The UTMB World Series lined up three big races, in Australia, the U.K., and France, while both the Golden Trail World Series and Skyrunner World Series moved into Italy.
It was a glorious spring weekend in the Northern Hemisphere with plenty more trail races and ultramarathons. Grab your coffee and let’s dive in!
Il Golfo dell’Isola – Noli, Italy
The 26-kilometer race and it’s 1,430 meters of roller coaster up and down was the year’s third Golden Trail World Series contest (16 miles, 4,700 feet.) The course mirrored the final race from the 2023 series.
Men
This year’s series leader Patrick Kipngeno (Kenya) didn’t line up, but 2024 overall winner Elhousine Elazzaoui (Morocco) and 2023 overall winner Rémi Bonnet (Switzerland) made their 2025 debuts.
It was Kipngeno’s training mate and frequent runner-up Philemon Kiriago (Kenya) that won though with a 2:01:47 finish. He shook loose from Elazzaoui late to score the win. Elazzaoui was second in 2:02:05 and Paul Machoka (Kenya) took third in 2:02:44.
Philemon Kiriago, the 2025 Il Golfo dell’Isola men’s winner. Photo: Golden Trail Series/Il Golfo dell’Isola/@Rising.Story/@antho.dx_Noli
Kenyan runners took four of the top six finish spots and Bonnet was way back in 31st.
The men’s top 10 was:
- Philemon Kiriago (Kenya) – 2:01:47
- Elhousine Elazzaoui (Morocco) – 2:02:05
- Paul Machoka (Kenya) – 2:02:44
- Cesare Maestri (Italy) – 2:03:10
- Michael Selelo Saoli (Kenya) – 2:03:11
- Richard Omaya Atuya (Kenya) – 2:03:16
- Dominik Rolli (Switzerland) – 2:03:40
- Roberto Delorenzi (Switzerland) – 2:06:46
- Jan Torrella (Spain) – 2:07:13
- Pierre Galbourdin (France) – 2:08:31
Women
In 2023, Mădălina Florea (Romania) had a breakout race here that shot her up the international ranks, and she again found success on this course. Florea’s leading this year’s series after a first-place 2:22:25 finish. She excelled on the downs and broke free from uphill pacesetter Philaries Kisang (Kenya) for the ultimate lead.
Kisang and fellow Kenyan Valentine Jepkoech Rutto were second and third in 2:22:51 and 2:25:33.
For the second race in a row, 2024 series winner Joyce Muthoni Njeru (Kenya) did not finish.
The women’s top 10 was:
- Mădălina Florea (Romania) – 2:22:25
- Philaries Kisang (Kenya) – 2:22:51
- Valentine Jepkoech Rutto (Kenya) – 2:25:33
- Rosa Lara Feliu (Spain) – 2:27:44
- Vivien Bonzi (Italy) – 2:31:25
- Alice Gaggi (Italy) – 2:32:17
- Marie Nivet (France) – 2:33:12
- Miriam Chepkirui (Kenya) – 2:35:36
- Silvia Schwaiger (Slovakia) 2:36:44
- Céline Aebi (Switzerland) – 2:37:24
Mădălina Florea, the 2025 Il Golfo dell’Isola women’s winner. Photo: Golden Trail Series/Il Golfo dell Isola/@Rising.Story/@JustinGalant_Noli
Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB – Australia
In its 17th year, but first as a UTMB World Series Major, the event brought some 8,000 runners to the Blue Mountains.
UTAMiler
The first-year long course went for 100 miles and with almost 24,000 feet of climbing. Race-day conditions were wet and muddy.
Eric Concé (France) took the lead near mile 75 and went on to the win the men’s race in 18:55. Quinton Gill (Canada) and Chris McAuliffe (Australia) finished next in 19:47 and 20:22.
It was an all-Australian women’s podium with Meghann Coffey, Cecilia Mattas, and Kellie Angel on the podium in 21:52, 22:43, and 23:14. It was Coffey’s 100-mile debut.
UTA100
The event’s marquee distance stretched 62 miles and finished with just less than 15,000 feet of elevation gain.
