http://www.irunfar.com/2013/09/ultra-trail-world-tour-to-launch-in-2014.html
Thoughts?
http://www.valleyrunningclub.org/
A lot of hype and not much substance. The list of “objectives” is a joke. If it didn’t have TNF behind it, it would probably die off in a year or so, but who knows.
As long as it doesn’t take away any spots for us “unwashed masses” I really don’t care. However, I am worried that all this will really accomplish is that there will be less general entries for non-elites and the fees will go up. Or even much worse, tend to “mudworrier-ize” ultra running.
tbd.
I agree with Sandy in that it will not add much will be added by the moniker "World Tour." Only Western States is in the US, and hardly needs more hype. I am sure a few more spots in WS will go to elites; however, it seems to me this is the way certain ultra races are going anyway. If we are really going to have "pro" ultra runners, they need a series of races with prize money and a certain level of competition and sponsorship. This does not achieve that, nor does it further running for the rest of us imho.
Some of the other races have been on my list ... Lavaredo Ultra Trail, UTMB, perhaps GranCanaria. They are all TNF races so they may just be harder to get into now.
What I would like to see is more races like WS (hilly, great trails, lots of single track, no course overlap). Pine to Palm 100 seems a good addition to the calendar, also Run Rabbit Run ... others?