2023 Western States 100 Top Entrants

The lottery for the 2023 Western States 100 took place on Saturday, December 3, 2022, in California. With 7,169 entrants with a combined 41,392 tickets in the pot, gaining entrance into the 2023 event is statistically improbable for most of those 7,000-plus hopefuls.

The Western States 100 is a 100-mile event traveling east to west in California’s Sierra Nevada, running the length of the iconic Western States Trail. This race is unique in that it offers significantly more downhill than uphill, with its 22,000 feet of descent and 18,000 feet of climb.

The event typically starts 369 runners, with something like one-third of them gaining entrance via non-lottery means — much of the competitive part of the field is selected through various non-lotto means, in fact.

In this article, we share the fast runners who have an entry into the 2023 Western States 100 either through non-lotto means or the lotto itself. We’ll keep updating this article as more fast runners gain entry into the 2023 event.

Here’s a link to the 2023 Western States 100 entrants list.

The start of the 2022 Western States 100. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell

Men’s Top-10 Returnees for the 2023 Western States 100

The top 10 runners in the 2022 race were invited to return for 2023. All but seventh place, Vincent Viet (France), have taken their place.

1. Adam Peterman – 15:13:48 (pre-race and post-race interviews)
2. Hayden Hawks – 15:47:27 (post-race interview)
3. Arlen Glick – 15:56:17 (pre-race and post-race interviews)
4. Tyler Green – 15:57:10 (pre-race interview)
5. Drew Holmen – 16:09:00 (pre-race interview)
6. Ludovic Pommeret (France) – 16:20:02
7. Vincent Viet (France) – 16:28:22
8. Alex Nichols – 16:28:34
9. Cody Lind – 16:29:38 (post-race interview)
10. Scott Traer – 16:35:23

Adam Peterman at mile 30 of the 2022 Western States 100, on his way to winning the men’s race. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell

Women’s Top-10 Returnees for the 2023 Western States 100

As with the men, 2022’s top-10 women were invited to race again in 2023. Neither of the top two, Ruth Croft (New Zealand) and Ailsa MacDonald (Canada), have taken up their places, which leaves the women’s race looking quite open.

1. Ruth Croft (New Zealand)– 17:21:30 (pre-race and post-race interviews)
2. Ailsa MacDonald (Canada)– 17:46:46 (post-race interview)
3. Marianne Hogan (Canada) – 18:05:48 (pre-race and post-race interviews)
4. Luzia Buehler (Switzerland) – 18:08:32 (pre-race interview)
5. Emily Hawgood (Zimbabwe, lives in the U.S.) – 18:16:02 (pre-race interview)
6. Leah Yingling – 18:32:31
7. Taylor Nowlin – 18:46:42
8. Camille Herron – 18:51:54 (post-race interview)
9. Katie Asmuth – 19:30:26 (pre-race interview)
10. Camille Bruyas (France) – 19:34:24 (pre-race interview)

Third-place woman Marianne Hogan runs through Dusty Corners at mile 38 of the 2022 Western States 100. She is planning to race in 2023. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks

Fast Runners With Automatic Entry to the 2023 Western States 100

Every year, a number of runners gain access prior to the lotto via one of the other pre-lottery auto-entry methods. A few fast runners popped up in this part of the selection process. In parentheses following their listing, we share the means by which each of these automatic entrants received their entry.

Men

• Rod Farvard – 23rd 2022 UTMB; 4th 2022 Canyons by UTMB 100k (Sponsor)

Women

• Stefanie Flippin – 1st 2020 & 2021 Tunnel Hill 100 Mile (BIPOC)
• Mandie Holmes – 4th 2020 Javelina 100 Mile; 5th 2020 Sean O’Brien 100k; 14th 2017 Western States 100 (Race Admin)
• Heather Jackson – 5th 2022 Javelina 100 Mile (Sponsor)
• Kaci Lickteig – 6th 2014, 2nd 2015, 1st 2016, 3rd 2019, 10th 2021, & 18th 2022 Western States 100; 4th 2022 Javelina 100 Mile

Kaci Lickteig after finishing in third at the 2019 Western States 100. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell

Top Lottery Entrants for the 2023 Western States 100

A total of 271 names were drawn during the lottery, and among them were some men who could crack the top 15 on the right day.