Jia-Sheng Shen (China) ruled for the men in 9:26. That outpaced second- and third-place Australians Mike Carroll and Rhett Gibson and their 9:48 and 10:02 runs.
Jia-Sheng Shen, the 2025 Ultra-Trail Australia 100k men’s winner. Photo: Tim Bardsley-Smith
For the women, Eve Moore (U.K.) slayed the down under course in 10:55. Defending champion Beth McKenzie (U.S.) was second in 11:14, and Emily Brunt (Australia) ran 11:25 for third.
[From 2016 to 2018, Beth McKenzie (née Gerdes) served a two-year doping sanction after testing positive at the 2016 Ironman Australia for ostarine, a prohibited selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM).]
Eve Moore, the 2025 Ultra-Trail Australia 100k women’s winner. Photo: Tim Bardsley-Smith
UTA50
Dan Jones (New Zealand) stayed undefeated for 2025 with a 4:01 men’s 50k win. Second- and third-place Miguel Benitez (Spain) and Sam Rout (Australia) pushed to 4:11 and 4:19 podium finishes. Jones and 100k winner Shen will both race June’s Western States 100. Jones was fourth and Shen eighth there a year ago.
The women’s race was close, barely five minutes separated the front three. Caitlin Fielder (New Zealand) got to the front of the group for a 5:02 win, and Alison Wilson (New Zealand) and Demi Caldwell (Australia) were next in 5:06 and 5:07.
Ultra-Trail Snowdonia by UTMB – Wales, U.K.
UTS 100M
The 104-mile race had a beefy 31,167 feet of climbing. Men’s winner Ethan Peters (Canada) pipped the 24-hour mark with a 23:59 finish. He was almost two hours better than second place.
Paulina Krawczak (Poland) championed the women’s race in 28:13.
UTS 100k
Jon Albon (U.K.) ruled the 65 miler in 11:34. Mathieu Blanchard (France) and Keith Wigley (U.K.) were second and third in 12:03 and 12:18, respectively.
Barely four minutes separated Stephanie Case (Canada) and Lauren Graham (U.K.) at the front of the women’s race. Case ran 16:53 to Graham’s 16:57, and Kimino Miyazaki (Japan) was a close third in 17:06.
UTS 50k
The top three men all went under six hours on the 34-mile trail. Kristian Jones and Luke Grenfell-Shaw ran 5:33 and 5:49 for the host country, and Sylvain Cachard (France) was third in 5:57.
Eleanor Davis (U.K.) ran down Yngvild Kaspersen (Norway) for the women’s crown. The two finished in 6:44 and 7:11, and third-place Magda Gola (Poland) came in at 7:40.
Trail Alsace Grand Est by UTMB – Alsace, France
The race’s third edition had over 6,000 runners between its five different races.
Ultra-Trail des Chevaliers
Ninety-eight miles and 19,028 feet came in 16:22 for men’s leader Baptiste Derouin (France) and Anna Carlsson (Sweden) won for the women in 18:50. Carlsson won the event’s 100k race in 2024.
Men’s defending champion Sébastien Spehler (France) did not finish.
Anna Carlsson, the 2025 Trail Alsace Grand Est 100 Mile women’s winner. Photo: UTMB World Series
Baptiste Derouin, the 2025 Trail Alsace Grand Est 100 Mile men’s winner. Photo: UTMB World Series
Ultra-Trail des Païens
Théo Le Boudec (France) and Juuso Simpanen (Finland) sprinted it out. After 72 miles, only 10 seconds separated the men’s first- and second-place runners. Both ran 10:06 with Le Boudec taking the win.
Lena Laukner (Germany) was way out front for the women in 11:03.
Trail des Celtes
French runners Benjamin Roubiol outpaced Anthony Felber and Augustin Kerhardy in the 50k. The three ran 3:35, 3:40, and 3:46.
The women came in close too. Marie Goncalves (France) put three minutes on second-place Laura Hampel (Germany) with 4:22 and 4:25 finishes, and Astrid Hochart (France) was third in 4:33.
