Recruiting volunteers

As in previous years, we will ask you to fill out an online form with your contact details, role preferences, availability, and skills, all to help us offer you the best possible assignments! It will take ten minutes at most to complete.

For volunteers returning in 2026 who previously filled out the form, much of the information will already be pre-filled. We simply ask that you review these details and make sure to accurately indicate your availability and role preferences.

For new volunteers, or those who did not fill out the form last year, registration involves two steps:

• Creating an account on the volunteer platform. You will receive a confirmation email containing a link you must click to validate your account.
• Once the account is created, completing the final registration form, to which you will be automatically redirected.

The registration form is not yet available; registration will open in March. In the meantime, please fill out the contact form so we can keep you updated as soon as registration opens.

Another fantastic edition of the HOKA UTMB Mont-Blanc awaits us! This international event is, above all, a wonderful celebration for the cross-border regions of the Mont-Blanc area through which our various races pass: Savoie and Haute-Savoie, Valais, and the Aosta Valley.

We are deeply committed to involving our beautiful region as much as possible! We want the local residents living around the Mont-Blanc massif to play an active role in this great celebration especially as volunteers.

Consequently, during the initial recruitment phase from March through the end of April priority will be given to locals and to loyal volunteers who have been with us for several years. While everyone is free to sign up, and we hope as many of you as possible will be interested, we will initially confirm registrations only for residents of nearby municipalities and for long-standing volunteers.

From the beginning of May, we will process other applications as needed.

It is also important to note that we receive hundreds (or even over a thousand) registrations during the first few days. So, please don't worry if you don't hear back immediately :) However, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us!

During the recruitment period:

1. Confirmed volunteers will receive an initial email confirming their inclusion in our volunteer teams (without specific scheduling details).
2. You will then receive a message containing a brief guide with practical information. You will also be added to our volunteer newsletter mailing list.
3. During the spring, your team leaders will begin contacting you to provide preliminary schedules and initial information.
4. At the end of June, your final schedules will be sent out, along with all the practical information needed for your arrival (various documents, accommodation, meals, etc.).
5. If the number of applications exceeds the available volunteer spots, we may have to place some of you on a waiting list (see below). We will, of course, keep you informed. Depending on cancellations or unforeseen changes, we will contact you again to see if you are still available and interested in attending the event.

Please know that we will always do our best to meet your expectations and offer you engaging roles that align with your preferences during the event week. However, we sometimes need to adjust individual schedules slightly to ensure all shifts are covered (see the section "What we look for in your applications" below).

We simply ask that you notify us as soon as possible of any changes to your availability so that we can take them into account.

While you are all part of the wonderful, extended family of HOKA UTMB Mont-Blanc volunteers and are all equally important we distinguish between two types of volunteers based on how they are managed:

• Volunteers based in Chamonix or managed by the "central organization"
• "Commune" volunteers

We want to emphasize that no volunteers are more important than others.

The term "central organization" is used as a shorthand to refer to volunteers based in Chamonix or managed by the central coordination team in Chamonix. This group comprises approximately 1,200 volunteers.

The term "commune volunteers" refers to those staffing aid stations in the towns and villages (communes) along the race routes. There are about 1,700 of them.

There are some differences regarding recruitment, communication, scheduling, and points of contact between "central organization volunteers" and "commune volunteers" (including regarding accommodation options). To fully understand our processes, please visit the dedicated page by clicking here

Managing volunteer recruitment is no small task; we must consider several factors to ensure the best possible experience for everyone involved.

First, we take your role preferences into account. Some assignments are in higher demand than others and fill up quickly. Others are slightly less popular and may not match your initial choices, but we might still offer them to you and you can still have a great time doing them. We discuss this together to find a suitable compromise.

We also look at your availability: it is easier for us to find assignments if you are available for several days rather than just a half-day (especially over the weekend). Rest assured, however: all help is welcome and appreciated!

We also try to align your availability with your role preferences. For instance, teams handling bib distribution in Chamonix or environmental ambassador roles are typically made up of volunteers present for the entire week. If you are available for only one or two days (which is still excellent), we won't be able to offer you those specific roles. However, positions at aid stations or as "sweepers" (course closers), for example, are better suited to shorter periods of availability.

Finally, we try to assign roles based on your experience and skills (such as languages ​​spoken or physical fitness). For example, it would be difficult for us to assign you as a sweeper if you indicate that you cannot walk on steep terrain, or to place you at an information point if you are unfamiliar with the event or do not speak a foreign language.

The HOKA UTMB Mont-Blanc is fortunate enough to attract a large number of volunteers year after year. Despite the 2,500 roles we offer, demand may exceed the number of available spots, requiring us to place some applicants on a waiting list.

We sincerely regret this, as it is difficult to say "no" to people who show such unwavering enthusiasm and motivation to join us. Further up this page, you can find details on the criteria we use to accept or decline applications. If you haven't already done so, we also encourage you to read the section titled "Volunteers in Chamonix or the towns around Mont-Blanc" on this page.

We may need to place some of you on a waiting list and contact you again if positions become available either due to cancellations or the creation of new roles.

If we are unable to accommodate everyone, you will receive a message in your volunteer portal where you can indicate whether you wish to be placed on the waiting list and specify the timeframe during which you would like to be contacted. This message will be sent around the end of June.

Are you a group of friends wanting to sign up and take on the same roles? It couldn't be easier. Here is the procedure to follow:

For the first volunteer:

1. The first volunteer to sign up fills out the form as usual.
2. After registering, they go to their volunteer dashboard (the link is sent automatically upon registration), click "My Profile" in the left-hand menu, and then click "Create a group of friends" on the page that opens.
3. In the window that appears, name the group.
4. A code is then generated.
5. Share this code with your friends; they will need to enter it in their volunteer dashboards after registering.

For subsequent volunteers:

1. Receive the group code from your friend.
2. If you haven't already, fill out the registration form. Otherwise, go directly to your volunteer dashboard.
3. Once logged into your volunteer dashboard, click "My Profile" in the left-hand menu, then click "Join a group of friends" on the page that opens.
4. In the window that appears, enter the code sent by your friend and click "Join."
5. Your group is now set up!

Note: This step can be completed at any time, not just during registration.

Once you have registered, you will have access to a dedicated volunteer area where you will find:

• A summary of the information you provided and a way to contact us to make changes.
• From late June onwards, your detailed schedule with practical information about each of your assignments (procedures, locations, logistics, etc.).
• All organizational documents as we upload them (volunteer guide, procedure sheets, photos, maps, etc.).
• A messaging system to communicate with us and your team leaders (in addition to the benevoles@utmb.world email address).

Please feel free to contact us:

1. Via the messaging system in your volunteer portal
2. By email at benevoles@utmb.world
3. By phone at 04 50 53 47 51 (press 1 for French, then 5 to reach the volunteer management team directly)