Speedgoat by UTMB, the Skyrunner World Series, and the World Mountain Running Association World Cup were among the weekend’s top highlights.
Read on to see how it all played out.
Speedgoat by UTMB – Snowbird Resort, Utah
50k
The event’s marquee race ran on a trail with 11,800 feet of elevation gain and paid $2,000 to its winners as part of a $7,000 cash purse.
It’s been a good summer for Helen Mino Faukner. Already the winner of the Broken Arrow Skyrace 46k, Mino Faukner was victorious here in 6:09. Mali Noyes and 2022 race winner Addie Bracy were second and third in 6:21 and 6:23, respectively.
The 2023 Speedgoat 50k women’s podium (l-to-r): 2. Mali Noyes, 1. Helen Mino Faukner, 3. Addie Bracy, and 4. Valerie Arsenault. Photo: Nils Nielsen
Christian Allen was in front of the men’s race throughout and finished first in 5:23. Nick Handel held off Adrian MacDonald for second. The pair finished in 5:30 and 5:31, 72 seconds apart.
The race was a last tune-up for greater efforts this summer for many of the top runners. Bracy will race CCC and MacDonald UTMB in August, among others also expected to next race in Chamonix, France.
The 2023 Speedgoat 50k men’s podium (l-to-r): 5. Zachary Garner, 2. Nick Handel, 1. Christian Allen, 3. Adrian MacDonald, and 4. Jeshurun Small. Photo: Nils Nielsen
28k
Hannah Rowe was out front in 3:35 in the women’s race. The 2020 Olympic Marathon bronze medalist Molly Seidel was second in 3:49, and Reese Ruland was third in 3:51. Seidel was eighth a year ago in 4:13.
Andy Wacker was just over a minute better than Noah Williams in the men’s race. The two split 2:55 and 2:56 finish times, and Matthew Palilla was a distant third in 3:07.
High Lonesome 100 Mile – Salida, Colorado
Georgia Porter and Marisa Watson were together as late as mile 84, but Porter pulled away over the final miles to win in 24:52. Porter will next go for big prize money at September’s Run Rabbit Run 100 Mile. Watson, the race’s longtime leader, finished second in 25:09 and Lindsey McDonald was third in 26:59.
Men’s winner Jimmy Elam crushed a year-old course record with a 19:42 finish. That was over an hour better than Ryan Smith’s prior mark. No one was close to Elam, and like women’s winner Porter, he too is on the start list for Run Rabbit Run. Brandon Stapanowich and Dave Scheibel were second and third in 22:25 and 23:52.
La Montee du Nid d’Aigle – St. Gervais, France
The all-uphill race was a World Mountain Running Association World Cup event, and it went 19.5 kilometers in distance with 2,000 meters of elevation gain. That’s 12 miles and 6,560 feet. The race stopped at Nid d’Aigle (or Eagle’s Nest), a taking-off point for mountaineers climbing Mont Blanc via Voie Royale.
The start of the 2023 La Montee du Nid d’Aigle. Photo: Marco Gulberti
The 2022 race winners Joyce Njeru and Patrick Kipngeno, both of Kenya, repeated as champs.
Njeru won a hotly contested duel with Philaries Kisang (Kenya). Both finished in 2:06 and only five seconds apart. Susanna Saapunki (Finland) was third in 2:10. The competitive field included Lucy Wambui Murigi (Kenya) and Blandine L’Hirondel (France) in fourth and fifth in 2:13 and 2:14.
Kipngeno was similarly followed by countryman Philemon Kiriago in 1:48. Xavier Chevrier (Italy) was 41 seconds ahead of Stian Angermund (Norway) for third, both in 1:51, and Théodore Klein (France) finished in 1:54 for fifth.
Schlegeis 3000 Skyrace – Zillertal, Austria
The 34k race took in 2,400 meters (7,874 feet) of elevation gain and was part of the Skyrunner World Series. There was prize money on the line too with €1,000 to each winner.