Monte Zerbion Skyrace – Châtillon, Italy
The latest chapter in the Skyrunner World Series went for 22k and 2,200 meters of elevation gain and in both races, it all came down to the final downhill.
On that pivotal downhill, Gianluca Ghiano (Italy) outran Alex Oberbacher (Italy) for the win, and Manuel Merillas (Spain) vaulted ahead of the chase group to get on the podium. Ghiano ran 2:12, Oberbacher 2:15, and Merillas 2:18.
Gianluca Ghiano, the 2025 Monte Zerbion Skyrace men’s winner. Photo: Skyrunner World Series
Women’s winner Lucille Germain (France) dropped Denisa Dragomir (Romania) on the downhill and pushed to a big lead at the finish. Germain ran 2:40 to Dragomir’s 2:45. Fabiola Conti (Italy) was third in 2:48.
Lucille Germain, the 2025 Monte Zerbion Skyrace women’s winner. Photo: Skyrunner World Series
Additional Races and Runs
Sun Mountain – Winthrop, Washington
The Rainshadow Running event had 50-mile and 50k races. Jordan Perry and Christine Mosley won the long course in 7:15 and 9:21, and Eric Jones and Allison Kean were victorious in the 50k in 4:07 and 4:42. Full results.
Born to Run 100 Mile – Los Olivos, California
The weekend-long event had Ian Seabury and Challis Popkey atop its leaderboard in 18:29 and 22:11. Full results.
Bishop High Sierra – Bishop, California
The longtime event had three ultra distances, and six races in total. Barry Main and Kristina Pattison won the 100k in 12:22 and 12:54 and Zachary Sonoga and Juliana Ruhstrat topped the 50 miler in 6:59 and 9:10. Full results.
Ram Party – Colorado Springs, Colorado
The Aravaipa Running race had Mackenzie Mau and Elena Ormon run 7:57 and 9:11 in its 55-mile distance, and Ryan Sullivan went a quick 3:10 in the 50k. Nicole Hanson and Ginna Reid both ran 4:01 for the women’s 50k with Hanson six seconds in front for the win. Full results.
Black Canyon Ascent – Montrose, Colorado
The road race climbed six miles and almost 2,000 feet to the entrance of the Black Canyon National Park. Brandon Birdsong was a three-plus-minute winner over Peter Maksimow with 41:33 and 44:52 times, and Allie McLaughlin clipped former Mount Washington Road Race winner Brittni Birdsong for the women’s win. McLaughlin and Birdson ran 48:06 and 50:01. Full results.
Possum’s Revenge – Graford, Texas
The Blaze Trails event at Possum Kingdom Lake saw German Garcia and Shaheen Henderson win the 52 miler in 10:26 and 8:40. Full results (when available).
Superior Spring Trail Race – Lutsen, Minnesota
The 50k race took on the Superior Hiking Trail through the Sawtooth Mountain Range. Tyler Morey ran 4:09 and Emma Spoon beat the women’s group in 4:54. Full results.
Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 Mile – Fort Valley, Virginia
The race in the George Washington National Forest totaled 18,000 feet of climbing. Nicholas Wirz and Kristen Kelman championed the race in 20:11 and 24:47. Full results.
Cruel Jewel Ultras – Blue Ridge, Georgia
The long course went 104 miles through the Chattahoochee National Forest. Matt Pruitt took the men’s win in 27:31 and Shannon Wheeler-Deboef won for the women in 28:22. Wheeler-Deboef won the race in 2023 too. Adam Schwendt and Jane Murawski were tops in the 50 miler in 11:11 and 13:42. Full results.
Keys Ultras – Key West, Florida
Brett Sanborn was way out front in the 100 miler in 14:21, and Nicole Coccia edged Line Caliskaner for the women’s win with 18:24 and 18:26 marks. Ian Jensen and Salud Cerruti ran 7:45 and 8:08 at the front of the 50 miler, and 50k champs Troy Bethune and Whitney Dancaster ran 5:57 and 5:14. Full results.
Call for Comments
- Jessie Speedy (New Zealand) won the women’s 22k race at Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB. Can there be any better name in trail running?
- What else have you got on this past week in running? You know what to do in the comments.
