It’s a big one, probably our biggest TWIR of the year so far. There was the Madeira Island Ultra-Trail in Portugal, the Centurion Track 100 Mile in the U.K., the Canyons by UTMB 100k here in the U.S., and so, so much more! We’re going all over to pick up this weekend’s action.
Penyagolosa Trails – Castellón, Spain
Cold, wind, water, mud, and snow, they lived it all at this year’s Penyagolosa Trails event in eastern Spain.
Men
There were competitive 110-kilometer (68 miles) and 60k (37 miles) races, respectively called CSP and MiM, and Hannes Namberger (Germany) was way out front in the long course. Namberger’s 10:49 finish made him the first-ever under 11 hours. This win backs up victory at the November 2021 Madeira Island-Ultra Trail, and comes after a sixth-place run at last year’s UTMB and a win at last year’s Lavaredo Ultra Trail too.
Daniel Jung (Italy) starred at last year’s Grand Raid de la Réunion, and is building toward Hardrock, but he couldn’t match Namberger here and was a distant second in 11:35. Mark Darbyshire (U.K.) was a really close third in 11:38.
The 60k saw a tight finish with Kevin Vermeulen (France) 24 seconds in front of Aritz Egea (Spain), both clocking 5:20. Anders Kjarevik (Norway) was third in 5:24.
Hannes Namberger, 2022 Penyagolosa Trails CSP champion. Photo: Penyagolosa Trails
Women
Eli Ríos (Bolivia) championed the women’s 110k race in 13:56. Eva Mesado (Spain) took second in 14:16, and Claire Heslop (Canada) was third in 15:37.
Spanish runners filled the women’s 60k podium with Marta Molist leading everyone in 6:19. Gemma Arenas and Monica Vives were second and third in 6:25 and 6:27, respectively.
Eli Ríos, 2022 Penyagolosa Trails CSP champion. Photo: Penyagolosa Trails
Madeira Island Ultra-Trail – Madeira, Portugal
This year’s run happened on an updated course than previous years — it looks like two significant changes were made in the race’s second half — but the marquee race still covered about 115k (71 miles) and a lot of stairs on its island crossing. iRunFar also covered the race separately.
Men
Jim Walmsley (U.S.) pushed to a 12:58 first-place finish, breaking François D’Haene‘s 2017 event record by seven minutes. Thibaut Garrivier (France) was second in 13:24 and Jean-Philippe Tschumi (Switzerland) was third in 13:38.
Mathieu Blanchard (France) and Andreas Reiterer (Italy) came back in 13:51 and 14:10 for fourth and fifth, respectively.
Thomas Evans (U.K.) won the 85k race in 8:46, and Noël Giordano (France) claimed victory in the 60k in 6:03.
The 2022 Madeira Island Ultra-Trail men’s podium (l-to-r): 2. Thibaut Garrivier, 1. Jim Walmsley, and 3. Jean-Philippe Tschumi. Photo: Madeira Island Ultra-Trail
Women
After a soft start, Courtney Dauwalter (USA) attacked 25k into the race and then just dominated. She finished in 14:40, way ahead of her nearest competitors. Dauwalter improved on her 2019 winning time — on a somewhat different course — by some 37 minutes, and bested Caroline Chaverot’s 2016 event record by 20 minutes too.
Left in her wake, second-place Audrey Tanguy (France) finished in 16:15, and Kathrin Götz (Switzerland) ran 16:39 for third. Maryline Nakache (France) was fourth in 16:56, and Elisabeth Borgersen (Sweden) was fifth in 17:30.
Kelly Wolf (USA) won the 85k in 10:58, and Sheila Aviles (Spain) led the 60k in 6:39.
Courtney Dauwalter celebrates as she wins the 2022 Madeira Island Ultra-Trail. Photo: Madeira Island Ultra-Trail
Centurion Running Track 100 Mile – Bedford, United Kingdom
The Centurion Running club’s 100-mile track race is a lot like the more-familiar-to-U.S. watchers, Desert Solstice track race. This year’s field was made up of a small group of just 13 speedy racers all chasing fast times.
