Enjoy the UTMB week with ITRA!

ITRA Press Conference – Tuesday 27th of August

ITRA is organizing a press conference on Tuesday 27th morning. The subjects cover will be:
- Revelation of the trail running key figures in the world – Main figures from the ITRA database about trail running development around the world,
- QUARTZ, a unique program to better follow runners’ health – Focus on the QUARTZ Event program for race organizers.

For journalists who would like to join the press conference, please email us to get more details to: contact@itra.run.

QUARTZ Event program!

For the 11th year the QUARTZ program will be implemented on the UTMB.

What is the QUARTZ program?

The QUARTZ program is a voluntary and community-based approach, transparent and free of any financial interest to contribute to a clean sport practice and to protect runners’ health.

QUARTZ Event includes analyses to be carried out for a selection of athletes attending the race (based on their ITRA Performance Index). These analyses are a verification tool that ensures the accepted race regulations are respected by runners. They are also a monitoring tool that screens the runners’ health and alerts them in case of a medical problem.

With QUARTZ Event, two analyses are carried out by the runner: one within 30 days before the start of the race and another one on site within 5 days before the competition.

The results are then reviewed by the race's QUARTZ Medical Commission. Each profile is classified accordingly to the following categories:

• A « normal » profile means that everything is fine!
• A profile « with potential disease » means that biological values are characteristic of a potential disease. Additional analyses may be required.
• An « atypical » profile means that biological values are outside laboratory standards. This is not a problem, but knowledge of medical history is essential to check whether this is normal or not. Further analyses are required.
• An « abnormal » profile means that biological values are outside laboratory standards and/or inconsistent with previous test results. Additional analyses may be required as well as anti-doping control. The profile can be reported to the National Anti-Doping Organizations (NADOs).

The profiles’ analysis requires a certain expertise

In case of profiles with « potential disease » or « atypical » and, depending on the values observed, the race's QUARTZ Medical Commission may advise a runner not to start the race.

In the event of an « abnormal » profile: a « no start rule» may be delivered by the race organization on the advice of the race's QUARTZ Medical Commission. The 2019 race's QUARTZ Medical Commission is composed of 3 doctors (one from the ITRA Heath Commission, one from the Athletes For Transparency association and one from UTMB medical team) and 1 antidoping expert.

To inform and educate

Prior to the race, the organizers of the UTMB® encouraged all runners to update their personal health space (accessible from any free ITRA account).
The aim is to guarantee and to improve medical care to all the runners during a competition. The medical team can access participants' health spaces during the event in order to provide the most appropriate care, regarding the data previously registered on the runner’s health space such as special treatments, medications, allergies…!

ITRA Booth on the Ultra-Trail Expo

Let’s meet on the Ultra-Trail Expo!

Come and talk with the ITRA team and National Representatives to share your ideas and know better our activities.
We look forward to seeing you all at the booth n° 137 from Tuesday 27 to Friday 30 of August.
Some surprises and games will be organized on the booth and on the Instagram account during this week.

See you on the Expo!

Follow the TDS and UTMB race with ITRA Team!

For those who are not in Chamonix or who are not able to follow the race live, we will share a maximum of details regarding TDS and UTMB races’ follow-up from the ground! Stay tuned and follow our Instagram story @itra_trail.

Photos: David Gonthier

See you soon!

ITRA Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InternationalTrailRunningAssociation
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itra_trail/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ITRA_trail