Last updated: 02-Jun-17
By Elsa Trujillo
If you’re heading for the Alps to enjoy the great running spectacle that is the UTMB experience, this year there’s an additional point of interest at the event. The French town of Chamonix will host the third International Medicine and Science in Ultra-Endurance Sports Conference, organised by the Foundation for Medicine and Science in Ultra-Endurance Sports.
Taking place August 21st – 23rd 2016, the conference is open to all, which means that runners, organisers, manufacturers and the medical profession will come together during its debates, exchanges, meetings and conferences to share and promote health and security matters in the running world. Read the programme information here.
Created in 2014 within the framework of the Western States Endurance Race, the aim of the conference is to facilitate international meetings between ultra endurance experts and distribute the results of recent research to all the players involved.
UTMB as a great outdoor laboratory
At the end of each UTMB edition, its medical commission produces a detailed report of the medical activity which took place during the event, advising on measures to be taken for the following year, to improve performance, health and safety.
UTMB follows the ITRA‘s (International Trail Running Association) health page to aid organisers when setting up a health policy for all their runners. The ITRA, in partnership with UTMB, organises biomedical analyses before the start of the race, usually at the time of the race bib distribution.
The SHOL (Sport and Health On Line) online platform helps to study the information provided by runners and complete the medical profile of participants through the tests carried out during the event.
UTMB has furthered its support for the Foundation for Medicine & Science in Ultra Endurance Sports by offering two health race bibs for the 2016 races with the purpose of participating in medical research projects.