It was a cold and damp 2025 Canyons by UTMB 100k that saw Emily Hawgood (Zimbabwe) and Francesco Puppi (Italy) win the 11th edition of the race with times of 9:46:44 and 8:04:36, respectively. Starting 10 minutes late, at 5:10 a.m. on Saturday, April 26, nearly 700 racers braved a spring storm that rolled through the area just in time for the weekend’s festivities. After significant changes to the course in 2024, this year’s route saw only a couple of slight variations.
The start, located at China Wall in the mid-foothills of California’s Sierra Nevada outside of Auburn, received a forecast of rain and cold for the event, resulting in organizers requiring that racers carry their cold-weather kit. For many, the cooler temperatures were likely welcome as the area is known for its intense heat, especially in the later miles of the race as the route trends downhill toward downtown Auburn. Given that most of the racers made their way along the route in short sleeves and shorts throughout the day, temperatures never appeared uncomfortably cold. The course, with over 12,000 feet of climbing in 63 miles, uses parts of the iconic Western States Trail, including visiting the historic Deadwood Cemetery twice before going on to the Devil’s Thumb climb and Cal Street, which offers 20 miles of fast and runnable downhill — except for the few uphill parts.
The 2025 Canyons by UTMB 100k starting in wet weather. Photo: Jacob Banta
The race is the final opportunity for runners to earn a Golden Ticket to the 2025 Western States 100 in June. With three tickets on the line for both the men and women, both fields were filled with those hoping to secure their chance to return to the area in nine weeks’ time to race the 100 miles from Olympic Valley to Auburn.
On the women’s side, Jazmine Lowther (Canada), Marianne Hogan (Canada), and Hawgood were all considered favorites for the win. Hawgood already had a ticket punched to the Western States 10-, compliments of her fourth-place finish at the event in 2024, while the rest of the women still had Golden Ticket pressure on their shoulders..
For the men, 2024 Western States 100 runner-up Rod Farvard was at the start line, as were Puppi, Hannes Namberger (Germany), and Jeff Mogavero. Among the top men, Farvard and Mogavero already had their Western States 100 entries, Farvard from his top-10 finish last year and Mogavero from a Golden Ticket at the 2024 Javelina 100 Mile.
2025 Canyons by UTMB 100k Women’s Race
Several of the top contenders in the women’s race wasted no time getting to the front with Jazmine Lowther (Canada), Emily Hawgood (Zimbabwe), Careth Arnold, Marianne Hogan (Canada), Keely Henninger, and Erin Clark all surging to the front for their first trip by Deadwood Cemetery, 17 kilometers into the race.
While everything was damp and heavy cloud cover offered protection from the sun, racers were subject to rain at the start and as the race progressed. From the cemetery, racers headed out on a funny little lollipop loop, and returned to the Deadwood checkpoint for the second time after 29k of racing. Here, Lowther maintained a small sub-one-minute gap on an always-smiling Hawgood, who seemed to enjoy the cool and cloudy conditions. Behind them came Arnold, Hogan, and Henninger, all within a minute of each other.
Foresthill is always a happening place on race weekends, and volunteers, crews, and spectators waited for racers on wet streets. Hawgood was the first out of the canyon, 48k covered in 4:35. She held a slim 40-second lead on Hogan, who was a further two minutes up on Lowther and Arnold. Henninger held on to her top-five position, with less than a minute to Arnold.
Try as she might, Hawgood couldn’t shake an ever-consistent Hogan on the mostly downhill section to the Cal 2 checkpoint, 61k raced and 5:45 on the clock, with Hogan hanging on, still just 40 seconds back. While Henninger and Arnold continued to hold strong about seven minutes off the lead, Lowther started to struggle, dropping to sixth, now 15 minutes behind. Meanwhile, Clark moved into the fifth position. Lowther would end up dropping at the checkpoint.
With details scarce about what happened between the Cal 2 checkpoint at 61k and the Confluence at 95k, as timing splits weren’t available from Driver’s Flat, a video from Tim Tollefson shows Hogan and Hawgood running within sight of each other 74k.
Emily Hawgood winning the 2025 Canyons by UTMB 100k. Photo: FinisherPix
But it was a late-race surge by Hawgood that ultimately carried her to victory, as she emerged at the Confluence checkpoint with 9:06 on the clock and 6k left to race without anyone in sight. Hogan was about six minutes back, and Clark a further two. Henninger and Arnold both continued to run strong to stay within 15 minutes of Hawgood and in the top five.
