It’s that time of year again, the 2025 Western States 100 is upon us, and here we take a look at who is likely to feature at the sharp end of the women’s race on June 28.
This hot and fast point-to-point 100.2-mile race, with 18,000 feet of climbing and 22,000 feet of descending, draws the best of U.S. and international talent each year. This year, the absence of reigning champion Katie Schide and course record holder Courtney Dauwalter means that the race for first place is wide open.
China’s Fu-Zhao Xiang is the top returning runner from last year’s race, where she placed second in the third fastest women’s time on record, making her hard to bet against this year. Two-time third-place finisher Eszter Csillag of Hungary is also back and will be looking to build on her previous performances here.
As well as six of the top 10 from last year’s race, this year’s start list also includes 2022 third-place finisher, Canada’s Marianne Hogan, and Black Canyon 100k course record holder, Riley Brady.
We also have a few wildcards stepping up to 100 miles from shorter distances — and one stepping back from much longer distances — and a deep field which should result in an end-to-end battle for the coveted top ten finisher spots. Here’s the 2025 entrants list.
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Read on to learn about more of the top runners. We’ll also be updating this article through race day with any last-minute changes.
You can trust the iRunFar team to be there reporting on the race and how it all plays out starting at 5 a.m. U.S. PDT on Saturday, June 28. Stay tuned!
Be sure to also check out our 2025 Western States 100 men’s preview, and then follow along with our live coverage on race weekend.
Emily Hawgood enjoying crossing the American River during the 20204 Western States 100. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Returning Top 10 Women
The top 10 women in the 2024 race were invited to return for 2025. All but reigning champion Katie Schide and fifth-place Yngvild Kaspersen (Norway) claimed their entries. Eighth-place Rachel Drake and 10th-place Leah Yingling have since withdrawn from the race.
Fu-Zhao Xiang – 2nd, 16:20:03 (2024 post-race interview)
Fu-Zhao Xiang of China is the top returning woman, and she made a big impact with her Western States debut last year, placing second in the third fastest women’s time in the event’s history — behind only Courtney Dauwalter’s 2023 course record and Katie Schide’s 2024 winning time. She also placed fourth at the 2023 UTMB, up from seventh in 2022 and 11th in 2019. Her tendency to climb up the field with each repeat performance puts her in real contention for the win at this year’s States. Since last year’s UTMB, which was her most recent 100 miler, she’s notched up a few wins at shorter distances, including the 2025 Ultra-Trail Xiamen 53k and the 40k event at the 2025 Mt Fuji 100.
Fu-Zhao Xiang cruising through Robinson Flat at the 2024 Western States 100. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Eszter Csillag – 3rd, 16:42:17 (2024 post-race interview)
Hungarian Eszter Csillag is becoming a regular on the Western States course and has taken third place on her last two outings in 2023 and 2024, knocking 33 minutes off her time on the second attempt. Her other best results include fifth at the 2022 UTMB and fourth at the 2022 Trail World Championships – Long Trail. She had a tough time at the 2024 UTMB but gutted it out to finish 13th and tick off the Western States/UTMB double. She contested the 2024 IAU 100k World Championships late last year but had to withdraw with a hip injury. She seems to be back to full health this year and kicked things off with a win at the Buffalo Stampede Festival 100k in Australia in March.
Eszter Csillag on her way to third place at the 2024 Western States 100. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Emily Hawgood – 4th, 16:48:43
Emily Hawgood took fourth at last year’s Western States 100, her fourth consecutive top 10 placing at the event and her best so far. The Zimbabwean previously placed seventh in 2021 and fifth in both 2022 and 2023. Impressively, on each of those years, she also doubled up to race at UTMB, taking 10th in 2021 and sixth in 2022 and 2024. She mixed it up in 2023 by racing CCC, where she placed second. With so many high rankings in the most competitive races, Hawgood probably hasn’t had as many big wins as she deserves, but she did take the top spot at this year’s Canyons 100k. Maybe her fifth Western States 100 will be the one where she finally breaks onto the podium.
Ida Nilsson – 6th, 16:56:52
Sweden’s Ida Nilsson was sixth at the 2024 Western States 100 and set a masters record in the process. Although she has decades of competitive racing experience — going back to when she was the NCAA Division I Champion at the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 2004 and the indoor 5,000-meter in 2005 while on a scholarship to the U.S. — Nilsson didn’t make her 100-mile debut until the 2023 Western States, where she took seventh after winning the Canyons 100k earlier that year. Her best recent results also include a win at the 2025 Transgrancanaria Advanced 80k and second place behind Ruth Croft in a close contest at the 2024 Transvulcania. She looks solid for another top 10 performance.
