There was one UTMB World Series race on the weekend, two race distances around wild ponies in Virginia, the year’s third Skyrunner World Series race, and a whole bunch more.
Happy Monday, runners!
Skyrace Des Matheysins – St. Honoré, France
The year’s third Skyrunner World Series race went 25 kilometers and with 1,930 meters of elevation gain. That’s 15.5 miles and 6,300 feet, and there was a lot of snow on the course’s high points and some intense ridgelines.
Men
Nadir Maguet (Italy) escaped the group for a minute-plus win in 2:25:43. After that, only 35 seconds separated the next four men.
Daniel Antonioli (Italy) and Manuel Merillas (Spain) were second and third in 2:27:06 and 2:27:33, respectively.
Early series frontrunner Roberto Delorenzi (Switzerland) was just fifth here in 2:27:41, while defending race champ Frédéric Tranchand (France) pushed the early pace, but he ultimately finished sixth, partly due to a wrong turn.
Nadir Maguet (right) chasing Manuel Merillas before winning the 2024 Skyrace des Matheysins. Photo: Skyrunner World Series/Valentin Orange
Women
Women’s winner Anastasia Rubtsova (Russia) gapped the field by over seven minutes. She was a dominant winner in 2:53:52.
Alice Bausseron (France) and Bailey Kowalczyk (U.S.) were second and third in 3:01:12 and 3:04:33.
Surprise winner of the year’s first series race Lide Urrestarazu (Spain) was fourth in 3:05:29.
Anastasia Rubtsova winning the 2024 Skyrace des Matheysins. Photo: Skyrunner World Series/Valentin Orange
The next Skyrunner World Series race is the May 18 Skyrace Gorges du Tarn, also in France.
Amazean Jungle Thailand by UTMB – Yala, Thailand
The races happened near the Thai-Malaysian border.
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A small field of 81 starters attempted the 92-mile run with a hefty 27,755 feet of elevation gain. Only 32 got to the finish.
Gediminas Grinius (Lithuania) led the men’s race by a wide margin. He finished in 24:23. Sangé Sherpa (Nepal) was second in 28:26 and Michal Lesniak (Poland) was third in 28:40.
Women’s winner Man-Yee Cheung (China) finished the adventure in 30:25. Francesca Canepa (Italy) and Nutcha Phalee (Thailand) were second and third in 35:51 and 40:14, respectively.
Some of the jungle terrain found on the courses at the 2024 Amazean Jungle Thailand by UTMB. Photo: UTMB
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There was a really high DNF rate in the 66-mile run too, no doubt in part thanks to 19,225 feet of jungly elevation gain. Just 79 of the 184 starters reached the finish line here.
Disi Liang (China) fronted the men’s race with a 15:39 first-place run. Yutaro Yokouchi (Japan) and Nhon Do (Vietnam) came next in 16:51 and 18:44.
Vietnamese women Hau Ha Thi and Hang Le finished first and second in the women’s race, and Ha Thi was second overall in 16:12. Le’s second-place finish was quite a ways back in 22:41, and Siok Har Lim (Malaysia) was third in 22:42.
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Chinese all-stars Tao Luo and Pei-Quan You dueled over the 35-mile race and finished in 5:38 and 5:50, respectively. Davide Liu (Italy) was third on the podium at 6:13.
Women’s frontrunners Vanja Cnops (Belgium) and Jiang-Rong Yuan (China) were the only sub-eight-hour finishers, and they did it in 7:25 and 7:38. Elena Anisimova (Russia) was third in 8:10.
Additional Races and Runs
Innsbruck Alpine Trail Run Festival – Innsbruck, Austria
The event’s ninth year brought some 5,000 runners from 65 countries to the Alps. Race distances stretched from 7k up to 110k. On the long course, Bernhard Achhorner (Austria) and Ida-Sophie Hegemann (Germany) went the fastest in 11:48 and 12:23.
The 65k Panorama Ultra Trail crowned Andreas Reiterer (Italy) and Carola Dörries (Germany) as winners in 4:57 and 6:15.
