ALAMEDA, Calif., Aug. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- For the tenth consecutive year, The North Face® Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc® will kick off in Chamonix, France on August 31, 2012, and for the first time ever, the renowned trail race will be streamed via a live webcast at Ultratrail.tv.
(Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120830/NY66100-INFO)
The 104.3-mileThe North Face Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) course spans 3 countries - France,ItalyandSwitzerland - and covers an elevation gain of 31,555 feet around the peaks of Mont Blanc, making it one of the most challenging and grueling ultra-distance races in the world. In a year that saw a record number of registration requests, fans will be able to experience the joy, pain and tension at the head of the pack as amateur and professional athletes alike take part in the race.
In its tenth year, the race is growing on an international scale with 74 countries being represented in 2012. Participating again this year is The North Face runner Mike Foote of Missoula, MT, who was the first American to cross the finish line in 2011, placing 11th overall at a time of 24:25:12. UK ultramarathon runner and The North Face athlete Lizzie Hawker, who won the 2011 women's field with a time of 25:02:00, will be seeking her fifth top finish this year. They will be joined by fellow The North Face athletes Rory Bosio of Truckee, CA and Helen Cospolich of Breckenridge, CO, all of whom will be wearing and testing an innovative new fall rain jacket prototype developed by The North Face, as well as The North Face Better Than Naked Crew with FlashDry.
"The scenery and support of the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc are unmatched anywhere in the world," said Cospolich, who is running the race for the third time. "Running up and over high peaks, through small villages, across three countries and all to the cheers of large crowds make this race a very special event."
The webcast, which can be viewed on The North Face Facebook page and Ultratrail.tv, will feature live news updates, behind-the-scene stories, commentary from previous winners and pre- and post-race conferences, as well as special feature episodes on race preparation, recovery and technical trail-running advice.
Select runners will also be allowing fans to follow their progress via the LiveTrail APP. Each participating runner, tracked by a chip, will provide data such as location, ranking and timing each time he/she goes through a checkpoint, with updates being linked directly to their Facebook© and Twitter© pages. Fans can access the LiveTrail APP on http://utmb.thenorthfacejournal.com, which will also feature daily text, video and photos posts.
About The North Face®
The North Face, a division of VF Outdoor, Inc., was founded in 1968. Headquartered in Alameda, California, the company offers the most technically advanced products in the market to accomplished climbers, mountaineers, snowsport athletes, endurance athletes, and explorers. The company's products are sold in specialty mountaineering, backpacking, running, and snowsport retailers, premium-sporting goods retailers and major outdoor specialty retail chains.
Media contact: | |
Jessica Hollister | Pat Burek for The North Face |
The North Face | Finn Partners PR |
510.748.2594 | 212.715.1542 |
jessica_hollister@vfc.com | pat@finnpartners.com |
SOURCE The North Face