Men

• Reed Breuer – 1st 2021 Rio Del Lago 100 Mile; 1st 2021 American River 50 Mile
• Scott Hawker (New Zealand) – 2nd 2021 CCC; 3rd 2019 UTMB
• Tomokazu Ihara (Japan) – 3rd 2022 & 4th 2019 Shinetsu Five Mountains Trail 100 Mile; 4th 2020 & 2019 HURT 100 Mile
• Ryan Kaiser – 1st 2022 Mountain Lakes 100 Mile; 11th 2015 Western States 100
• Thomas Wagner (Austria) – 1st 2022 Eiger Ultra Trail 250 Mile
• Coree Woltering – 6th 2021 Coldwater Rumble 100 Mile; 9th 2020 Way Too Cool 50k

Women

• Mika Thewes – 1st 2022 Tahoe 200 Mile

Scott Hawker taking third at the 2019 UTMB, being escorted by his daughter Sienna. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell

Top Waitlist Entrants for the 2023 Western States 100

A total of 75 people were chosen for the 2023 race waitlist. There’s a chance that this fast person from the waitlist could get into the race. In parentheses following their listing, we share their waitlist position as of this article’s original publishing.

Men

• Michael McKnight – 1st 2023 and 2nd 2022 Cocodona 250 Mile (69th on waitlist)

Hoka Golden Ticket Races Entrants for the 2023 Western States 100

For 2023, there are seven Golden Ticket Races, each awarding spots at the 2023 Western States 100 to the top two men and women. If either the top two have already secured a place in the event via another means, or if they choose to decline the offer, the ticket passes to the next placing finisher as far as fourth place.

Here’s who’s gotten those Golden Tickets so far:

Men

• Mathieu Blanchard (France) (UTMB)
• Tom Evans (U.K.) (UTMB)
• Dakota Jones (Javelina 100 Mile)
• Jonathan Rea (Javelina 100 Mile)
• Jiaju Zhao (Doi Inthanon Thailand by UTMB 100 Mile)
• Canhua Luo (Doi Inthanon Thailand by UTMB 100 Mile)
• Jeffrey Colt (Bandera 100k)
• JP Giblin (Bandera 100k)
• Daniel Jones (New Zealand) (Tarawera by UTMB 102k)
• Ryan Montgomery (Tarawera by UTMB 102k) (They are entered in the nonbinary gender category, and will be competing in the men’s awards category per the entrants’ list and the race’s nonbinary entrant policy.)
• Anthony Costales (Black Canyon 100k)
• Janosch Kowalczyk (Germany) (Black Canyon 100k)
• Cole Watson (Canyons by UTMB 100k)
• Adam Merry (Canyons by UTMB 100k)

Mathieu Blanchard finishing second at the 2022 UTMB. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell

Women

• Riley Brady (Javelina 100 Mile) (They are entered in the nonbinary gender category, and will be competing in the women’s awards category per the entrants’ list and the race’s nonbinary entrant policy.)
• Eszter Csillag (Hungary, lives in Hong Kong) (UTMB)
• Katie Schide (UTMB)
• Devon Yanko (Javelina 100 Mile)
• Jenny Quilty (Doi Inthanon Thailand by UTMB 100 Mile)
• Wenfei Xie (Doi Inthanon Thailand by UTMB 100 Mile)
• Courtney Dauwalter (Bandera 100k)
• Nicole Bitter (Bandera 100k)
• Nancy Jiang (New Zealand) (Tarawera by UTMB 102k)
• Stephanie Auston (Australia) (Tarawera by UTMB 102k)
• Keely Henninger (Black Canyon 100k)
• Meghan Morgan (Black Canyon 100k)
• Ida Nilsson (Sweden, lives in Norway) (Canyons by UTMB 100k)
• Priscilla Forgie (Canada) (Canyons by UTMB 100k)

Katie Schide, 2022 UTMB champion. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell

Finally, here is the whole series schedule:

• August 26, 2022 – UTMB (France, Switzerland, Italy)
• October 29, 2022 – Javelina 100 Mile (Arizona, U.S.)
• December 9, 2022 – Doi Inthanon Thailand by UTMB 100 Mile (Thailand)
• January 7, 2023 – Bandera 100k (Texas, U.S.)
• February 11, 2023 – Tarawera by UTMB 102k (New Zealand)
• February 18, 2023 – Black Canyon 100k (Arizona, U.S.)
• April 28, 2023 – Canyons by UTMB 100k (California, U.S.)

Call for Comments

• Was this your lucky year for gaining entry into the 2023 Western States 100?
• Or do you have entry into another ultramarathon of your preference?
• How do you see the women’s and men’s 2023 Western States 100 races playing out?
• Is there someone else running the race who you think should be included in this article? Leave a comment to let us know!

[Editor’s Note: This article was last updated on May 05, 2023.]