Reaching the finish in downtown Auburn, it was Emily Hawgood coming away with the win with a time of 9:46:44. Marianne Hogan finished second in 9:50:44, holding off a surging Keely Henninger, who finished third with a time of 9:58:10.
Erin Clark and Careth Arnold finished fourth and fifth with times of 9:59:05 and 10:05:58, respectively.
With Hawgood already having her entrance to the Western States 100 sorted, Hogan, Henninger, and Clark eagerly accepted the Golden Tickets.
2025 Canyons by UTMB 100k Women’s Results
- Emily Hawgood (Zimbabwe) – 9:46:44
- Marianne Hogan (Canada) – 9:50:44
- Keely Henninger – 9:58:10
- Erin Clark – 9:59:05
- Careth Arnold – 10:05:58
- Sarah Biehl – 10:33:34
- Arden Young (Canada) – 10:51:56
- Abigail West – 10:59:25
- Madison Liechty – 11:01:03
- Anna Louden – 11:06:10
Marianne Hogan taking second at the 2025 Canyons by UTMB 100k. Photo: FinisherPix
2025 Canyons by UTMB 100k Men’s Race
With the usual California heat not an issue, Jackson Cole set the fast early pace on the descent from China Wall to Deadwood Cemetery over the first 17 kilometers of the race, reaching the checkpoint in the lead ahead of a closely chasing field. By the second time through Deadwood, Cole had eeked out a three-minute advantage on a chase group consisting of Anthony Costales, Hans Troyer, Francesco Puppi (Italy), and Jupiter Carera Casas (Mexico). Trailing a further minute back were Rod Farvard, Hannes Namberger (Germany), and Jeff Mogavero.
A long descent into a canyon and subsequent climb up to the famed Foresthill checkpoint saw Puppi move into the lead after 48k covered in 3:51. He led the chase duo of Cole and Troyer by four minutes with Namberger and Carera Casas running in no-man’s land another two and four minutes back, respectively.
Puppi was first to the Cal 2 checkpoint after the long and glorious Cal Street downhill, now with a six-minute gap on Troyer. With 61k raced, Cole had dropped back to join Namberger another three minutes back, while Carera Casas continued to run in fifth, another six minutes back. More firepower sat in the top 10, including Michael Dimuantes (Australia), Gavin Prior, Ryan Montgomery, Farvard, and Anthony Lee.
With timing splits not coming out from Driver’s Flat at 76k, it was a long wait for spectators to see who would emerge at the Confluence, just 6k from the finish at 95k. Ultimately, it was Puppi that came through in 7:31 ahead of Troyer, who was followed by Namberger with 7:57 elapsed. Cole would call it quits somewhere between Cal 2 and the Confluence, while Mogavero moved up into fourth at Confluence with 8:02 on the clock. Montgomery also made a second-half surge to move into fifth, another six minutes back. Prior chased three minutes back, while Cody Lind and Carera Casas ran together in seventh and eighth.
Francesco Puppi winning the 2025 Canyons by UTMB 100k. Photo: FinisherPix
After leading from relatively early on in the race, Francesco Puppi celebrated a dominant win with a time of 8:04:36. Hans Troyer finished second in 8:27:00, and Hannes Namberger rounded out the top three in 8:32:17.
Jeff Mogavero held on for fourth with a time of 8:38:01, and Ryan Montgomery finished fifth in 8:45:13.
Puppi turned down his Golden Ticket, and Mogavero already had one, so Troyer, Namberger, and Montgomery collected them for the men.
[Editor’s Note: Ryan Montgomery identifies as non-binary, and competes in the men’s category.]
2025 Canyons by UTMB 100k Men’s Results
- Francesco Puppi (Italy) – 8:04:36
- Hans Troyer – 8:27:00
- Hannes Namberger (Germany) – 8:32:17
- Jeff Mogavero – 8:38:01
- Ryan Montgomery – 8:45:13
- Gavin Prior – 8:48:54
- Jupiter Carera Casas (Mexico) – 8:57:23
- Cody Lind – 8:57:37
- Rod Farvard – 9:04:08
- Eric LiPuma – 9:08:24
Hans Troyer taking second at the 2025 Canyons by UTMB 100k. Photo: Jacob Banta
