It’s almost time for the 2026 Western States 100. The point-to-point race runs from Olympic Valley to Auburn, California, on Saturday, June 27, and it’s going to be a good one! The 370-person field will cover 18,000 feet of climbing and more than 22,000 feet of descending on the historic net-downhill course.
Early men’s race leaders during the 2025 Western States 100. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
While the top two men from last year have opted out, six of last year’s top-10 men are set to return. Kilian Jornet, third last year, will seek an improbable win 15 years after his 2011 victory. Hans Troyer was eighth in his 100-mile debut last year and surely wants more. Along with them, four-time winner and course record holder Jim Walmsley returns, and 2022 winner Adam Peterman is back and in winning form. Italy’s Francesco Puppi will make his 100-mile debut and should be counted on as a potential winner, too.
In 2024, a record 12 men ran under 16 hours. In 2025, that number was just seven. While the overall 2025 depth didn’t get to the 2024 numbers, Caleb Olson did threaten the course record. He was within two minutes of Walmsley’s 14:09 record run from 2019. Find out more about how that race played out in our 2025 Western States 100 results article.
Read on to see who else could be up at the front of this year’s field. We’ll update this article with any last-minute changes leading up to race day. You can also check out the full 2026 entrants list.
The start of the 2025 Western States 100. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
iRunFar will be there to report firsthand on all the action as it unfolds, starting at 5 a.m. U.S. Pacific Daylight Time on Saturday, June 27. Stay tuned!
Be sure to also check out our 2026 Western States 100 women’s preview, and then follow along with our live coverage on race day.
Returning Top 10 Men
Caleb Olson and Chris Myers, the 2025 winner and runner-up, decided not to return. Olson’s 14:11 finish a year ago is the race’s second-fastest finish ever, and Myers’s 14:17 is the race’s fourth-fastest. Slovakia’s Peter Fraňo, ninth in 2025, will not race this year either. Additionally, in early June, sixth-place finisher Seth Ruhling withdrew with a hip injury, leaving only six of last year’s top-10 finishers returning this year.
Kilian Jornet – 3rd, 14:19:22
Spain’s Kilian Jornet won Western States in 2011 and, remarkably, returned after a 14-year gap to finish third in 2025. He closed incredibly well to get on the podium, less than eight minutes behind the winner, Olson, and less than two minutes back of runner-up Myers. Jornet’s 14:19 finish last year ranks as the race’s fifth-fastest finish ever, and it was over an hour better than his 2011 winning time. After Western States last year, Jornet adventured through the American West on his States of Elevation project, and he’s raced twice in 2026 so far. In March, Jornet finished in a casual first-place tie at a 13-mile race in Mallorca, and then he had a rough finish at the Zegama Marathon in May. An 11-time Zegama Marathon winner, Jornet finished just 44th this year. That was six weeks before Western States, and since then, Jornet has detailed a knee injury online, stopped running, and plans to race Western States with only two weeks of running in his legs since Zegama. Jornet’s an incredible athlete, but is that enough to take him out of podium consideration?
Kilian Jornet on his way to third place at the 2025 Western States 100. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Jeff Mogavero – 4th, 14:30:11
Jeff Mogavero dueled with Jornet for much of last year’s race, and his fourth-place 14:30 was the fastest-ever Western States debut and 10th fastest time ever. He’s been a bit up and down since, though. Mogavero dropped at last year’s UTMB, and then ran down Dmitry Mityaev for the win at the 2025 Ultra-Trail Cape Town 100k in November. So far this year, he was just sixth at the Chianti 120k in March, finishing almost an hour behind fellow Western States contender Thomas Cardin. While not prioritizing Chianti, Mogavero still said “my performance was lackluster” in a post-race Substack analysis. He’s come back since then with some very high-volume training on the Western States course.
Jeff Mogavero on his way to fourth at the 2025 Western States 100. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Daniel Jones – 5th, 14:36:17
Daniel Jones, from New Zealand, hasn’t missed yet at Western States; he’s been no worse than fifth in three tries. He was fifth in 2023, fourth in 2024, and fifth in 2025. He did, however, like Mogavero, drop at last year’s UTMB. In 2026, Jones won the Tarawera 102k for the fourth straight year and won the Ultra-Trail Australia 50k, too. Jones started Western States slowly last year and didn’t get into the top 10 until Robinson Flat at mile 30. With a podium finish still evading him, might this be the year to be more aggressive early?
Daniel Jones crossing the American River during the 2024 Western States 100. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Ryan Montgomery – 7th, 15:54:29
This will be Ryan Montgomery’s fourth straight year at Western. In 2023, he was seventh. The next year, he was an off-form 20th, and last year he again ran into the top 10. In 2025, Montgomery jumped three spots after Foresthill at mile 62, going from 10th to seventh. He hasn’t raced much since, though. He was third at the 2026 Big Alta 50k in March and then ran 2:27 at the 2026 London Marathon in April. Montgomery identifies as non-binary and competes in the men’s race.
