It was the year’s last Golden Trail World Series contest, the Kodiak Ultramarathons was a UTMB World Series Major, and the Skyrunner World Series went to Northern Ireland.
Those are the big highlights for this week.
Ledro Sky Trentino Grand Finale – Trentino, Italy
The event was the Golden Trail World Series (GTWS) final. Many top runners were doubling back from the World Mountain Running Championships two weeks ago. But whether because they were instead prioritizing the GTWS finale or didn’t have the opportunity to race at worlds, others were fresh, and that made for some intriguing match-ups.
Prologue
The three-day event started with the Prologue, a 6.9-kilometer race that went up from the beaches of Lake Ledro to the forests of San Martino, and back downhill, gaining and losing 500 meters of elevation in the process. It was staged in a time trial format with runners leaving the start line individually one minute apart.
Women’s Race
Mădălina Florea (Romania) entered the race as the series leader, and she was a notable absence at the aforementioned World Mountain Running Championships. Florea instead raced last weekend’s Brasov Running Festival 10k and won the women’s amateur race in 35:23. That must’ve been the final tune-up she needed because Florea blasted from the start line and climbed to the high point with a minute lead on the field. Lauren Gregory (U.S.) ate into that gap on the second-half descent, but Florea’s early lead stuck for a first-place 39:55 finish. Gregory was second in 40:06, and Joyce Njeru (Kenya) was third in 41:17.
Women’s Top 10
- Mădălina Florea (Romania) – 39:55
- Lauren Gregory (U.S.) – 40:06
- Joyce Njeru (Kenya) – 41:17
- Sara Alonso (Spain) – 41:19
- Rosa Lara (Spain) – 42:04
- Malen Osa (Spain) – 42:16
- Naomi Lang (U.K.) – 42:36
- Céline Aebi (Switzerland) – 42:56
- Marie Nivet (France) – 43:09
- Courtney Coppinger (U.S.) – 43:12
Madalina Florea, the 2025 Ledro Sky Trentino Grand Finale Prologue women’s winner. Photo: GTWS/Justin Galant
Men’s Race
This year’s GTWS has belonged to Elhousine Elazzaoui (Morocco). Known for his downhill skill, Elazzaoui outclimbed everyone here, too. He hit the high point 41 and 86 seconds better than his chief rivals, Patrick Kipngeno (Kenya) and Philemon Kiriago (Kenya). Already ahead at the top, Elazzaoui was predictably uncatchable on the downhill. He won the men’s Prologue in 32:24, over two minutes better than anyone else.
Joey Hadorn (Switzerland) and Taylor Stack (U.S.) were second and third in 34:38 and 34:54, respectively.
Men’s Top 10
- Elhousine Elazzaoui (Morocco) – 32:24
- Joey Hadorn (Switzerland) – 34:38
- Taylor Stack (U.S.) – 34:54
- Patrick Kipngeno (Kenya) – 34:55
- Christian Allen (U.S.) – 34:57
- Paul Machoka (Kenya) – 35:05
- Theo Burgeois (France) – 35:18
- Philemon Kiriago (Kenya) – 35:24
- Manuel Innerhofer (Austria) – 25:33
- Daniel Pattis (Italy) – 35:43
Elhousine Elazzaoui, the 2025 Ledro Sky Trentino Grand Finale Prologue men’s winner. Photo: GTWS/Justin Galant
Sky Trentino
On Saturday and Sunday, the women and men moved to a 21k race with 1,600 meters of elevation gain. The Prologue was a bit of a warm-up or undercard, and this was the last chance to shine on the year’s series.
Women’s Race
Florea again moved to the front early, but as the lead group neared the top of the climb, Gregory moved to the front and outclassed the field the rest of the way. Gregory, who was fifth at the 2025 World Mountain Running Championships Up and Down race two weeks ago, won in 2:22.
Early leader Florea held on for second in 2:25, 32 seconds better than third-place Sara Alonso (Spain).
Florea was the overall series winner with 958 points. She won the Il Golfo Dell Isola Trail race in Italy in May and was second in two other GTWS races, and third in yet two others before the finale. Alonso and Gregory were second and third in the series with 913 and 878 points, respectively.
