Making his name in one sport clearly wasn’t enough for former triathlon great Chris McCormack, who now hopes to do for trail running and endurance competition what he did for Supertri.

McCormack, a two-time IRONMAN World Champion, co-founded the Super League Triathlon series which has since grown into a popular global event.

Now, he’s joining the One Hundred Sports Group as it bids to build the Ultra Endurance Trail World Championship into a major new force on the sporting stage.

Making trail running great

The 52-year-old Australian said: “Ultra trail running has drawn ever more runners not only toward tackling rugged and formidable courses around the globe, but into the hardy and adventurous lifestyle and community that sets this sport apart.

“Our vision is to honour that heritage while providing a more structured and consistent global framework through this series and help ratify this sport – to allow the world’s best athletes to compete against each other on iconic, demanding courses under a unified set of principles and guidelines.

“By doing so, we can elevate the stars of the sport, build a series of world-class events and showcase the true spirit and grit of the ultra-endurance trail running community.

“The sport’s exponential participation growth is testament to the timing that this has to be done now.”

McCormack was instrumental in the rise of Supertri, helping to found the series in 2017 and guide its evolution into a tri discipline which has tempted all the top names in the sport.

Record-breaking

Supertri has seen significant growth, particularly in 2024, with record-breaking viewing figures, increased social media engagement, and expansion into new markets. A short-form, made-for-TV championship, it has become a firm favourite for triathletes and fans alike.

Now, McCormack will shape the ongoing evolution of the One Hundred Endurance Trail World Championship, the world’s first unified 100-mile and 100-kilometre trail running series, after being appointed President of Global Strategy & Performance at the company.

Bringing the vision

Welcoming him on board in an Instagram post earlier this month, Executive Chair Joao Andrade said: “Excited to have Chris “Macca” McCormack join me and our CEO @joaodesaldanha as a business partner.

“Macca now brings his vision to ultra trail — backing the future of endurance in 200-mile, 100-mile, and 100km ultra trail running. Shared vision: a global movement in the making. Welcome onboard, legend.”