Ida Nilsson running through Robinson Flat on her way to sixth in the 2024 Western States 100. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Heather Jackson – 7th, 17:16:43
Heather Jackson crossed over to trail running from the world of triathlon and cycling around 2022 and has made a big impact in a short time. Western States has clearly been on her radar from the start, and she first secured a spot in 2023 with a second-place finish at the Black Canyon 100k. Unfortunately, her States debut ended in a DNF, but she managed to requalify for the following year with a win at the 2023 Javelina 100 Mile and went on to place seventh at the 2024 Western States. She demonstrated her versatility later that season by taking fifth at CCC later that year. Earlier this month, she was back on two wheels to win the 350-mile Unbound XL gravel bike race, setting a new course record.
Heather Jackson in the early miles of the 2024 Western States 100. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Priscilla Forgie – 9th, 17:30:24
Priscilla Forgie took ninth at the 2024 Western States 100, down one from eighth the previous year, but in a faster time. The Canadian, whose wins at home include the 2022 Ultra-Trail Harricana 122k and the 2021 Canadian Death Race 188k, earned her initial spot at the 2023 Western States with a second-place finish at the Canyons 100k. In 2024, she also took third at the Chuckanut 50k and second at the Kodiak 100k.
More Top Contenders
Canadian Marianne Hogan was third on her last outing at Western States in 2022 and followed that up by taking second at UTMB in the same season. She came back to take third in the 2024 UTMB, and did so with a broken finger (!) and in a faster time at a highly competitive women’s race. She placed a close second behind Emily Hawgood at the 2025 Canyons 100k and should be in with a fighting chance at a podium spot.
Marianne Hogan at Champex Lac, on her way to placing third at the 2024 UTMB. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Riley Brady, who identifies as non-binary and competes in the women’s race, has been doing decently at ultras for a few years now but has really kicked it up a notch this past year and could be in contention for a top spot at this year’s Western States. They earned their place with a win at the 2024 Javelina 100 Mile, but doubled down by also winning another Golden Ticket race — the 2025 Black Canyon 100k — in course record fashion. Since then, they also won and set a course record at the 2025 Quad Rock 50 Mile. Brady previously raced the 2023 Western States, finishing back in the field in 14th having suffered stomach issues throughout, but there is a lot to suggest they could be primed for a much-improved result the second time around.
Riley Brady, the 2025 Black Canyon 100k women’s winner. Brady identifies as non-binary and competes in the women’s race. Photo: World Trail Majors
Germany’s Rosanna Buchauer has several years of top results at ultramarathons under her belt, but this might be her first 100 miler. She placed fifth at both the 2022 and 2023 Trail World Championships – Long Trail, as well as fifth at the 2022 CCC. She improved that placing to third at the 2024 CCC, and also won the 2024 Lavaredo Ultra Trail 122k. She likely has a good shot at a top 10 place or better in her 100-mile debut.
China’s Lin Chen didn’t finish the 2024 Western States 100, but she recovered well to take fourth at UTMB later last year. She is fresh off of a win at the 2025 Canyons 100 Mile, after taking fourth at the 2025 Black Canyon 100k, where she earned her ticket back to States. Last year, she took second at the 2024 Chiangmai Thailand 100 Mile and won the 2023 Doi Inthanon 100 Mile. One hundred miles does seem to be her distance of choice, and she could well make a big impact on her second attempt here.
Tara Dower is most talked about right now for setting an overall supported FKT on the 2,197-mile Appalachian Trail in September last year, but she has speed as well as mega endurance. This year, she took second in the Black Canyon 100k and won the Lake Sonoma 50 Mile. She has plenty of 100-mile form, too. In 2023, she won the Run Rabbit Run 100 Mile, up from second the previous year, and she placed fourth in the 2024 Hardrock 100. She may be one to look out for working her way up the field in the race’s second half.
Tara Dower during the 2024 Hardrock 100. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Vietnam’s Hậu Hà placed fourth at both the 2023 and 2024 CCC, earning her Golden Ticket into Western States on the second occasion. She had a great year in 2024, with wins including the Amazean Jungle Thailand 100k, the Ultra Singapore 50k, and the Chiangmai Thailand 50k. So far in 2025, she’s taken third at the highly competitive Hong Kong 100k. It looks like this is her first 100 miler, but if she can handle the step up in distance, a top 10 place should be well within reach.
