Mathieu Blanchard

“Adventure removes the masks. It reveals who we truly are.”

Mathieu Blanchard

Biography

Mathieu Blanchard is an athlete whose playground has no borders. A former mechanical engineer, he has transitioned from the corporate world to become one of the most versatile endurance figures on the planet. From his historic sub-20-hour UTMB to his masterclass victory at the 2024 Diagonale des Fous, Mathieu views sport as a permanent exploration of human potential. In 2026, he joined KIPRUN as an Athlete-Engineer, a role that bridges the gap between elite performance and technical development. His mission is clear: to push the limits of product innovation in the harshest environments and ensure that these advancements benefit the entire running community.

Discipline

Trail / Ultra-trail / Exploration

Race distances

100K / 100 miles / Multi-stage / Adventure Racing

Nationality

🇫🇷 France

Date of birth

December 3, 1987

Hometown

Cavaillon, France (Raised in Guadeloupe)

With KIPRUN since

2026

Follow Mathieu

Key highlights

Winner of the Diagonale des Fous (2024)

A career-defining performance on the technical trails of Reunion Island, where he dominated one of the world's most legendary and punishing 100-mile races.

Historic UTMB Sub-20h Performance (2022)

Mathieu stunned the trail world by finishing 2nd at the UTMB in 19:54:50, becoming only the second person in history to break the mythical 20-hour barrier.

Yukon Arctic Ultra Champion (2025)

Showcasing his versatility as an explorer, he claimed victory in the 388-mile (625km) Yukon Arctic Ultra, proving his ability to perform in the most extreme, self-supported conditions on Earth.

Beyond the race bib, Mathieu is an explorer driven by an insatiable curiosity for the unknown. Born in Provence and raised in Guadeloupe, he spent his youth as a scuba diving instructor, forging a deep, primal connection with nature. This "adventure first" mindset defines his career: whether he is racing across the Arctic or navigating an IMOCA in the open ocean, he refuses to be boxed into a single category. After years of juggling high-stakes engineering, entrepreneurship, and filmmaking, 2026 marks a major expansion in his journey. By dedicating himself fully to his training for the first time, Mathieu aims to discover his absolute physical peak. Yet, he remains grounded—known as "Matou" to his inner circle, he strives to break the "robot athlete" stereotype by sharing his true, unfiltered self. For Mathieu, high-level sport is not just about winning; it’s about the collective progress of the sport and sharing his expertise with runners everywhere.