UTMB have announced that TransJeju by UTMB in South Korea will become the 32nd race on the UTMB World Series 2023 calendar.
An island off the South coast of South Korea, Jeju sits in the Korean Strait and will now play host to the UTMB World Series event on October 7-8, 2023.
There will be four races: 10km; 20km; 50km and 100km. There is no 100-mile race as with other UTMB World Series events.
The announcement sees the established race Trail Jeju become the TransJeju by UTMB, with the city of Seogwipo hosting the start and finish of all races.
“Very special” Jeju
Jeju is a volcanic island, and runners will find themselves scaling the Hallasan Mountain, a dormant shield volcano and the highest peak in South Korea. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
“One of the biggest draws of TransJeju by UTMB is that runners can reach the peak of the Hallasan Mountain, the highest mountain in South Korea,” race director Byeungsik Ahn said.
“Runners in the 100km race climb the mountain when the sun sets, which is very special.
“Jeju is a very popular resort so we have great infrastructure, and it is easy to access, and we are sure participants and their families will enjoy the great local seafood and tourist attractions in Jeju before and after the race.
“We are really happy and honored to be a part of UTMB World Series. I hope that more runners will come to enjoy TransJeju by UTMB on their way to the UTMB World Series Finals.
“We would like that every trail runner’s dreams come true with TransJeju.”
The new TransJeju by UTMB races
With a cumulative elevation of 4020m, the flagship Trans100K will take runners through the routes of the Hallasan National Park to the top of Hallasan and the crater lake that lies at its peak. It offers three running stones for entry to the lottery for the UTMB finals at the Ultra-Trail Marathon du Mont-Blanc to all who complete it
The Trans50K, which is 52km long, will take runners on a similar route to the peak and has a total of 2110m, offering two running stones, while the one running stone Trans20k offers a total elevation of 420m and takes runners to Gasiri village. The Trans10k does not offer any running stones.
Details about entry to any of the races can be found here.