Hậu Hà (left) and Lin Chen (right), first and second women respectively at the 2024 Malaysia Ultra-Trail by UTMB. Photo: Zam Arjuna
Poland’s Martyna Młynarczyk is relatively new to the trail ultra scene, with a background in road running and triathlon, but is already making an impact by racking up wins since 2023. As well as races at home in Poland, she won the 2024 Tenerife Bluetrail 73k and the 2025 Istria 42k. Her standout result so far is a second-place finish at the 2024 CCC, which earned her a Golden Ticket. Thus far, she seems to have topped out at 100k, and it will be interesting to see what she makes of the 100-mile distance.
Abby Hall has been racing ultras at a high level for coming up on a decade now. She last raced Western States back in 2021 when she finished 14th, but some strong results since that point to a potential higher ranking on this attempt. Later in 2021, she placed third in CCC, and she won the 2022 Transvulcania and took second in the 2022 Transgrancanaria. More recently, she placed fifth at the 2025 Black Canyon 100k — where she secured her Golden Ticket — and fourth at the 2025 Chianti Ultra Trail 120k, also a Golden Ticket race.
Mostly known for races around the 50k distance, New Zealand’s Caitlin Fielder is another promising 100-mile debutant coming to Western States. She secured her entry with a second-place finish at the 2025 Tarawera 100k, behind Ruth Croft, and has since added to that a win at the 2025 Ultra-Trail Australia 50k. Last year, she won the Les Templiers 80k in France and also placed fifth in OCC, sixth in the Marathon du Mont-Blanc, and 10th in Sierre-Zinal. It will be fun to see how she fares over the longer distance.
Caitlin Fielder, the 2024 Grand Trail des Templiers women’s champion. Photo: Cyrille Quintard
The U.K.’s Fiona Pascall is fast making a name for herself both at home in the U.K. and further afield. She scored a big win in the 2025 Chianti Ultra Trail 120k to secure her spot at Western States, where she’ll no doubt have ambitions of following in the footsteps of her sister Beth Pascall, the 2021 winner. As well as strong results at home in the U.K., she also won the 2023 Ultra Trail Julian Alps 170k, the 2024 Mozart 100k, and the 2024 Wildstrubel 72k.
Keely Henninger finished her first Western States in 2021 in ninth place but failed to finish on her last two outings in 2022 and 2023. She’s raced lightly the last couple of years but took third in the Canyons 100k and fourth in the 2025 Big Alta 50k this year. Her good days also include a win at the 2023 Black Canyon 100k, and she can’t be ruled out for a top 10 spot if things go her way.
Keely Henninger on her way to winning the 2022 Gorge Waterfalls 50k. Photo: Steven Mortinson
Still More Fast Women to Watch
Hannah Allgood earned her spot at Western States with a second-place finish at the 2024 Javelina 100 Mile, in a year that also saw her win the Eiger Ultra Trail 100k, and place fifth in both Transvulcania and Chuckanut 50k. The year prior, in 2023, she placed 11th at CCC, up from 14th the previous year. She’s had a good start this year, winning the 2025 Canyons 50k.
Finland’s Johanna Antila took second at the 2025 Chianti Ultra Trail 120k and placed 17th at the 2024 UTMB. She also won the 2024 TransLantau 120k and the 2023 Kullamannen 100 Mile. She placed 10th in CCC back in 2022, and also took 13th in the 2022 Trail World Championships – Long Trail.
Johanna Antila on her way to taking second at the 2025 Chianti Ultra Trail by UTMB 120k. Photo: Chianti Ultra Trail/Marzia Benigna
So far this year, Erin Clark has placed seventh at the 2025 Black Canyon 100k and fourth at the Canyons 100k — up from seventh last year, and nearly an hour quicker. Her other top results include a win at the 2023 Lake Sonoma 50 Mile and a seventh-place finish at the 2022 CCC. She didn’t finish on her first outing at Western States in 2021, but she has a lot of racing miles under her belt since then and should do well this time around.
New Zealand’s Nancy Jiang was 23rd at the 2023 Western States but should be capable of moving up the field a bit on her second attempt. Last year, she took eighth place at Lavaredo and 28th at UTMB. This year, she placed fifth at the 2025 Tarawera 100k. She’s had a stack of wins and podiums at home in New Zealand, and bigger international results include fifth in the OCC in 2018 and ninth in 2019.
Nancy Jiang, 2023 Tarawera Ultramarathon 102k champion. Photo: Graeme Murray
Previously Entered but Not Running
- Rachel Drake
- Leah Yingling
- Claire Bannwarth
Call for Comments
- Who do you think will take the win in the 2025 Western States 100 women’s race?
- Are there any more fast women not mentioned in this preview who deserve a shoutout?
