Blandine L’Hirondel Triumphs at UTMB, Sets New Women's Record — image accompanying Marathon Handbook's report. Image accompanying Marathon Handbook’s report; reduced and presented for news commentary with the attributed report. View the complete source report.
Blandine L’Hirondel claimed victory at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, finishing in 21:54:49. This marks the fastest time for a woman in the race's history. She led by a significant margin but faced a strong challenge from Rachel Entrekin in the final kilometers.
L’Hirondel's win makes her the third person and second woman to win all three UTMB finals. She improved her previous times by over two hours. The course was altered due to weather, making direct comparisons difficult. Read more trail coverage.
Entrekin finished second, achieving a notable performance on her first UTMB start. Emily Schmitz secured third place, making the largest move up the leaderboard. Notably, several top contenders did not participate in this year's race. Related: Blandine L’Hirondel wins UTMB, completes trail triple crown.
This original Runner World brief is based on reporting from Marathon Handbook. Visit the source for its complete reporting, context and any later corrections.
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What should runners know about Blandine L’Hirondel Triumphs at UTMB, Sets New Women's Record?
L’Hirondel wins UTMB in record time, becoming the first French woman to do so since 2016. Blandine L’Hirondel claimed victory at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, finishing in 21:54:49. This marks the fastest time for a woman in the race's history. She led by a significant margin but faced a strong challenge from Rachel Entrekin in the final kilometers.
When did Runner World publish this trail brief?
Runner World published this brief on August 29, 2026. The underlying Marathon Handbook report was dated August 29, 2026.
Where can readers find the complete original report?
This summary is based on reporting from Marathon Handbook. The attributed source link in the article leads to the publisher’s complete report.
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