ASICS descends upon Mont Blanc for trail challenge

On June 21st, the 2014 Summer Solstice and longest day of the year, True Sport Performance brand ASICS will attempt a record-breaking challenge and inspirational world-first. Two relay teams of the world’s best trail runners will embark on the ultimate race against nature as they attempt to ‘Race The Sun’. The athletes will start at sunrise and have exactly 15 hours, 41 minutes and 35 seconds to run around Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Western Europe, before the sun sets.

 

On June 21st, the 2014 Summer Solstice and longest day of the year, True Sport Performance brand ASICS will attempt a record-breaking challenge and #

The challenge, which starts and finishes in Chamonix, France, covers more than 166 grueling kilometers of mountainous terrain and passes through three countries; France, Italy and Switzerland.

 

On June 21st, the 2014 Summer Solstice and longest day of the year, True Sport Performance brand ASICS will attempt a record-breaking challenge and #

The athletes will run through some of the most breath-taking scenery in Europe including the Notre Dame de la Gorge, the Courmayeur which boasts an arduous 6,100 meters of positive height gain and the Swiss valley of Champex Lac which is made up of a mixture of thick forest, glaciers and fiery torrents.

 

On June 21st, the 2014 Summer Solstice and longest day of the year, True Sport Performance brand ASICS will attempt a record-breaking challenge and #

“This is one of the most groundbreaking and exciting programs ASICS has ever been a part of and it’s a testament to our recent innovations and product developments in the trail running category, further solidifying ASICS as a true sport performance brand,” said ASICS America CEO Kevin Wulff. “We have brought together some of the world’s best trail runners and outfitted them in industry-leading products as they take on this momentous challenge. We look forward to supporting all competing athletes as they strive to break world records and push the limits of trail running.”

 

On June 21st, the 2014 Summer Solstice and longest day of the year, True Sport Performance brand ASICS will attempt a record-breaking challenge and #

To succeed, the athletes will have to work together in a relay covering 9,600 meters of crippling ascent and decent, facing unpredictable weather conditions from scorching heat and freezing cold temperatures to fierce winds, rain and snow. By combining their specialty skills, these elite athletes will continuously strive to overcome the challenges Mont Blanc puts in front of them as they push their bodies to the limits and better their best. The ten world-renowned athletes will be divided into two teams, both with the same goal of completing the grueling course before the sun sets.

 

On June 21st, the 2014 Summer Solstice and longest day of the year, True Sport Performance brand ASICS will attempt a record-breaking challenge and #

Team Ultra-Trail features four of the world’s best trail runners, each with their own running and terrain specialty to complement the course conditions. The team includes 2013 winner of the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, Xavier Thevenard; Japanese elite runner, Kota Araki; 100-mile world record holder, Jonas Buud; and former trail running World Champion, Thomas Lorblanchet. The team of four will divide the staggering 166 kilometer distance, running 28 – 46 kilometers each.