Wildhorse Traverse 52k – Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
The race ran point to point near Okanagan Lake from Kelowna to Naramata. Race winners Connor Meakin and Darbykai Standrick finished in 4:19 and 4:42. Full results.
McDonald Forest 50k – Corvallis, Oregon
Only 24 seconds separated men’s one-two Jonathan McInerney and Colin Welk. Both finished in 4:41 with McInerney scoring the win. Sierra Tucker took the women’s crown in 5:10. Full results.
Miwok 100k – Stinson Beach, California
The longtime northern California favorite saw Robert Ressl and Lindsay Dwyer win in 9:06 and 10:44. This very rainy Miwok saw 85 did not starts and 117 did not finishes to go with 252 finishers. Full results.
Mike Ambrose getting wet on his way to taking third at the 2024 Miwok 100k. Photo: Tony DiPasquale
Folsom Lake Trail Run – Folsom, California
The Inside Trail event ran on the lake’s southeastern side. Mike Borsuk and Ashley Silva won the 50k in 4:53 and 4:37 with Silva crossing the line first overall, and AJ Simons and Christine Arneson were tops in the 35k in 3:18 and 4:11. Full results.
Heavens Gate 20 Mile – Riggins, Idaho
The challenging race took on a spectacular course with jaw-dropping views, abundant wildlife, and unforgettable mountain running terrain. Mac Moss and Haylee Stocking won in 3:44 and 5:12. Full results.
Part of the course for the 2024 Heavens Gate Trail Races. Photo courtesy of race.
Collegiate Peaks Trail Run – Buena Vista, Colorado
The two-lap 50-mile race saw Pat Cade and Aleksandra Wronka come through in 7:08 and 9:25, and Joel Shores and Kasey Sutherlin won the 25 miler in 2:59 and 3:26. Full results.
Aleksandra Wronka on her way to winning the 2024 Collegiate Peaks 50 Mile. Photo: Jordan Chapell
Wildflower Trail Runs – Bastrop, Texas
The Trail Racing Over Texas event dropped in on Bastrop State Park for four different races. Over 50k, Jared Rothlauf and Brandi Hearn were victorious in 4:38 and 6:09, and in the 25k, Jason Wyles and Cat Bradley won in 2:04 and 2:18, respectively. Full results.
The Forgotten 50k – Cleveland, Ohio
The free event took place in Forest Hill Park, the forgotten former estate of John D. Rockefeller. Running on an eight-mile loop, Chad Jones and Amanda Debevc won in 5:12 and 5:29. Full results.
Amanda Debevc with her rockin’ award for winning the 2024 Forgotten 50k. Photo: Jim Van Orman
Strolling Jim 40 Mile – Wartrace, Tennessee
Miller Groome and Caitlin Jones won the longtime road race in 4:45 and 5:31. Full results.
Grayson Highlands – Mouth of Wilson, Virginia
The Run Bum race runs through Grayson Highlands State Park, a place best known for its wild mini ponies. The 50-mile winners Isaiah Norton and Rebecca Johnson finished in 8:31 and 10:49, and 50k leaders Cameron Holman and Katie Roche did it in 4:48 and 5:10. Full results.
Perfect Day 50k – Keezletown, Virginia
Mike Fox and Laura Trissel struck gold in 3:37 and 4:58. Full results.
Rock the Ridge – New Paltz, New York
The 50-mile race is run in the Shawangunk Mountains of the Hudson Valley. Zandy Mangold and Mariel Feigen were race winners in 6:52 and 7:31. Full results.
Big A 50k – York, Maine
Nathaniel Bourne and Lucy Hoch won this long-standing race at Mount Agamenticus in Maine in 5:30 and 5:53.
Women’s winner Lucy Hoch with co-race director Rich Collins at the 2024 Big A 50k. Photo: Allyn Genest
Call for Comments
What did you follow, attend, or get up to this weekend? Let us know in the comments section!.
