On Saturday, American ultrarunning GOAT Courtney Dauwalter added yet another victory to her already impressive 2024 record, claiming first place in the women’s race at Nice Côte d’Azur by UTMB (100-miler). Dauwalter both dominated the women’s field and placed second overall, finishing close behind the men’s winner, Spain’s Cristofer Clemente Mora. This weekend’s win follows Dauwalter’s victories in 2024 at Transgrancanaria, Hardrock 100, Mt. Fuji 100 and SwissPeaks 70, after a historic 2023 season where she became the first runner ever to sweep the Western States, Hardrock and UTMB 100-milers in a single year.
From the mountains to the sea
Nice Côte d’Azur 100 kicks off in Auron, France, at 2,523m of elevation, the highest point in the race. Runners climb 8,200m over 150 kilometres, catching a glimpse of the Meditteranean Sea at the halfway point and continuing a long descent toward it, finishing in the Promenade des Anglais. The top three runners in both the men’s and women’s races secure guaranteed entry to the 2025 edition of the UTMB World Series Finals (100-miler). Runners faced challenging conditions through the night, with heavy rain making technical, rocky, rooty terrain slippery and hard to navigate. “When I came over that last hill and saw the sea, I was thrilled,” Dauwalter said post-race. “This course is unique—the rocks, the roots, the rain. It was a fun night.”
Dawuwalter triumphs, again
Dauwalter outpaced nearly every competitor on Saturday, with Clemente Mora ultimately edging her out by a slim margin. The two traded leads throughout the race, but Clemente Mora maintained a steady pace to finish just over 13 minutes ahead, clocking in at 21 hours, 22 minutes and 14 seconds. Dauwalter crossed the line shortly afterward, in 21:35:57. French runner Nicolas Cerisier completed the men’s race as runner-up, placing third overall in 22:28:25; Dauwalter’s performance left a wide gap in the women’s field, with second-place female, Enrica Dematteis of Italy, closing five hours behind her in 26:33:34, followed by France’s Agathe Lebel in 26:37:57.
Post-race, Dauwalter shared her appreciation for the event: “I feel extremely fortunate to have experienced this race in such a stunning setting… I knew the course would be demanding, technical, and very tough, especially with the rain overnight, but I loved every moment.”
For full results of both the 100-mile and 50K races at Nice Côte d’Azur, head here.