Ryan Montgomery crossing the American River during the 2025 Western States 100. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Hans Troyer – 8th, 16:06:52
Hans Troyer is surely expected to improve on last year’s debut 100-mile run. He was eighth in 2025, but almost two hours behind the winner after a tough second half. How many spots better can he do? Troyer won the 2025 JFK 50 Mile in November against defending champion David Sinclair, and then won the 2026 Black Canyon 100k in February. In that latter race, Troyer broke the course record. Within the past year, he also relocated from his native Georgia to Boulder, Colorado.
Hans Troyer with only a few miles left of the 2025 Western States 100. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Hiroki Kai – 10th, 16:22:46
Nicknamed “Crazy Karo,” Hiroki Kai is a popular YouTuber who makes films about his races. Last year at Western States, he was just 22nd at Devil’s Thumb at mile 48 before running into the top 10 in the last 10 miles. The Japanese runner is a very prolific racer. He’ll have to be better than he has been so far this year to land back in the top 10. So far in 2026, Kai was 17th at the Black Canyon 50k in February, 16th at the Gorge Waterfalls 100k in April, and 13th at the Ultra-Trail Australia 50k in May.
Hiroki Kai finishing 10th at the 2025 Western States 100. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
More Top Contenders
The Golden Ticket series, sponsor and race administration spots, and even the race’s lottery greatly add to this race’s competitive depth.
It’s hard to put Jim Walmsley anywhere besides the top of the list of favorites. Walmsley is a four-time Western States winner, in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2024. His finish times, in chronological order, are 14:30, 14:09, 14:46, and 14:13. The 14:09 from 2019 is the course record, and he has three of the race’s top-nine times ever. Walmsley missed last year’s race due to injury but finished 2025 strong with wins at OCC and the Long Trail race at the Trail World Championships. He hasn’t raced in 2026, though, and relied on a sponsor entry for this year’s race. Walmsley explained on social media that a persistent knee injury dating back to 2024 kept him from racing his way in via the 2026 Golden Ticket Races. May that knee now be healthy and good for 100.2 miles. If yes, Walmsley is the race favorite.
Jim Walmsley, 2024 Western States 100 champion. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
Alongside Jornet and Walmsley, Adam Peterman is the third prior Western States champ in this year’s field. Peterman won Western States in 2022 in his 100-mile debut. Injury wrecked 2023, but Peterman was third at CCC in late 2024. He walked much of Western States in 2025 for a 49th-place finish, and then sought out a professional coach to get back on track. Peterman was then sixth at OCC and eighth at the Trail World Championships Long Trail to finish 2025. This year has gone even better. Peterman was second at the Black Canyon 50k, and then won the 2026 Canyons 100k in April. That latter race was an exceptionally competitive Golden Ticket race, and Peterman beat a bunch of fellow Western States contenders. His Canyons 100k win surely gives Peterman some confidence that he can race at the front of Western States.
Adam Peterman winning the 2022 Western States 100. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Hayden Hawks was at Western States every year from 2021 to 2024. That four-year run included, in order, an eighth- and second-place finish, a DNF, and a third-place finish in 2024. His 14:24 finish in 2024 ranks as the race’s seventh-fastest ever. Hawks had a fall in training that caused him to miss this year’s Transgrancanaria, but he finished third at the Canyons 100k in April 2026, behind fellow Western States contenders Peterman and Zach Miller. With his prior experience, including a sub-14:30 finish, we expect Hawks to thrive.
Hayden Hawks on his way to third place at the 2024 Western States 100. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
In races around the world last year, Italy’s Francesco Puppi was sensational. He ran a stunning course record at the 2025 Canyons 100k in April and then dominated the September 2025 CCC. Puppi wasn’t at the Canyons 100k this year, but none of Peterman, Zach Miller, or Hawks came close to the time Puppi ran to win there in 2025. Puppi beat several other Western States challengers at CCC last year, too. Western States will be his 100-mile debut, and his prep has been a little rocky. Puppi dropped from the 2026 Black Canyon 100k in February after a fall and then broke his wrist in yet another fall during a training run. He did win the 2026 Chianti Marathon between injuries in March.
Francesco Puppi winning the 2025 Canyons by UTMB 100k. Photo: FinisherPix
Anthony Costales nearly ran down Troyer at this year’s Black Canyon 100k. Costales was second there and second again at the Gorge Waterfalls 50k this year. He was only 15th at last year’s CCC, and in 2023, he was third at Western States. This will be his second 100 miler.
Anthony Costales racing to third at the 2023 Western States 100. Photo: iRunFar/Jaja Ferrer Capili
Zach Miller broke into ultras in 2013 with a stunning win at the JFK 50 Mile. A decade-plus later and after races around the world, Miller is making his Western States debut. He earned his way into this year’s race with a second-place run at the 2026 Canyons 100k behind Peterman and ahead of Hawks. Miller raced sparingly in 2025 and 2024. Last year, he was fifth at the Hardrock 100 and 18th at the Trail World Championships Long Trail race. In 2024, he was seventh at Transgrancanaria. Further back, he was second at UTMB in 2023.
