The 2025 Yunqiu Mountain Trail Running Race by UTMB® is about to begin! This highly anticipated international event is not only an ultimate test of athletes' physical strength and willpower, but also a practice and innovation of low-carbon concepts. Carbonstop, leveraging its professional carbon accounting capabilities and extensive practical experience, has provided comprehensive carbon management services for this race, allowing the concept of "Leave No Trace in the wilderness, respect nature" to be demonstrated through concrete data.

UTMB®, or Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc in Chinese, was founded in 2003 and is one of the most influential trail running events globally, attracting thousands of athletes and trail running enthusiasts each year. The UTMB® World Series is held in over 20 countries and regions, with every race set against natural landscapes and centered on sustainable development.

In June 2024, Longjing Sports obtained exclusive authorization from the UTMB® Group to develop, operate, and promote the "UTMB® World Series" across six designated provinces and municipalities in mainland China (Beijing, Guangdong, Fujian, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Hebei). Since its inception, the Yunqiu Mountain Trail Running Race has broken records year after year, becoming the largest UTMB® event globally in terms of participant numbers, and achieved the top global ranking in the 2024 global satisfaction survey.

Green Trail Planning, Protecting the Beauty of Nature

Longjing Sports has been committed to promoting the environmental philosophy of the event, innovatively exploring sustainable development for green sports events. Trail planning prioritizes respecting and protecting the natural environment by selecting routes with minimal ecological impact, ensuring that trail activities disturb nature as little as possible. For example, race markers are recyclable and can be reused in future events to guide runners. Aid stations and along the course feature "green" recycling zones, encouraging participants to pick up trash along the trail and dispose of it in designated bins or at waste stations after the race.

Carbonstop will identify carbon emission sources during the 2025 Yunqiu Mountain Trail Running Race by UTMB® and the 2025 Dajingmen Ancient Great Wall Trail Running Race by UTMB®, and calculate the overall carbon emissions generated by the events. From event preparation to conclusion, emissions from the organizers' logistics, personnel arrangements, participants' travel, accommodation, and dining, carbon footprints from sponsors and suppliers in product manufacturing and transportation, fuel combustion from on-site diesel generators, and the carbon impact throughout the waste generation and disposal process will be precisely tracked, ensuring clear and comprehensive carbon accounting boundaries.

Carbonstop has accumulated rich experience in carbon emission accounting for large-scale events. As early as 2018, it successfully calculated the carbon emissions of the Hangzhou Marathon and offset them through carbon credits generated from afforestation, helping the event achieve carbon neutrality.

Recycled Materials, Encountering Product Carbon Footprints

For this Yunqiu Mountain Trail Running Race, disposable paper cups, bowls, and utensils will not be provided. Instead, collapsible bowls and cups will be included in the participant kits for reuse. The organic flour in the finisher's kits is locally sourced, effectively reducing the carbon footprint from transportation. The participant and finisher kits together include over 30 products. Carbonstop used a rapid calculation method to assess the carbon footprint of each product. Participants can return unneeded items on-site based on personal needs and earn points through online operations to avoid unnecessary waste and reduce the product carbon footprint of the race.

The event has selected race apparel made from 100% recycled polyester, and packaging uses biodegradable white cotton paper. To accurately quantify environmental benefits, Carbonstop calculated the carbon emission reductions for the race apparel made from recycled plastic bottles.

Green Transportation Shuttles, Convenient + Eco-Friendly

Due to the remote location of the race from urban transportation hubs, Longjing Sports arranged shuttle buses to replace ride-hailing services and private cars to reduce carbon emissions during the event. Carbonstop conducted a comprehensive carbon emission calculation for the shuttle bus services during the event, covering multiple dimensions such as vehicle type, travel distance, and passenger numbers. Through precise data analysis, this provided scientific support for the event organizers to optimize their transportation shuttle plans, not only reducing the event's carbon emissions but also offering participants a more convenient and eco-friendly travel option.

The collaboration between Longjing Sports and Carbonstop not only demonstrates Carbonstop's professional expertise and innovative capabilities in carbon management but also provides a replicable model for the green transformation of sports events. Through precise emission reduction scenario calculations and comprehensive carbon management services, Carbonstop has helped achieve low-carbon and green transformation of the event, offering participants a healthier and more environmentally friendly race experience.

The charm of UTMB® lies not only in its competitiveness but also in its underlying spirit. Participants measure mountains with their footsteps and feel nature with their hearts. The event advocates sustainable development, minimizing environmental impact in trail management, environmental philosophy, and resource usage. The significance of green events lies precisely here—through careful planning and organization, carbon emissions are practically reduced, and through concrete numbers and actions, each participant is subtly influenced, awakening and strengthening their environmental awareness.

When we traverse the wilderness in a "Leave No Trace" manner, we are not only protecting the pristine beauty of nature but also safeguarding humanity's sustainable aspirations for nature. As John Muir said: "The mountains belong to all who see them, and also to those who have never visited." The ultimate meaning of outdoor activities may lie in teaching us how to coexist with all living things in the vastness of nature.