While 57km, the OCC is the 50K category final for the UTMB World Series.
It’s one of three feature races in Chamonix this week – with CCC at 101km and UTMB itself at 176km the others.
Read on to find out more about the route, the event’s history and what look vintage fields in 2024 as we run through some of the leading contenders.
Follow live
There’s better coverage than ever this year for OCC, CCC and UTMB.
The OCC coverage starts at 07:45 local (CET) time on Thursday 29th August 2024, with the race itself getting under way at 08:15. That’s 07:15 in the UK and 02:15 Eastern Time.
The livestream (with English commentary) is available via this link.
New features include a new 3D interface that displays the real-time GPS positions of elite runners; the use of Starlink (a satellite internet provider) for exceptional course coverage and enhanced night tracking.
Click here for live tracking – whether it’s the elites or friends and family you want to keep tabs on.
Also on that page are five different language options for the commentary and 15 webcams at various points around the course in addition to the live pictures.
You can also follow the event via major broadcasters such as La Chaîne L’Equipe, Outside TV, DAZN, EITB, and iQIYI Sports.
UTMB OCC
start list
Click here for the full start list and check out the analysis section below for our run through the leading contenders.
Notable runners
Route
The OCC begins in Orsières in Switzerland and finishes in Chamonix, France. The route offers up breathtaking views of the valley and the peaks of the eastern flanks of Mont Blanc.
This year (there are often tiny changes each edition) it covers 57km and features 3,498 metres of climbing.
Beginning with the unique Swiss landscapes, the route heads to Champex-Lac and Trient. Runners then cross the Franco-Swiss border by the Balme pass.
The final climb heads up to La Flégère and then it’s downhill all the way to the centre of Chamonix.
Analysis
We’re in for an absolute treat in the first of the week’s big three races.
Rémi Bonnet tops the UTMB Index with a whopping score of 948 which sees him lead the way worldwide for the men, just ahead of the GOAT Kilian Jornet and Kenya’s Patrick Kipngeno.
Bonnet is back at OCC for the first time in three years and we also have a Swiss star at the top of the women’s rankings for this race in the shape of Judith Wyder (792), who has returned to winning ways in great style in the Golden Trail World Series this season by landing the 42 km Marathon du Mont-Blanc.
Among the European contingent, French athlete Clémentine Geoffray (791), first in the 2023 MCC, Spain’s Sara Alonso (775), and Italian Elisa Desco (760) are all genuine contenders.
And other big names are China’s Miao Yao (785), third in the 2023 OCC, and New Zealand’s Caitlin Fielder (775), who narrowly missed the podium in the 2023 race.
Back to the men’s and Bonnet’s big rival had looked to be Britain’s Jon Albon, the winner of this race in 2021 and CCC 12 months ago and who was dropping down markedly in distance after racing over 100 miles at Western States recently.
But he revealed on the eve of the race that he wouldn’t be running, saying on Instagram: “After Western I’ve had some niggles… I realised UTMB was not a realistic option, and decided to drop down in distance. I was hoping to be ready just in time, but unfortunately the body isn’t quite ready.”
There’s another Brit in Robbie Simpson (906), who has been in fine form in 2024, including a 50km win at the 2024 Eiger Ultra-Trail by UTMB.
American Eli Hemming (914) landed the 2024 HOKA Canyons Endurance Runs by UTMB while another notable name is Italian Francesco Puppi (917), who finished second in the 2023 OCC.
French hopes appear to rest on Sylvain Cachard (911) and Benjamin Roubiol (902).
Previous winners
The winners from the last 10 years of OCC are as follows:
Men
-
- 2014 Nicolas Martin (FRA)
- 2015 Marc Pinsach Rubirola (ESP)
- 2016 Xavier Thevenard (FRA)
- 2017 Marc Lauenstein (SUI)
- 2018 Erenjia Jia (CHI)
- 2019 Stian Angermund (NOR)
- 2020 Cancelled
- 2021 Jon Albon (UK)
- 2022 Manuel Merillas (ESP)
- 2023 Stian Angermund (NOR)
Women
-
- 2014 Sonia Glarey (ITA)
- 2015 Celia Chiron (FRA)
- 2016 Mercedes Arcos Zafra (ESP)
- 2017 Eli Gordon Rodriguez (ESP)
- 2018 Ruth Croft (NZ)
- 2019 Ruth Croft (NZ)
- 2020 Cancelled
- 2021 Blandine L’Hirondel (FRA)
- 2022 Sheila Aviles Castano (ESP)
- 2023 Toni McCann (RSA)
Past winners
Tab 2 content.
![Russ Cook completes his epic run across the entire length of Africa [Photo credit: The Snapshot People Ltd]](https://run247.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Russ-Cook-completes-length-of-Africa-run-2024-912x720.jpg)
![2 Valleys winners Arron Larkin and Emilia Platt [Photo credit: 13 Valleys Ultra]](https://run247.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Emilia-Platt-2-Valleys-2024-912x720.jpg)