Karina Carsolio (Mexico) is having a breakout 2023 summer. She won here in 4:23. Clementine Geoffray (France) and Lucille Germain (France) were second and third in 4:28 and 4:33, respectively.
Karina Carsolio on her way to winning the 2023 Schlegeis 3000 Skyrace. Photo: Brian Sharp Creates
The first three men all got off course and were given a 20-minute penalty, and that left them off the podium and instead vaulted Sebastian Poesy (France) into first in 3:52. It was a new course record. William Boffeli (Italy) was second in 3:52, only 44 seconds behind the winner, and Luka Kovacic (Slovenia) ran 3:54 for third.
Sebastian Poesy, the 2023 Schlegeis 3000 Skyrace men’s winner. Photo: Brian Sharp Creates
Cervino Matterhorn Ultra Race – Breuil-Cervinia, Italy
The second-year race’s longest distance stretched 173k (107 miles) on a route around the Matterhorn.
Thanks to a long, challenging course, the lead three women were very well spread out by the finish. Elisabetta Negra (Italy) finished in 31:24. Lisa Borzani (Italy) was next in 34:04, and Silvia Trigueros (Spain) finished in 36:55 for third.
The first three men similarly had big gaps in between each other. Franco Colle (Italy) was first in 26:29. Andrea Macchi (Italy) completed the loop in 27:15 as runner-up, and Sangé Sherpa (Nepal) was third in 28:55.
Additional Races and Runs
Buckin’ Hell 50k – Deep Cove, British Columbia, Canada
Meredith Wilson (Canada) and Todd Marwick (Canada) won the race in 6:10 and 5:29. Full results.
Cascade Crest 100 Mile – Easton, Washington
Yitka Winn won the women’s crown for a remarkable fourth time. She finished in 22:17. Amelia Boone was second in 22:49, and Corinne Malcolm ran 23:30 for third. Men’s leader Brandon Benefield finished in 19:56. Carl Koopmans and Elan Lieber were second and third in 20:27 and 21:45, respectively. Both Winn and Benefield set new course records for this out-and-back variation of the course. Full results.
Wy’east Trailfest – Government Camp, Oregon
Emmiliese von Avis and Alex King were the fastest over 50k in 5:40 and 4:42. Full results.
Ouray 100 Mile – Ouray, Colorado
The high-altitude race gains over 40,o00 feet of elevation in the San Juan Mountains. Sarah Ostaszewski didn’t gain the women’s lead until nearly mile 80, but powered through the remaining sections far faster than anyone else toward a seven-hour win. She finished in 33:47 and it was a new course record, 14 minutes better than Meredith Edwards’s time from a year ago. The men’s race was similar with Hayato Nishikata only taking the lead late. He won in 31:52. Full results.
Sarah Ostaszewski on her way to winning the 2023 Ouray 100 Mile in a new course-record time. Photo: Eszter Horanyi
Hayato Nishikata, the 2023 Ouray 100 Mile men’s champion. Photo: Eszter Horanyi
Rattlerock 50k – Morgantown, West Virginia
There was a small field of just 22 finishers for the second-year race. Alescia Roberto set a new course standard at 6:17 in the women’s race, and Donnie Orr won the men’s race in 6:25. Full results.
Tahoe 200 Mile – Lake Tahoe, California
The race, which started at 9am on Friday, is ongoing but both winners have crossed the line. France’s Claire Bannwarth, fresh off a fifth-place finish at the previous weekend’s Hardrock 100, won in two days, 14 hours and 29 minutes. Wes Ritner was top man in two days, 16 hours and 16 minutes.
Crow Pass Crossing – Girdwood/Eagle River, Alaska
The gnarly 22.6 mile race was won by husband and wife duo Ben and Christy Marvin, in 3:22 and 3:40, respectively. It was Christy’s eighth straight win at the event. Full results.
Call for Comments
A little shorter this weekend. What other fun did you find this weekend?
