The Monte Rosa Walser Weag race in Italy has joined the UTMB World Series Circuit. To be part of that, it has also opened up a new distance; the 120 kilometres long (8.200m+) Les Sentiers des Valdôtains. That race will be part of the UTMB 100 miles category. The races will be held in July 2025.
The longest distance this year was the 90 kilometres long (7000m+) race, which is now called the Monte Rosa Trail. This race will start in Pont-Saint-Martin and finish in Gressoney-Saint-Jean. It is going to be part of the UTMB 100k category. The Les Sentiers des Valdôtains starts in Aosta and finishes also in Gressoney-Saint-Jean.
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Walserwaeg Trail
The third race is the Walserwaeg Trail. Just like this year it will be a 43 kilometres long trail with three thousand and hundred metres of climbing. This race starts and finishes in Gressoney-Saint-Jean, following the antique Walser footpaths trail (WalserWaeg), a legacy of the historic Walser community that settled in these territories from 1100 AD and whose descendants still inhabit these valleys, proudly preserving their origins and traditions.
The 15 kilometres race (600m+) is called the Regina Margherita Trail, in honour of Queen Margherita of Savoy, the first sovereign of the Kingdom of Italy. Gressoney was her favourite summer vacation spot. This trail passes through the picturesque towns of Gressoney-Saint-Jean and Gressoney-La-Trinité, as well as the traditional Walser villages of Alpenzu Piccolo and Alpenzu Grande. In the last section, the race joins the famous Queen’s Walk. This walk is named after the trail that Margherita of Savoy often walked, starting from her summer home, the fairy-tale Savoy Castle.
The Monte Rosa Walser Waeg was created by the local trail runners Giuditta Turini and Franco Colle. With this race they wanted to share their love of their mountains with other trail runners. Colle now operates as technical director of the event.
45 UTMB races
With Monte Rosa joining the UTMB World Series UTMB now has 45 events on five continents. Three of them are in Italy: Chianti Ultra Trail (March), La Sportiva Lavaredo Ultra Trail (June), and Monte Rosa. The UTMB Mont-Blanc passes through Italy, and the start of the CCC is in Italy (Courmayeur)
Photo Stefano Jeantet
