Full-time Hoka shoe engineer wins UTMB – in a shoe he helped to develop
In one of the great trail running moments, 31-year-old amateur runner Vincent Bouillard stormed to victory at the UTMB on Saturday, becoming the fifth runner to break the 20-hour mark on his debut.
Bouillard, who has a private Instagram account, wore bib number 139 to take on the 176km footrace – the favourites, which included 2023 winner Jim Walmsley and the UK's Tom Evans – all wore single figures.
What's more, the unsponsored Frenchman won the race in a pair of trail shoes he helped to develop.
A senior product engineer at Hoka, Bouillard has worked for the brand for eight years, starting as an intern in 2016. He has spent his career as a material’s engineer, developing products for the brand’s elite athletes. This includes sourcing and testing foam midsole materials, such as the PEBA-based blend used in Hoka’s Tecton X 3 carbon plate trail shoes.
While Hoka’s sponsored athletes – including fifth place runner Ludovic Pommeret – competed at the UTMB in a special athlete-inspired colorway of the Tecton X 3, it looks like Bouillard raced in the Tecton X 2.5, a prototype of the X 3 that Jim Walmsley wore to win last year's race.
Only 100 pairs of the Tecton X 2.5 were released during the Western States 100 in June. Runner's World US Video Producer Pat Heine got his hands on a pair and said:
'The shoe's midsole is made from dual-density PEBA foam, with parallel carbon plates that add stability but retain the flexibility you want when you encounter more technical sections. The midsole is pretty wide to protect against rolling over the side of the shoe, while deeper (5mm) lugs make the shoe more versatile for the alpine terrain of UTMB, where runners experience more variation between sand, rock, dirt, and mud.
'It also features a quick lace—something not seen in Hokas in a long time—but still has traditional laces if that’s your thing. The rest of the upper features Matryx material, a durable fabric that doesn’t absorb water like traditional knits, and is reminiscent of the fan favorite EVO Speedgoat, though thankfully with more toe space.'
The Tecton X 3 – which launched on August 15 – has been designed to be more accommodating than the X 2.5, with a new shape that includes exposed winglets, presumably for increased stability, and 4mm lugs that are more comfortable across all surfaces.
The UTMB was Bouillard’s second ever 100-mile race. A former track runner, he won the Kodiak Ultra Marathons by UTMB in the US last year, as well as the 2023 Gorge Waterfalls 100K.
Speaking after his win, he said: ‘I have come to the race many times, and even to be on the start line was a dream come true.
‘It was beyond my wildest dreams to win the race. Some of my great friends, like Jim Walmsley and Tim Tollefson, have inspired me, and if I could inspire others that would be a beautiful full circle moment – that’s one of the best parts of the sport.’
The Tecton X3 is available at Hoka.com in men's and women's.
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