2014 qualifying races - Rules

The organization of The North Face® Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc® establishes a list of qualifying races for the Ultra-Trail® 2014.

Click here to see the list of qualifying races

Number of points necessary for 2014 registration

Each race listed in this list is worth 1, 2, 3 or 4 points.

To register for the 2014 UTMB®, it is necessary to have obtained a minimum of 7 points for finishing, between 01/01/2012 and 31/12/2013 exclusively (*), some of the races on this list. The 7 points must have been acquired from a maximum of 3 races.

To register for the 2014 CCC®, it is necessary to have obtained a minimum of 2 points for finishing, between 01/01/2012 and 31/12/2013 exclusively (*), 1 or 2 races courses on this list.

To register for the 2014 TDS™, it is necessary to have obtained a minimum of 2 points for finishing, between 01/01/2012 and 31/12/2013 exclusively (*), 1 or 2 races courses on this list.

(*) finishers of the 2011 UTMB®,  CCC® or TDS™, may also use these races as qualifying races.

If you abandoned a race, this race can in no way be taken into account.

It is not possible to register for the 2014 UTMB®, CCC® or TDS™ by making reference to a race which does not figure in this list.
The list of qualifying races on our website is valid: the Organisation is not responsible for inexact, obsolete or untruthful information communicated by those who are not known to the Organisation.

All requests for accreditation of a race as a qualifying race for the 2014 Ultra-Trail® must, obligatorily, be made BEFORE the opening of the 2014 registration period.

Control of the qualifying races

All the qualifying races used by runners to finalise their registration are verified, through the official results of the different races.
The Organisation takes note of the individual results of each runner (equally in the case of a race run as a relay or as a team member).

The runner must ensure that they appear in the official race result, and that their family name and first name are correctly spelt.

In the case of a false declaration of qualifying races, not conforming or untrue, the organisation reserves the right to cancel the runner’s registration without refunding the rights of engagement and to cancel their advantage for the following year (coefficient of  2 or priority) in the case of a negative draw.

Our commitment as organiser is to apply this regulation rigorously and in exactly the same manner for ALL runners without exception, we will, therefore, not accept any requests for dispensation for this regulation.

What is a qualifying race?

Only trails can be qualifying races. A trail is defined as an official foot race, in one or several stages, cross-country, in semi-autonomy, including a significant positive altitude change and for which an official ranking is published.

Road races, triathlons, multisport raids, orientation races are not qualifying races for the l’Ultra-Trail®.
Certain non-French races can be recognised by the organisation as equivalent to a trail.

The organisation of The North Face® Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc® is the sole judge for deciding on this equivalence.

Method of attributing points to a race

The principle criteria for establishing this list of qualifying races for the Ultra-Trail® 2014 are distance and positive altitude change.

Races of one single stage

For races in a single stage, an evaluation of effort is realised by adding together the distance expressed in km and the hundredth in positive altitude change expressed in metres. For example the estimated effort for a race of 65 km and 3,500 m of positive altitude change is: 65 + 3500/100 = 100.
No race representing an effort below 65 can be qualifying.
A race with an effort above 65 but not presenting a significant positive altitude change and/ or a sufficiently technical course cannot be qualifying.

As a general rule, races are worth :

• 1 point for an estimate effort including between 65 and 89,
• 2 points for an effort including between 90 and 129,
• 3 points for an effort including between 130 and 179
• 4 points beyond that.

Other criteria such as the nature of the terrain and the level of autonomy are taken into consideration by the Ultra-Trail selection committee which may in particular decide to reduce the number of points attributed to races which have a high proportion of tarred roads and/or a number of refreshment posts which suggests that it is really no more than in semi-autonomy.

Races in stages

Races in stages are analysed separately, with as additional criteria the number of stages, the distance and the average positive height gain, the distance and the height gain of the longest stage.

NB: in the case of a shortened route of a qualifying race, a premature end to the race or cancellation, or in the case of over-estimation of the distance or positive height gain in a race, the qualifying points will be recalculated in relation to the true characteristics, and that could be after the race itself.

How to add a race to the list of qualifying races?

We ask you to send us your demands exclusively by e-mail, to info@autmb.com, in supplying us with the following information:

• name of the race
• country
• state or department for the US or France
• date of the race
• distance
• Height gain/loss
• type of terrain:
  • % on road
  • % on tracks/drivable tracks
  • % on footpaths
• race in stages :
  • number of stages
  • distance and positive height gain of each stage
• races in loops:
  
  • number of loops
• time of the 1st
• number of refreshment points
• address of the internet site
• email address of the organiser

Attention : we do not consider demands made in an incomplete way!

In view of the information given, we shall decide:

• whether the race is a qualifying race.
• either that the race cannot be qualifying.
• or that we will make an in-depth study by making contact with the organiser and will communicate out decision taken at the end of this study.