For Shokz, the 2026 HOKA UTMB Mont-Blanc was a week to remember.

One year after Shokz athlete Tom Evans claimed the men’s UTMB title in 2025, another member of the Shokz athlete team reached the top of the sport’s biggest stage.

This time, it was Blandine L’Hirondel.

（Credit: @utmbmontblanc)

After 174 kilometers and 9,700 meters of elevation gain around Mont Blanc, Blandine crossed the finish line in Chamonix in 21:54:49, claiming her first UTMB victory. But the result meant even more than another trophy. Having previously won OCC in 2021 and CCC in 2022, Blandine became only the second woman in history to win all three UTMB World Series Finals — OCC, CCC and UTMB. Her 2026 finish was also the first sub-22-hour women’s performance in UTMB history. For years, Blandine has built her career around patience, resilience and an ability to keep learning from every experience in the mountains. Her own philosophy says it best:

“I never lose. I either win or I learn.”

Blandine’s victory was the headline, but it was far from the only Shokz performance to celebrate in Chamonix.

Other top performance

At OCC, Sara Alonso finally earned the podium she had been chasing. After narrowly missing it in previous editions, the Spanish trail runner finished third in 6:09:11, just 64 seconds separating the entire women’s podium. Sara remained in the fight for victory until the closing kilometers of one of the most dramatic OCC races in recent memory.

One day later at CCC, Caitlin Fielder from New Zealand produced a powerful second half to move through the field and finish 5th in 12:25:17. Known for using music strategically to find rhythm, cadence and focus during the hardest parts of a race, Caitlin once again showed her ability to stay composed when the miles become difficult.

Then came UTMB.

Hannes Namberger from Germeny finished sixth in 19:13:51, competing in an exceptionally fast men’s race in which the entire top ten broke 20 hours. A multiple-time UTMB top finisher, Hannes once again demonstrated the consistency that has made him one of Germany’s leading ultra-trail athletes.

Lucy Bartholomew from Australia followed with another world-class performance, finishing 7th in the women’s UTMB in 23:44:29. It was another top-ten result on the world’s biggest trail-running stage for an athlete whose career has always been shaped as much by curiosity, community and joy as by results.

Together, the results told a bigger story: from the speed of OCC to the endurance of CCC and the full 100-mile challenge of UTMB, Shokz athletes were present at the front of the race across every major distance.

Beyond the races and mountain trails, Shokz brought the open-ear experience into the streets of Chamonix.

Together with Running Club Catalans and Run’ix, we hosted intimate run test sessions that invited runners to experience the town with Shokz. Along the way, cultural stories and local insights were woven into the route, turning each run into a deeper exploration of Chamonix.

With open-ear listening, participants could stay connected to their surroundings, the people around them, and every moment of the journey. More than a product trial, it was a shared experience of movement, connection, and discovery — the Shokz way.

For the UTMB event, the podcast Dans la tête d’un coureur shares heartfelt interviews with trail‑running athletes.

We hear from Justine Carrel and Arthur Joyeux‑Bouillon as they navigate the balance between high‑level training, races and parenthood. Mathieu Masbernard talks about how a shared trail‑running passion reshaped his daily life and relationship with Blandine L’Hirondel. Alix Noblat also opens up about life as a couple with Mathieu Blanchard, highlighting how mutual support makes all the difference — both on the trails and in everyday life.

Going beyond race results, these clips reveal lesser‑seen sides of athletes’ lives. Give the full episode a listen!

As Official Supplier and Official Headphones of the UTMB World Series, Shokz has continued to bring open-ear audio into one of the world’s most demanding sporting environments — allowing runners to enjoy music while remaining connected to their surroundings.

The road to Chamonix isn’t easy. But training doesn’t have to be boring. Because every climb has a rhythm. Every heartbeat has a beat. And every runner has a soundtrack that helps them keep moving. That is Mountain Rock ’n’ Roll.

UTMB 2026 gave us plenty to celebrate — one champion, one podium, multiple top-five and top-ten performances, and unforgettable moments across the mountains. But more than the results, it reminded us why we keep showing up. To listen. To experience. To stay connected. And to keep moving forward.

See you on the next trail.