behind closed doors, until September.
Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said the 2019-20 sporting season is over as he announced plans to ease Franceās coronavirus lockdown on 11 May.
`UTMB usually starts after the TdS - tried to get some better information from the news websites about what the French Gift has said but all seems to be a bit vague.
UTMB seems to suggest that May the 20th is the day that they are going to make the decision - perhaps some inside track with the Govt?
Even if the French are happy to let is go ahead, presumably we then also have to get the nod from the Italians and the Swiss.
Perhaps a postponement to mid/late September?
Just wish that they would get a move on and make a decision!
From the Guardian - perhaps why UTMB waiting until 20th May to make their announcement
Philippe said the government would reassess at the end of May whether conditions were right to ease restrictions further, to decide whether and when cafes, bars and restaurants could be reopened, and if summer holidays could go ahead.
It would seem strange that they have cancelled the football until September which seems fairly official as it was even on the BBC.
The last UTMB statement was on 21/4 I think and I did see the bit about 20th May, but I think that was before the government statement. And as you said it also requires the Italians and Swiss to agree, although the Swiss lockdown hasnāt been anywhere near as harsh as the other two.
Weāll have to see, Iām not sure if theyāll just rearrange it for September, it depends on the route of the tour de France as well.
Warrington way entries open tomorrow. 40 miles around warrington in November. What more could you want. Oh and thereās the friendliest aid stations every 10 miles and a yummy hot chilli at the finish (vegan option available).
Just search on Facebook for āwarrington way 40 mile ultraā and youāll see all the details. And the few contingencies in place if we canāt hold it in November.
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Hmm, got an email from UTMB today asking if we want to vote on the way forward, with these options.
We are currently focusing on 3 options:
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- Maintain the UTMB Mont-BlancĀ® as scheduled (last week of August) and adjust it to the situation
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- Postpone the UTMB Mont-BlancĀ®
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- Cancel the UTMB Mont-BlancĀ®
There is actually scope for it to go ahead, the rules the government put in place yesterday look like they will permit events up to 5000 people in August, which means they could get round this, if things donāt change again. But all those people in Chamonix that week is a big risk, especially as the immune system will be pretty compromised after the race.
It doesnāt say when it could be postponed until, they canāt leave it too long as it will be getting pretty cold and dark in October. Iāll be surprised if they postpone to next year.
The problem is if they cancel I might not get lucky in the ballot next time.
Of course this also depends on Italy & Switzerland permitting it.
5,000 runners? Each race has about 2500 doesnāt it? That means with family, each race is attracting at least 12-1300 people. Unless the restrict accommodation and village to runners only, canāt see it happening.
Thatās odd. As a mate just said he had the email from AdH triathlon that that had been cancelled. Theyāre not even messing about with late season postponement.
Surely it canāt go ahead. Everyone has seen the footage of the town at the start of the race! And up those hills people are in huge long lines.
A mate of mine who spends a lot of time in the Chamonix valley reckons that mid October is the latest that they could safely run it on the usual course without having real trouble with snow on the high passes.
I really donāt want to be told that they have reorganised a diluted version of the race for this year
My preference is everyone is deferred to next year
Well that sold out in less than 10 minutes 
The problem with something like UTMB is not just 000ās of people in one place, which is in itself a massive challenge to try and enforce anything really, especially as you say it goes through 3 countries.
But the nature of that event attracts people from all over the world. How are those people going to get there? Will they have to travel 2 weeks early and quarantine. If France is under control, but say the US still isnāt will US participants be banned from attending.
Much harder to control than something like IM Bolton which I assume (but could be wrong) largely attracts UK based athletes.
Are you suggesting that Bolton isnāt a destination race?
Of course not. Bolton is famous the world over as err, a nice, err, where is Bolton?
Itās all relative. If youāre from Tower Hamlets, Mosside or anywhere in Scotland, Bolton probably is a great destination race. 