It has been confirmed today that the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB®️) have changed their title sponsor from Dacia to Hoka. But have UTMB really ditched Dacia?
In 2023 The Green Runners spear-headed a successful campaign and petition calling out UTMB for accepting title sponsorship from the car manufacturer. The letter was signed by almost 3,000 concerned runners, including such names as Kilian Jornet, Jasmin Paris, Damian Hall, Andy Symonds and Emelie Forsberg and was supported by the Pro Trail Runners Association.
Following our campaign, we were invited to share our concerns with UTMB leadership over several meetings. The Pro Trail Runners Association also held separate conversations on the matter.
Therefore, we are very pleased to hear that Dacia will no longer be a title sponsor. This reduces their profile on UTMB World Series events; however they remain a premier partner so it remains to be seen how much difference this makes at the events on the ground.
Will Dacia continue to promote their fossil-fuel vehicles at UTMB? Is this really a move towards a more sustainable approach to sponsorship, or just about saving face in response to the athlete outcry?
We hope that UTMB are taking steps to move towards a more sustainable future for our beloved sport and we look forward to engaging with them further on this journey.
What a birthday present for The Green Runners! Thank you to everyone who signed the petition, shared, wrote or talked about it. Proof that there is real power in collective action.
Damian Hall, one of the co-founders of The Green Runners and 5th at UTMB in 2018.
Thank-you for all your support with this campaign. The community spoke and it was listened to. This news sends a strong message to all running organisations that high-carbon sponsors are not welcome here.
Together we can make running without the footprint a reality.
We will be watching with interest for the next steps…
Footnotes:
We want to keep fossil fuels out of running, which includes companies who produce oversized and gas guzzling SUVs. According to the International Energy Agency, SUVs are among the top causes of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions growth over the last decade. We support the Badvertising Game Changer sponsorship pledge, which specifically prohibits partnerships with automotive manufacturers such as Dacia.
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