As trail running continues to grow and expand, more and more non-running and mountain-related companies have recognized the potential economic value of associating their brands with our sport. While it is exciting to see growth in popularity and support of events and athletes, this is a real turning point and we should be thinking about where our sport is headed in the future.

Many of our members are uncomfortable with the recent evolution of the partnership between the UTMB and the carmaker, Dacia, because of what we feel is a conflict with our values, our stated Environmental Ethical Boundaries, and our ideal vision of trail running.

Following their announcement, the PTRA has exchanged with UTMB, sharing our opposition to the naming partnership, and discussing constructive ways forward. Those discussions are ongoing as we continue to look for common ground.

We know that some people may criticize our position, pointing to contradictions in the behavior and partnerships of our members. We are conscious of the fact that none of us are environmentally irreproachable. But we believe that our role as a group of professional athletes is to try to look at the big picture and help ensure that our constantly expanding sport is growing in a direction that is coherent with our core values and on the right track for long-term sustainability.

We believe that trail running generally and the UTMB specifically have enormous potential for demonstrating how to forge a path that is distinct from other sports, and take a more sustainable approach to growth that is free of high-carbon sponsorship.

As the PTRA motto says, we’ll continue working together for a fair and responsible sport.

The PTRA Board and the Environment Worked Group