We’re bringing the action from Tillamook to Türkiye, Le Grizz to Kodiak, and just about everything in between. Read up on Kodiak by UTMB, the World Mountain Running Association World Cup, and the Self-Transcendence 3,100 Mile Race.
Sky Gran Canaria – Gran Canaria, Spain
The event was the finale for this year’s World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) World Cup, but extreme fire risk kept runners off the event’s intended courses. The island’s high points were closed to outdoor activities, and so that’s not great for mountain running. Friday’s Vertical race was meant to be a 6.6-kilometer run that climbed 947 meters (3,107 feet.) Instead, runners got a 4k criterium that gained about 300 meters. And Saturday’s 38k that was going to go up 2,736 meters (8,976 feet) was changed to a lollipop-style course that gained about 700 meters (2,297 feet.) It certainly wasn’t the finale that the WMRA hoped for, but these things happen.
Vertical
Friday’s race was run as a time trial. Runners went off one at a time every 30 seconds. Thus, there was no finish line ribbon for the winner, and it wasn’t clear who won until the entire field had finished. The U.K. swept the top spots in a bit of an upset.
Women’s champ Scout Adkin (U.K.) led 12 other finishers with a 21:17 finish. Susanna Saapunki (Finland) and Joyce Muthoni Njeru (Kenya) were second and third in 21:30 and 22:12.
Scout Adkin, the 2023 Sky Gran Canaria Vertical winner. Photo: WMRA/Marco Gulberti
The men’s field was bigger, but still totaled just 30 finishers. Joe Steward (U.K.) was the race winner in 17:42, Patrick Kipngeno (Kenya) was second in 17:53, and Christian Allen (U.S.) ran 18:00 for third.
Sierre-Zinal men’s champ Philemon Kiriago (Kenya) has been a bit off form since that race. He was fifth here.
Joe Steward celebrates winning the 2023 Sky Gran Canaria Vertical race. Photo: WMRA/Marco Gulberti
Long Distance
Just 10th of 13 in the Vertical race, Ikram Rharsalla (Spain) found her pace on Saturday. She won the longer race in 2:57, edging out Camilla Magliano (Italy) by just over a minute. Sara Willhoit (U.K.) was a distant third in 3:17.
Ikram Rharsalla, on her way to winning the 2023 Sky Gran Canaria Long Distance race. Photo: WMRA/Marco Gulberti
Christian Allen’s been a bit of a breakout star this year, and picked up his biggest win to date in the men’s group. Wearing his trademark visor, Allen finished in 2:29, six minutes better than second-place Andy Wacker (U.S.). Ondrej Fejfar (Czech Republic) was 58 seconds behind Wacker in 2:36 for third.
Christian Allen, the 2023 Sky Gran Canaria Long Distance champion. Photo: WMRA/Marco Gulberti
Classic
On Sunday, also on a rerouted course, Joyce Muthoni Njeru doubled back to win a two-lap 22k in 1:29, just over a minute better than Philaries Kisang (Kenya.) Kisang finished in 1:30, and Scout Adkin came back too with a third-place 1:32 in her second race of the weekend.
Philemon Kiriago (Kenya), this year’s Sierre-Zinal winner, bounced back from a fifth-place finish in the Vertical race to lead this one in 1:13. Patrick Kipngeno was only 29 seconds behind in 1:14 for second, and trail rookie Liam Meirow (U.S.) was a strong third in 1:16.
Kodiak by UTMB – Big Bear Lake, California
The three-day event was a chance for top finishers to lock up entries to next year’s UTMB, CCC, and OCC races.
The start of the 2023 Kodiak by UTMB 100 Mile. Photo: Howie Stern @howiesternphoto/Jacob Banta @bantavisuals
50k
The top five women all came in under five hours, but Dani Moreno and Bailey Kowalczyk stretched it out at the front. Moreno took the win in 4:19 and Kowalczyk was second in 4:27. Tabor Hemming finished alone in 4:40, and Rachel Drake was just ahead of Hannah Rowe for fourth. Drake and Rowe finished in 4:55 and 4:58.
The men placed pretty similarly with a first two and then a gap. Chad Hall was just ahead of Eli Hemming for the win in 3:45. Hemming was four minutes back in 3:49. And then Philip Royer, Darren Thomas, and Morgan Elliott came in quick succession at 3:56, 3:58, and 4:00.
100k
The 100k race totaled some 10,200 feet of elevation gain, and Amanda Basham checked in at 11:04 for first. Amy Sturgill and Brigette Takeuchi were second and third in 11:41 and 12:03.
Men’s leader Rod Farvard won in 9:18, and Bernard Valentin (France) ran 9:39 as runner up. Tommy Sullivan placed third in 10:10.
100 Mile
Claire Bannwarth (France) was over two and a half hours better than everyone else with a 21:10 winning time. This was on a big loop that totaled 17,000 feet of elevation gain over the 100-mile distance. Genevieve Harrison and Caroline Himbert ran 23:51 and 24:11 for second and third.
