Reigning UTMB champ Katie Schide claims Eiffel Tower triumph

Katie Schide, the women’s winner of UTMB last year, notched an impressive victory at EcoTrail Paris at the weekend in very different surroundings to her Chamonix success.

The French-based American had identified the 80km option as an ideal early-season target, saying on her social channels: “It’s a French classic that I’ve been eyeing for a few years now, it meets all the criteria I was looking for.”

That included: “Flat and fast (only 1500m+ in 80km), minimal travel and a place I don’t know (yes, I’m still an American tourist). I know I’m a mountain girl at heart, but a few days of city life will certainly provide a new kind of adventure.”

Towering performance

And so it proved as she ran away with the women’s title and finished fifth overall in an event that has a novel finishing straight – the first floor of the Eiffel Tower!

She stopped the clock in six hours and 23 minutes exactly for the 80km, over 40 minutes ahead of runner-up Maryline Nakache of France.

And afterwards Schide posted: “Got to skip the tourist line for my climb up the Eiffel Tower. Wow that was a lot of running, but let’s just say there was never any question about where the finish line was. Thanks all for the warm welcome in the capital city.”