Women’s Top 10
- Lauren Gregory (U.S.) – 2:22:51
- Mădălina Florea (Romania) – 2:25:22
- Sara Alonso (Spain) – 2:25:54
- Lucija Krkoc (Slovenia) – 2:27:00
- Malen Osa (Spain) – 2:27:45
- Barbora Bukovjan (Czech Republic) – 2:27:46
- Rosa Lara (Spain) – 2:28:37
- Joyce Njeru (Kenya) – 2:29:19
- Marie Nivet (France) – 2:33:59
- Anna Gibson (U.S.) – 2:35:40
The 2025 Ledro Sky Trentino Grand Finale women’s podium (left to right): 4. Lucija Krkoc, 2. Mădălina Florea, 1. Lauren Gregory, 3. Sara Alonso, 5. Malen Osa. Photo: GTWS/Anthony Deroeux
Men’s Race
It was the last GTWS race of the year, but it looked like so many others. Elhousine Elazzaoui was still top dog. He started slow and gained the lead group before the high point, and then eventually raced past Paul Machoka (Kenya) for the win with about 5k to race. Elazzoui finished first in 1:58:30.
Patrick Kipngeno overtook early pacesetter Paul Machoka for second, and the two finished in 1:58:50 and 1:59:32.
Whether he was tired or was simply outrun, recent World Mountain Running Championships Up and Down winner Philemon Kiriago (Kenya) was a non-factor on the weekend. He followed up an eighth-place finish in the Prologue with a fifth-place finish here.
Elazzaoui, of course, won the overall GTWS series too. He dominated this year’s series, and his only blip was a ninth-place run at Sierre-Zinal. Kipngeno and Kiriago finished the series in second and third.
Men’s Top 10
- Elhousine Elazzaoui (Morocco) – 1:58:30
- Patrick Kipngeno (Kenya) – 1:58:50
- Paul Machoka (Kenya) – 1:59:32
- Taylor Stack (U.S.) – 1:59:42
- Philemon Kiriago (Kenya) – 2:00:15
- Michael Selelo Saoli (Kenya) – 2:00:18
- Joey Hadorn (Switzerland) – 2:02:08
- Fabián Venero (Spain) – 2:03:07
- Daniel Pattis (Italy) – 2:03:27
- Ïu Net (Spain) – 2:05:24
Paul Machoka leads Eloussine Elazzaoui during the 2025 Ledro Sky Trentino Grand Finale. Elazzaoui would pull away for the win. Photo: GTWS/Anthony Deroeux
Kodiak Ultramarathons – Big Bear, California
The two-day event in southern California was a UTMB World Series Major, and that made it a late-in-the-year chance for runners to secure entry to next year’s UTMB, CCC, and OCC races.
100 Mile
Lin Chen (China) won the Canyons 100 Mile race in April, missed the Western States 100 in June with injury, dropped from UTMB in August, and came back here to win the women’s race in 19:31. She’ll be back in the U.S. in February 2026 for the Black Canyon 100k too. It was a close race, as Madison Liechty was only 12 minutes back in 19:43, and Genevieve Harrison was third in 20:15.
In the men’s race, Hayden Hawks bounced back from a drop at UTMB in August to win here in 16:40. Joe McConaughy kept it close in second in 17:01, and Jhon Barrera (Colombia) ran 17:29 for the final podium spot.
100k
The 2024 Leadville Trail 100 Mile winner Mary Denholm crushed the women’s race with a 9:28 finish, and Erin Moyer and Imogen Ainsworth were next in 10:03 and 10:50.
The men ran it closer with Kellen Blumberg beating Guillaume Tiphene (France) for the win by just 64 seconds. The two finished in 8:30 and 8:31. Ryan Raff was third in 8:53.
50k
In her 50k debut, road marathoner Makena Morley won in 4:03. In June, she ran 2:30 at the Grandma’s Marathon. Alicia Vargo was second in 4:14, and Sofie Schunk was exactly a minute behind in 4:15 for third.
Recent Trail World Championships Short Trail third-placer finisher Andreu Blanes (Spain) won the men’s race in 3:30. Alex García (Spain) edged Anthony Costales for second. Both García and Costales ran 3:38, but with García 28 seconds ahead.
Mourne Skyline – New Castle, Northern Ireland, U.K.
