New UTMB Whistler race causes uproar in trail community

On Thursday, UTMB/Ironman announced that the first Canadian addition to their UTMB World Series would be held in Whistler in September 2024. For various reasons, the announcement sent shockwaves through the trail-running community and resulted in widespread outrage, which picked up speed on social media over the following days.

In February of 2023, Robbins announced on Instagram that it had become “crystal clear there was no path forward” for Coast Mountain Trail Running (CMTR) to continue to hold Whistler Alpine Meadows (WAM)–a popular event with a variety of races, from a vertical kilometre to a 100-miler. The event was permanently cancelled. While Robbins didn’t give specifics, many athletes speculated that Vail Resorts, the team that owns Whistler Blackcomb (ski resort), had made it impossible for WAM to continue. In response to UTMB’s announcement on Thursday, Robbins wrote a blog post titled “What Really Went Down in Whistler with the WAM Races,” and the Internet erupted.

Robbins is the director (with partner Geoff Langford) of CMTR and their races have attracted many of the big names in ultra-trail, including Courtney Dauwalter, Dakota Jones and Mike Wardian. Known for greeting every single runner at his events with a hug or high-five at the finish line, Robbins and his races represent all the best parts of trail running to many athletes–widespread community involvement, support for local businesses and a focus on sustainability.

Canadian trail icon Ellie Greenwood (and former Western States 100 course record holder) was one of the first to share her dismay toward UTMB, whose name in the past few years has not only represented the popular 171K ultra in Chamonix, but also stands for a mega-buck business partnership (as of 2021) with Ironman.

“NO. We had an alpine playground before you, UTMB,” Greenwood shared on X (formerly Twitter). “Our local dedicated race directors (Coast Mountain Trail) had a super VK, 25k, 50k, 110k and 100 miler but got pushed out last year. Good luck getting locals to volunteer, we’ll be helping at the other super CMTR events instead.”

Greenwood’s response has been echoed throughout the community, from regular runners to the best in the sport. UTMB course record holder and 2023 winner, Jim Walmsley, shared a Strava activity titled “So what do we race next year then?”

They bided their time as Vail cratered WAM. Made it impossible for WAM to launch. Then Vail said it was @CoastMtnTrail's fault just to be extra assholes. Then UTMB/Ironman swoops in, steals the idea. It's even the same weekend. So transparent. Fuck that. Fuck Vail, UTMB & Ironman https://t.co/WSoAhconVv

— Linda Barton-Robbins (@lindabear78) October 26, 2023

UTMB and CMTR aren’t strangers: they met on a video call in September 2022, after the final edition of Whistler Alpine Meadows, to discuss the possibility of UTMB acquiring one of CMTR’s races. Both sides signed an NDA, but Robbins says he shared some non-negotiables during the meeting with UTMB: “our community support programs, our volunteer appreciation programs, etc.” Robbins was told that those issues were a conversation for another time, and wrote that he had not heard back from UTMB since June.

Robbins says he’s now grateful the conversation with UTMB didn’t progress. “I was giving them the benefit of the doubt, but in my heart I always knew better,” he wrote. “I am embarrassed to have to admit that I almost let a fox in the hen house.”

Whistler to get Canada’s first UTMB race in 2024

Robbins cites a severe lack of communication on the part of Vail Resort, as well as unreasonable requests regarding permits, which he saw as deliberate roadblocks to Whistler Alpine Meadows’ survival. In a statement to Canadian Running, Vail acknowledges the breakdown in communication on their end but stuck to their line that the decision to cancel WAM was entirely CMTR’s choice. “We were not willing to move forward with the 2023 race without an adequate safety and medical plan, and WAM was unwilling to work with us on this,” they said.

Robbins says Vail Resort’s new requirements were impossible to meet. “The new permits included things like a steep new operating fee, technical and safety requirements completely unrelated to a trail running event, and a host of other items that’d never been there before,” he shares.

Originally I feared Ironman would use UTMB to do to ultras what they did to triathlon w/ Kona. This is worse. I know how much @gary_robbins put into WAM. I want to experience UTMB but I will never run a UTMB race. No, they won't care about me. But if enough don't maybe they will. https://t.co/YgOH41u2fw

— John Kelly (@RndmForestRunnr) October 26, 2023

UTMB is adamant it didn’t set out to compete with Robbins, and UTMB and Vail have both stated that negotiations only began once Robbins made the public announcement that he was cancelling WAM. UTMB Whistler race director Christine Cogger believes there is space for more than one event within the community. “I think Gary has done a great job. We didn’t wake up looking to ruin the Canadian trail running community,” she told Canadian Running.

Paul Huddle, director of global trail running operations for UTMB, says the community reaction was surprising but not unexpected. “I know Gary is very passionate and puts on amazing races. A race is your baby, it’s a lot of work,” Huddle said. “His perception [is] that one of his babies was stolen and put on by somebody else–I get that.” 

Robbins and CMTR aren’t taking the hit lightly, and have announced a new race to compete directly with UTMB Whistler, in September 2024. “I would like to take the time now to say that we are officially announcing our intentions of launching a BC race in direct competition with this event, in September 2024,” Robbins said. His announcement has garnered the support of athletes on social media, and Dominic Gross and Andy Pearson, hosts of the ultrarunning comedy podcast Between Two Pines, have created a Go Fund Me, comically titled “Help Gary Robbins Buy UTMB.”

This is amazing and hilarious.

Thanks to Dominic and Andy for bringing some well needed levity to the situation right now.

The outpouring of support for me and my team these last few days here has been absolutely incredible!! 🙏 https://t.co/r9jqny6lbv

— Gary Robbins (@gary_robbins) October 28, 2023

UTMB responded to CMTR’s race announcement: “We want all trail races to succeed. For that race and all of Gary’s races, we want them to be successful,” they stated. 

While it remains to be seen how September 2024 will unfold, the trail community appears to be overwhelmingly united in their support of CMTR and grassroots racing events. “I could not be more proud of our community right now,” Greenwood commented on X. “We will fight to the end for what we love, for what we have worked so hard for and for what we have supported for so long.”

“We’re overwhelmed by the response and the amazing support from our community, both locally and at large,” Robbin’s wife, Linda Barton-Robbins, shared with Canadian Running. “Trail runners, hey? They’re something else. It brought tears to our eyes so many times yesterday. We are just so grateful.”