Men’s 100-mile winner Vincent Bouillard was way out front too with a 16:22 finish time. Almost two hours back, Michael Tappel ran 18:15 for second, and Jhon Barrera (Colombia) was third in 19:24.
Cappadocia Ultra-Trail – Central Anatolia, Türkiye
Cappadocia’s certainly one of the most unique landscapes out there. Race courses wound around the region’s moonscape cone-like rocks, and there were likely lots of hot air balloons overhead.
Ekaterina Mityaeva (Russia) and Dmitry Mityaev (Russia) won the 119k race in 13:00 and 10:59, respectively.
The 38k race ran closer and deeper. Less than seven minutes split the women’s front five. Simone Brick (Australia) won in 3:25. Dioni Gorla (Germany) was second and only 42 seconds behind in 3:26. There was a small gap to third-, fourth-, and fifth-place Tuğçe Karakaya (Türkiye), Anastasia Nikolaeva (Türkiye), and Natalia Mastrota (Italy) in 3:31, 3:32, and 3:32.
The top of the men’s 38k was particularly international. Alejandro Forcades (Spain) was the race winner in 2:39 with Martin Dematteis (Italy) chasing in 2:41. Yury Shtankov (Russia) edged Jeshurun Small (U.S.) for third, 2:48 to 2:49, and Sven Koch (Germany) was fifth in 2:53.
Additional Races and Runs
Defiance 50k – Pt. Defiance, Washington
Katherine Timlin and Ben Demeerleer won in 4:45 and 4:14. Full results.
Rogue Gorge 50k – Union Creek, Oregon
Champs Karin Strickland and Chris Wright finished in 5:35 and 4:22. Full results.
Elk-Kings Trail Races 50k – Tillamook, Oregon
Amy Schilling and Jace Ives were the fastest in 6:39 and 5:10 in the women’s and men’s races, while Baby Timm was top non-binary runner in 6:42. Full results.
Le Grizz 50 Mile – Polebridge, Montana
Lydia Fahrenkrug and Patrick Keeley crushed the 50 miler in 8:45 and 7:09. Full results.
Cave Creek Thriller 50k – Cave Creek, Arizona
The Aravaipa Running event celebrated Erin Frizzell and James Papai as its winners in 5:44 and 4:44. Full results.
Canyon de Chelly Ultra 55k – Navajo Reservation, Arizona
Alyssa Wedt and Karl Walczak won the spiritual race in 6:32 and 4:41. Full results.
Moab 240 Mile – Moab, Utah
They’re going to be running in Moab for a while still. At the time of this publishing on early Monday morning, Sally McRae led the women and was 193 miles deep in the adventure, and Jesse Haynes had covered 216 miles of the track at the front of the men’s race. Tracking.
Suffer Better 50k – Pine, Colorado
It was Samantha Ruhl and Luke Jay at the top of the podium in 5:21 and 4:26. Full results.
Peacock Challenge 55 Mile – Waialua, Hawai‘i
Annie Pentaleri and Eric Wesolowski took top spots in 11:52 and 10:12. Full results.
The 2023 Peacock Challenge 55 Mile women’s top three (l-to-r): 1. Annie Pentaleri, 2. Leah Stickels, 3. Brandi Payne. Photo: HURT Hawaii
The 2023 Peacock Challenge 55 Mile men’s podium (l-to-r): 2. Alex Gauthier, 1. Eric Wesolowski, and 3. Takeshi Yamada. Photo: HURT Hawaii
Sage Burner 50k – Gunnison, Colorado
Race local Rachel Crafford and Ryan Sullivan won in 5:28 and 3:46. Full results.
Indiana Trail 100 Mile – Albion, Indiana
Brenda Johnson and Nate Truckenbrod won in 20:12 and 17:28. Full results.
Cranmore Mountain Race – North Conway, New Hampshire
Corey Dowe and Dan Curts won the two-lap race that totaled 10k of distance. The pair ran 50:53 and 41:55, respectively. Full results.
Self Transcendence 3,100 Mile Race – Queens, New York
Tsai Wen-Ya (Taiwan) set a new women’s world record for the 3,100-mile distance. Her 45 day, 14 hour, and 56 minute finish was over three days better than the previous best. She averaged around 68 miles a day. Men’s winner Andrea Mercato (Italy) became a repeat winner in 43 days, 13 hours, and 33 minutes. That averages out to 71 miles per day. Race updates.
Tsai Wen-Ya wins the 2023 Sri Chinmoy 3,100 Mile Race, setting a new record. Photo: SCMT
Andrea Marcato, the 2023 Sri Chinmoy 3,100 Mile Race winner. Photo: SCMT
Call for Comments
- What’s getting you through your morning this week, a pumpkin spice latte or a morning run?
- What other race stories from the weekend can you share?