The Skyrunner World Series moved to the Mourne Mountains for a 35k romp with 2,700 meters of elevation gain. The course crested the highest point in Northern Ireland.
Naiara Irigoyen (Spain) won her third Skyrunner World Series event this year and set a new women’s course record in 4:13. Irigoyen followed Marta Martínez (Spain) up the race’s first climb, and then led the rest of the race. Martínez outdueled Natalie Beadle (U.K.) for second. The two were only 55 seconds apart in 4:19 and 4:20.
Just off a Trail World Championships Short Trail second-place finish, Manuel Merillas (Spain) won the men’s race here in 3:23. It was a new course record. A wrong turn took Merillas’s closest chasers off course, and Oier Zubeldia (Spain) and Damien Humbert (France) benefited by moving up to second and third, both in 3:36 but 45 seconds apart.
Naiara Irigoyen, the 2025 Mourne Skyline women’s champion. Photo: Skyrunner World Series/Evan Davies
Manuel Merillas, the 2025 Mourne Skyline men’s champion. Photo: Skyrunner World Series/Evan Davies
Additional Races and Runs
Defiance 50k – Point Defiance, Washington
The race went through the old-growth forests of Point Defiance, and Teresa Makowski and Ben DeMeerleer won in 5:03 and 4:01. Full results.
Mad Meadows 50 Mile – Leavenworth, Washington
Christine Mosley and Ryan Leaming led the race in 11:05 and 9:43. Full results.
Middle Fork Trail Run 50k – North Bend, Washington
Race winners Carlie Stowe and Charlie Lahud-Zahner took it in 5:00 and 4:06. Full results.
Carlie Stowe, the 2025 Middle Fork 50k women’s winner. Photo courtesy of the race.
Charlie Lahud-Zahner, the 2025 Middle Fork 50k men’s winner. Photo courtesy of the race.
Angel’s Rest 50k – Cascade Locks, Oregon
The second-year race had a small group of 50k runners with Amy Robichaux and Grant Farrell winning in 5:44 and 5:00, respectively. Full results.
Le Grizz 50 Mile – Polebridge, Montana
Rosie Rigas and Oliver Bieser won in 8:08 and 6:05. Full results.
Moab 240 Mile – Moab, Utah
They’re still going, but at the time of this article’s writing on Sunday night, Manuela Vilaseca (Brazil) and Rebecca Rick are dueling at the front of the women’s race, and 200-mile pro Kilian Korth is closing in on another win in the men’s race. Tracking.
Rebecca Rick leading the 2025 Moab 240 Mile. Two days in, she’s battling with Manuela Vilaseca (Brazi) for the lead. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Kilian North, who leads the men’s 2025 Moab 240 Mile two days in. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Sage Burner 50k – Gunnison, Colorado
A small 50k field had race locals Hailey Loeffler and Ty Reed at the front in 5:26 and 4:58. Full results.
Chicago Marathon – Chicago, Illinois
It slim pickin’s for ultrarunner results in here, but 50k world-record holder CJ Albertson was 19th in 2:10:38. Full results.
Wolverine State 100 Mile – Petoskey, Michigan
Laura Pahren, Cody Powers, and Eleanor Kallo took home the wins in the women’s, men’s, and non-binary categories in 21:51, 16:50, and 31:31, respectively. Full results.
Laura Pahren, the 2025 Wolverine State 100 Mile women’s winner. Photo courtesy of the race.
Cody Powers, the 2025 Wolverine State 100 Mile men’s winner. Photo: Adam Hughes
Virginia Trail Running Festival – Fries, Virginia
The first-year flat and fast 100 miler had Erica Reinsel and Brian Zickefoose run 17:13 and 13:50 at the very top. Full results.
CanLake 50 Ultras – Canandaigua, New York
The 50-mile winners Liz Chafik and Hunter Tedder won in 8:28 and 6:22, and Alex Steigelfest and Doug Wingate were best in the 50k in 4:54 and 3:39. Full results.
Call for Comments
- What do you make of the GTWS finale?
- Is it ok to lament that Elazzaoui wasn’t at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships, too, or that Nina Engelhard (Germany) wasn’t at the GTWS finale?
- What else caught your eye this week in running?
