The UTMB World Series is expanding its global footprint again, with two new events slated for November 2025: Ultra-Trail Shudao in China’s Sichuan Province and HOKA Pacific Trails California along the state’s dramatic Central Coast.
Both races will offer qualifying stones for the UTMB World Series Finals, the holy grail of international trail running held each summer in Chamonix, France.
“With HOKA Pacific Trails California and Ultra-Trail Shudao, we are proud to reinforce our ambition to bring the UTMB World Series to life in extraordinary places across the globe,” said Florian Lamblin, Executive Director of the UTMB World Series.
“Both events offer unique journeys that celebrate the essence of trail running, a deep connection between sport, nature, and local heritage.”
The UTMB World Series currently spans over 50 events in 28 countries, but the new additions aren’t just about expansion, they’re also about immersion.
Ultra-Trail Shudao
Of the two, Ultra-Trail Shudao is arguably the more radical in scope.
Taking place November 8 and 9 in Guangyuan City, the race offers 100K, 50K, and 20K options that trace the legendary Shu Roads, an ancient network of trade and military paths winding through the mountains of southwestern China. These routes were critical to early Chinese development and remain steeped in national folklore.
Runners will pass through moss-lined post roads from the Qin Dynasty, scale Daping Mountain at over 1,000 meters, and move through bamboo forests and cypress groves that once linked kingdoms. Organizers worked closely with local archaeologists and historians to ensure the route was authentic.
“We did not simply replicate the trail running model of the Alps,” said Event Director Qian Xin. “We designed the course along the Guangyuan section of the Jinniu Route, allowing runners to engage directly with the geographic landmarks immortalized in the Hard Roads to Shu.”
Elite runner Fuzhao Xiang, who finished second at this year’s Western States 100, called it a rare opportunity. “The Shu Dao not only has a treacherous geography but also carries a thousand years of history and culture,” she said. “This resonance with history is something no other race can give.”
There’s also an environmental angle: finishers will receive a biodegradable seed-paper medal, and a “Leave No Trace” policy will encourage litter collection along the trail.
HOKA Pacific Trails California
On the other side of the Pacific, the HOKA Pacific Trails California event will run November 22 and 23 on a previously inaccessible stretch of ranch land between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.
The 50K and 25K courses will guide runners past cliffs, vineyards, olive groves, and oak-lined trails in what race director Dillon Osleger calls “a trail experience like no other.”
With just 900 runners at its inaugural edition, the event is expected to grow in coming years. “The Central Coast of California is ecstatic to bring the UTMB World Series to our unique landscape,” said Osleger.
The region is not only scenically dramatic, but also layered in history, home to Native American Chumash communities and shaped by Spanish, Mexican, and American settlers over centuries.
How the UTMB World Series Works
For those less familiar with the structure, the UTMB World Series is the pathway to racing in one of the three UTMB World Series Finals in Chamonix: OCC (50K), CCC (100K), and the legendary UTMB (171K). To qualify, runners must hold a valid UTMB Index in the relevant distance category and have earned at least one Running Stone in the past two years.
Running Stones are awarded for finishing UTMB World Series races, like these two new ones, and act as entries into the lottery for the Finals. Top finishers at events can bypass the lottery entirely, finishing in the top three of your category gets you an automatic ticket to Chamonix. For the Majors, the top ten are in.
Both of the new races will count toward this process. And with China now holding over 80,000 UTMB Index runners, the third highest total globally, it’s no surprise that a high-profile Chinese race was next in line.