Men
Namberger, Walmsley, Aleksandr Sorokin (Lithuania) — the stars were out all over the world this weekend. Sorokin’s still on fire. Already the 24-hour, 100-mile, and 12-hour world-record holder, the 40-year-old stepped down in distance to 100k and crushed it again. Sorokin raced to a 6:05:40 100k finish, and it too is a new world record. That’s 5:53 minutes per mile, and the time was over three minutes ahead of Nao Kazami’s previous record, set at the 2018 Lake Saroma 100k in Japan. On the way, Sorokin split 3:01:51 for 50k, a new Lithuanian national record, and split 4:53:41 for 50 miles, also a new national record. There was a new six-hour world record somewhere in there, too. iRunFar earlier reported on the record.
The first 100-mile finisher was Alexander Whearity (U.K.) in 12:42.
Aleksandr Sorokin setting a new 100k world record of 6:05:40. Photo: Centurion Running
Women
Camille Herron was targeting 12-hour and 100-mile bests, but stopped after 70 miles of running. She split 6:06 for 50 miles — 7:20 minutes per mile — and reached 100k in 7:39. The 100k split was a new world track record, though Herron herself has run 7:08 for 100k (2015).
2022 Black Canyon 100k runner-up Dominika Stelmach (Poland) also covered 100k before stopping, running 7:44.
100-mile winner Samantha Amend (U.K.) ran 14:10 for the full distance.
Canyons by UTMB 100k – Auburn, California
iRunFar was there, covering the race before, during, and after. There’s a deep recap article up separately too.
Men
iRunFar was sending Twitter updates in and everyone had to be surprised when David Sinclair gapped Adam Peterman in the race’s second half. It looked like Sinclair had shed the last of his chasers, and that Peterman’s fast-rising star would take a tumble as he moved up in distance and against a stronger field. Instead, Peterman’s legend grew and he charged back on the race’s late uphills toward the finish, ultimately building a significant lead with an 8:31 finish time. It was a new course record. Peterman’s near-flawless record now includes 2021 wins at the Speedgoat 50k and JFK 50 Mile, and a 2022 win at the Chuckanut 50k. He’s quickly become one of the sport’s best.
Sinclair hung on for second in 8:43, and Jared Hazen was third in 8:47.
Adam Peterman (right) and Tim Freriks in the early miles of the 2022 Canyons by UTMB 100k. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
The rest of the top 10 included:
4 – Rod Farvard – 9:16
5 – Anthony Lee – 9:16
6 – Anthony Fagundes – 9:25
7 – Dave Stevens (Canada) – 9:28
8 – Garrett Corcoran – 9:37
9 – Caleb Olson – 9:50
10 – Daniel Jones (New Zealand) – 9:55
If you followed iRunFar’s men’s preview, you might’ve also had eyes on this group:
- Mark Hammond – 11th, 9:55
- Reid Coolsaet (Canada) – 14th, 10:12
- Ryan Miller – 15th, 10:16
- Sage Canaday – 18th, 10:25
The 2022 Canyons by UTMB 100k men’s podium (l-to-r): 2. David Sinclair, 1. Adam Peterman, and 3. Jared Hazen. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
Women
In a weekend of dominating performances, where does Jazmine Lowther (Canada) rank? She certainly didn’t have the name power of some others before, but she just took this one from the jump and slayed it. Lowther won in 10:01, and her day-long fast pace was rewarded with a one-second course record.
Leah Yingling moved up throughout the race to ultimately finish second in 10:24, and Aroa Sio was another surprise podium finisher. She was third in 10:27.
Jazmine Lowther in the early miles of the 2022 Canyons by UTMB 100k. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
The rest of the women’s top 10 included:
4 – Ladia Albertson-Junkans – 10:31
5 – Sarah Biehl – 10:31
6 – Abby Levene – 10:53
7 – Anna Mae Flynn – 10:56
8 – Meghan Morgan – 11:04
9 – Alexis Crellin – 11:06
10 – Corrine Shalvoy – 11:26
Counted as among the pre-race contenders, Brittany Peterson didn’t finish and travel delays kept Cat Bradley from the start line.
