Mathieu Blanchard Joins KIPRUN to Define a New Path for the Future of Trail Running

KIPRUN announces that world-class trail runner and explorer Mathieu Blanchard is joining its international trail team. This is more than a partnership; it marks a new step in KIPRUN’s global ambition as a high-performance brand. By welcoming Mathieu for the next 3 years, KIPRUN strengthens a team of elite athletes and reinforces its position as a top contender on the international stage, across both trail and road. Beyond his athletic achievements, Mathieu will also bring valuable expertise to product development, leveraging his dual background as both an engineer and a high-level athlete.

A leading figure in ultra-distance trail running, Mathieu has established himself among the world’s best with standout performances, including victory at the Diagonale des Fous in 2024, victory at the Yukon Arctic Ultra in 2025, podium finishes at the legendary 100-mile UTMB, part of the UTMB World Series, as well as at the Hardrock 100 in 2025. These achievements are more than results; they provide a direct foundation for testing, validating, and pushing the limits of KIPRUN’s trail products in the most extreme real-world conditions. Beyond competition, he has built a distinctive identity through extreme expeditions in some of the harshest environments on earth, from Arctic conditions to remote, self-supported adventures, combining elite performance with exploration.

With a background in engineering, Mathieu brings a rare level of precision and rigor to his approach. His engineering approach will directly contribute to KIPRUN product development, testing protocols, and innovation, connecting performance with real-world product impact. Through this collaboration, Mathieu will actively contribute to the co-development of products, with the ambition to translate elite performance insights into tangible benefits for everyday trail runners.

By joining KIPRUN, Mathieu gains access to high-performance products already proven at the highest level, including victories at races such as the Diagonale des Fous or Chianti Ultra Trail by UTMB. This provides him with a strong and credible foundation to perform, while also contributing to the next generation of trail innovations.

This collaboration offers him the opportunity to leave his mark by helping shape products that not only meet elite standards, but are designed to be accessible to a wider community of runners. This is made possible by KIPRUN’s unwavering commitment to the needs of runners and close collaboration with elite athletes, powered by DECATHLON Group’s global reach and industry-leading R&D capabilities. 

During his immersion, Mathieu was particularly impressed by the group’s testing facilities. These tools allow precise simulation of the most demanding conditions on earth, reinforcing a holistic, real-world approach to performance.

“​​What convinced me with KIPRUN is the opportunity to connect everything that drives me: performance, exploration, and innovation. I’m joining a brand that is already delivering world-class products at the highest level, and where I can push that even further. I aim to win the most prestigious races while contributing to the development of products, sharing my experience, and leaving a lasting impact on the sport. At this level, we have the opportunity to take what works in the toughest races and make it accessible to every runner. That’s how the sport moves forward.” says Mathieu Blanchard

At KIPRUN, performance is not an individual pursuit, it is a collective dynamic.

Mathieu joins a team of world-class and emerging athletes, united by shared values of generosity, curiosity, humility yet audacity, and the willingness to challenge the status quo, while remaining accessible to the many. A collective where the ambition is not only to perform, but to grow together, push each other forward, and contribute to something bigger than individual results.

Transmission is central to this approach: supporting the next generation, learning from others, and turning experience into something that can be shared.
“Mathieu’s arrival reflects where KIPRUN stands today. We are building a brand that competes at the highest level, not only in results but in how we design and develop our products. His ability to connect performance and engineering will help us go even further, and continue to democratize high-performance to every runner.” - Anthony Dulieu

This partnership represents a natural evolution in Mathieu’s career. It marks a new chapter where elite performance and technical innovation converge to turn individual milestones into collective progress. Today’s announcement signals a shared ambition for both Mathieu and KIPRUN: to go beyond performance and create a lasting impact on the running community. Because ultimately, running is not only about performance. It is about continuing the journey, and supporting others do the same.