At this point in your running career, you’re probably familiar with the Abbott World Marathon Majors – a collection of six marathons around the world in New York, Berlin, Tokyo, London, Chicago and Boston. And, one thing you’ll quickly notice about all these events, they’re all in major metropolitan cities and are marathons that cater to the road runner community. Enter the World Trail Majors: a brand new world circuit of trail races globally.
The World Trail Majors Races
In 2024, the World Trail Majors will be made up of at least nine ultras:
January 20, 2024 Anta Hong Kong 100k in Hong Kong
February 10, 2024 Black Canyon Ultras 100k in Mayer, Arizona
February 24, 2024 Transgrancanaria 126k in the Canary Islands, Spain
April 26, 2024 Mt. Fuji 100 Mile in Japan
April 27, 2024 Madeira Island Ultra-Trail 115k in Madeira, Portugal
June 8, 2024 Swiss Canyon Trail 111k in Switzerland
June 8, 2024 South Downs Way 100 Mile in the United Kingdom
July 5, 2024 Quebec Mega Trail 100 Mile in Canada
November 22, 2024 Ultra-Trail Cape Town 100 Mile in South Africa
The Mission of the World Trail Majors
The organizers of the race series, in an article with iRunFar, communicated “independence and collaboration” were the two primary themes of the new series.
“With the World Trail Majors we are looking to re-create that supportive alliance of race directors from everywhere, but this time with a flat structure where all the races are equal. This in turn will help each race to provide the best possible experience for runners of all abilities — from the world’s best to those dreaming of finishing.” said Steve Brammar, the organizer of the Anta Hong Kong 100K.
The Importance of the World Trail Majors
The Abbott World Marathon Majors accounts for roughly 50% of all marathon registrations per year. The series itself serves as a single umbrella that simplifies the discovery of the bucket list race for marathon runners.
Additionally, completing all six World Majors inducts runners into a niche group of 11,000 Six Star Medal winners. The Abbott World Marathon Majors has discussed the possibility of including a seventh marathon in the near future.
Related: 15 Best Trail Races of 2024
UTMB
Outside of the trail running community, the most recognizable brand might be the UTMB World Series. The UTMB World Series, you may recognize for its most famous for it’s Ultra Tour du Mont Blanc. That ultramarathon is one of the most popular trail races in the world. The course traverses 109-mile through the Mont Blanc range between France and Switzerland.
The UTMB World Series has their own Majors Series which includes The Canyon Endurance Runs in Sacramento, Val d’Aran in Spain, and Doi Inthanon in Thailand.
Howevr, within the last few months, UTMB has come under some scrutiny. A recent conflict with a local organizer left a bad taste in the mouthes of many trail runners.
The World Trail Majors is the creation of a new trail ultra race series. It hopes to offer a new ultra series for trail runners and experience seekers alike.
Word Trail Majors Accessibility
Everyone has access to the Abbott World Marathon Majors (minus the Boston Marathon, which requires a time qualification or a charity donation), but what about the World Trail Majors?
Some ultramarathons, like the UTMB race series, require participants to run one or more qualifying races to even be considered.
The World Trail Marathons’ intention is to appeal to all levels of trail runners from grassroots to elite.
The intention of creating a Trail Major Series is to elevate the floor reputation amongst the brands with big international followings. They’ll provide better accessibility, visibility, and support to the races to continue to provide an authentic trail running experience built on trail running’s real values.
Related: Trail Running vs Road Running: What You Need To Know
World Trail Majors Launch Video
You can vide the official video launch of the World Trail Majors below.
More on the World Trail Majors
To read more about the World Trail Majors and how you might get involved, participate, or support you can find them on their website WorldTrailMajors.com. To read the article from iRunFar from Editor in Chief Bryon Powell, you can find that here.