The 2022 Canyons by UTMB 100k women’s podium (l-to-r): 2. Leah Yingling, 1. Jazmine Lowther, and 3. Aroa Sio. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
Additional Races and Runs
VXO Ultrafest – Växjö, Sweden
This race was also the Swedish 24-hour national championships, and Erik Olofsson set a new national record with 266.587 kilometers (165.6 miles), eclipsing Johan Steene‘s former record by just 72 meters. The race was really close, too, as Christian Malmström and Torbjörn Gyllebring totaled 262.002 kilometers (162.8 miles) and 260.445 kilometers (161 .8 miles). Anna Carlsson topped the women’s podium with 228.298 kilometers (141.8 miles), and Elin Hartelius and Louise Kjellson ran 219.005 kilometers (136.1 miles) and 218.425 kilometers (135.7 miles) for second and third. Elov Olsson and Nikita Steiner won the parallel Swedish 100k national championships in 6:36 and 7:59, respectively. Full results.
Ultra-Trail Mt. Fuji – Japan
The roughly 100-mile run mostly around Mt. Fuji returned, and Hirokazu Nishimura and Kimino Miyazaki won in 18:15 and 22:14. Full results.
Ultra-Trail Drakensberg – South Africa
Douglas Pickard (South Africa) came from behind to win the 160k (100 mile) race in 22:02, besting Ryan Sandes‘s year-old record. Women’s winners Amri Williamson (South Africa) and Jo Keppler (South Africa) finished in a first-place tie, finishing fourth and fifth overall. Cody Reed (USA) and Naomi Brand (South Africa) won the 100k in 10:35 and 12:12, and Johardt van Heerden (South Africa) and Meg Mackenzie (Zimbabwe) won the 50k in 5:50 and 6:40, respectively. Full results.
Nimble Bear 50k – Kelowna, British Columbia
Craig Logan (Canada) and Andrea Tarras (Canada) shined with 5:25 and 5:45 winning times. Full results.
Yakima Skyline 50k – Yakima, Washington
The Rainshadow Running event was back for the first time in three years, on a course with 9,200 feet of gain. Bryan Bhark won big in 5:09, and Kaytlyn Gerbin, the race’s 2018 winner, regained the course record with a 5:42 finish. Full results (when available).
Canyons by UTMB 50k and 25k – Auburn, California
The 100k was the big draw, and the race announced that next year they’ll have a 100-mile race too, but this year’s 50k and 25k went pretty fast too. Dakota Jones ran 4:12 to win the 50k, 12 minutes better than Mario Mendoza, and Katherine Short won the women’s race in 5:04. Garrett Heath, a former Stanford University runner with a 13:16 5,000-meter best, edged Darren Thomas to win the 25k. The two went for 1:43:03 and 1:43:50 finishes. Way Too Cool 50k winner Emkay Sullivan dominated the women’s 25k in 1:56. Full results.
Tillamook Burn 100 Mile – Timber, Oregon
Blake Slattengren and Taylor Ganz won the 50k in 4:15 and 5:16. Full results.
Weiser River Trail 50k – Boise, Idaho
Anthony Jacobs and Courtney Hill topped this one in 3:06 and 4:32. Full results.
Zane Grey 100k – Payson, Arizona
The longtime 50-mile race looks to have entirely given way to the 100k distance, in the race’s 33rd year. Frank Pipp finished first in 11:04, and Mike Wolfe was second in 11:32. Darla Askew edged Amber Reimondo for the women’s win, 14:08 to 14:12. Full results.
Whiskey Basin Trail Runs 90k – Prescott, Arizona
Drew Frehs and Michael Sallinger were men’s champs at the 90k and 60k races in 8:59 and 5:51, respectively, while Ailsa MacDonald and Natalie Sandoval won the 90k and 60k races in 8:54 and 5:21. Full results.
Mad City 100k – Madison, Wisconsin
This was again the USATF 100k Road National Championships, and the race winners qualified for the U.S. team to compete at the IAU 100k World Championships in August in Germany. Zack Beavin won the men’s crown in 7:06, ahead of Geoff Burns and his 7:34 finish. Kalie Demerjian and Anna Kacius were first and second in the women’s race in 7:56 and 8:11. Full results.
Hyner Trail Challenge 50k – Hyner, Pennsylvania
Jared Burdick and Miquela Ingalls won the two-lap 50k race in 4:20 and 5:20, and Matt Lipsey won the 25k, as he did in 2019, in 2:05. Katie O’Regan led the women’s short-course race in 2:40. Full results.
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