Zach Miller finishing the 2026 Canyons 100k in second to earn a Western States Golden Ticket. Photo: Nick Presniakov
Roughly seven weeks before Western States, David Sinclair smashed the course record at the Transvulcania Ultramarathon. He was second at last year’s CCC behind Puppi. Like a few others, this will be Sinclair’s 100-mile debut. In his post-Transculvania interviews, Sinclair spoke about approaching Western States and the longer distance cautiously.
David Sinclair en route to winning the 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon. Photo: World Mountain Running Association/Marco Gulberti
Thomas Cardin
France’s Thomas Cardin won the Chianti 120k in March 2026 to earn his Western States Golden Ticket. He beat Mogavero and fellow contender Vincent Bouillard there, and beat Jim Walmsley’s winning time from 2024, too. He also won the 2026 Ultra-Trail des Coursières 104k race in France in May. Like Sinclair, this is his 100-mile debut.
Thomas Cardin, 2026 Chianti 120k champion. Photo: Chianti Ultra Trail/Alessandro Moretti
Will Murray was great in 2025. He was a surprise second at the 2025 Black Canyon 100k to start the year and set a course record at the Javelina 100 Mile to finish the year. In between, he was injured and missed last year’s Western States 100. In 2026, Murray won the Chuckanut 50k but was just 11th at the Canyons 100k in April. He has been training on the Western States course as part of his preparation.
Will Murray, the 2025 Javelina 100 Mile winner. Photo: Howie Stern
Tracen Knopp
The first of two Alaskan contenders, Tracen Knopp, earned his way into the Western States 100 with a third-place finish at the 2026 Black Canyon 100k. Knopp had a big 2025, including a second-place finish behind Peterman at the Gorge Waterfalls 100k and a 25th at the Trail World Championships Long Trail. He won the 2026 Mt. Fuji 70k race earlier this year, too, and Western States will be his 100-mile debut.
Tracen Knopp racing the 2025 Trail World Championships Long Trail. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Jeshurun Small
Jushurun Small now lives in Alaska, and, like Knopp, this will be his 100-mile debut. Small was fifth at last year’s CCC behind Puppi and Sinclair, but ahead of Costales. Small was just eighth at the 2026 Black Canyon 50k in February but won the 2026 Gorge Waterfalls 100k in April. His Gorge Waterfalls finish was two minutes slower than Knopp’s runner-up time from a year earlier.
Jeshurun Small (center) lined up at the start of the 2024 Transvulcania Ultramarathon. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
Canyon Woodward
Canyon Woodward has been climbing the ranks for the last couple of years. He earned his way into Western States with a third-place finish at the 2025 Javelina 100 Mile. That was just two months after he was 13th at UTMB. In 2026, Woodward was fourth at the Black Canyon 100k and fifth at the Canyons 100k. He won the Canyons 100 Mile in 2024, and though this will be his first Western States, we expect him to finish inside the top 10 by a good bit.
Canyon Woodward on his way to winning the 2021 Cruel Jewel 100 Mile. Photo: Grant Carmichael
France’s Vincent Bouillard earned his way back into Western States with a third-place run at the 2026 Chianti 120k in March. Bouillard was a shock UTMB winner in 2024, but hasn’t won on a big stage since. He dropped at Western States in 2025 and was 10th at the Trail World Championships Long Trail race in late 2025.
Vincent Bouillard after winning the 2024 UTMB. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
Even More Top Men
- Jacob Banta – 2nd 2026 & 7th 2025 Tarawera 102k; 5th 2026 Gorge Waterfalls 50k
- Jordan Bramblett – 5th 2026 Black Canyon 100k
- Jeff Browning – 11th 2026 & 2nd 2024 Cocodona 250 Mile; 18th 2025 Western States 100
- Jupiter Carera Casas (Mexico) – 6th 2026 Black Canyon 100k; 7th 2025 Canyons 100k; 17th 2024 Western States 100
- Colton Gale – 5th 2026 Gorge Waterfalls 100k
- Zachary Garner – 2nd 2025 Bear 100 Mile; 7th 2025 Speedgoat 50k
- Justin Grunewald – 2nd 2025 Leadville 100 Mile; 2nd 2026 Desert RATS 50k
- Jørgen Jevne (Norway) – 8th 2025 Les Templiers; 6th 2024 Wildstrubel 70k
- John Kelly – 4th 2026 Garda Trentino Trail; 15th 2024 Endurance Trail des Templiers 100k
- Max Yanzick (New Zealand) – 3rd 2026 Tarawera 102k
Jeff Browning crossing the 2017 Western States finish line with his kids. Photo: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Call for Comments
Who’s it going to be? And who are we too low on that could get into the top 10?
