Flip the calendar, it’s 2023 and we’re comin’ at ya. But not with much! Let’s call this past weekend a soft start. There was only a little bit of racing with the New Year’s holiday and all, but we’re boosting that with a look at next weekend’s Bandera 100k and some more news from around the trail running and ultrarunning scene. Happy New Year!
Across the Years – Phoenix, Arizona
Aravaipa Running’s weeklong event has race distances and times from the marathon distance up to a six-day race. The events began on Wednesday, December 28, and will finish on Tuesday, January 3. At the time of this article’s publishing on Monday morning, January 2, two marathons, one 24-hour, one 48-hour, and one 72-hour race are all still scheduled to take place, meaning the final podiums for these events aren’t yet finalized. Consider the results below an in-progress report.
Women
Allyssa Jones won the six-hour fixed time race, held once on Sunday, January 1, with 39.8 miles.
Twelve-hour leader Krista Fasciana was just over the 55-mile mark before the clock stopped in the Sunday, January 1, race.
The 100-mile fixed-distance race had two runnings, one starting on Friday, December 30, and the second beginning on Saturday, December 31. With both of those complete, Sierra DeGroff was named the women’s champion for hitting 100 miles first in 17:17.
All of the 24-hour fixed-time races aren’t yet complete, but it’s Chavet Hills who’s so far gone the furthest and reached 119 miles in 24 hours to be the current leader of this event for the women.
All of the 48-hour fixed-time races aren’t yet complete, but the current women’s frontrunner is Rachel Entrekin who as of this article’s writing has totaled 143 miles in about 34 hours.
While all of the 72-hour fixed-time races aren’t yet complete either, Mikaela Osler presently leads for the women at the time of this article’s writing with 207 miles run.
Going for almost a full week through Tuesday, January 3, Annabel Hepworth has totaled 330 miles in the six-day contest as first female through this article’s writing on Sunday night.
Men
Vincent Matteo won the six-hour fixed-time race, held once on Sunday, January 1, with 39.8 miles.
Mark Hammond won the 12-hour race on Sunday, January 1, with 74 miles.
Garrett Nelson was first to 100 miles in 15:32.
All of the 24-hour fixed-time races aren’t yet complete, but as of this article’s writing, Chris Pope is leading the men’s field with 132 miles.
All of the 48-hour fixed-time races aren’t yet complete, but Matthew Shepard got to 180 miles in 48 hours and is leading for the men.
Yep, with all of the 72-hour fixed-time races not yet complete either, we have Troy Allen at the men’s helm with 212 miles run.
Multiday veteran Budjargal Byambaa (Mongolia) is leading the men’s six-day race with 387 miles run as of Sunday night, January 1. The race finishes on Tuesday, January 3.
Additional Races and Runs
Snowdrop Ultra 55 Hour – Sugar Land, Texas
They started on Friday morning, December 30, and ran through the new year, finishing on Sunday afternoon, January 1. Megan Eckert and Juan Acevedo totaled 190 and 202 miles, respectively, on the 0.7-mile loop. Full results.
Boyer’s Furnace 40 Mile – Luray, Virginia
A day after Christmas, 18 runners completed the route in incredibly challenging winter conditions. Rebecca Convery and Barret Stanton were first in 12:27 and 7:26. Full results.
Rebecca Convery, 2022 Boyer’s Furnace 40 Mile champion. Photo: Virginia Happy Trails Running Club
Barret Stanton (right), 2022 Boyer’s Furnace 40 Mile champion. Photo: Virginia Happy Trails Running Club
Charleston 100 Mile – Charleston, South Carolina
The Lowcountry run was also low-key. There were no aid stations and runners instead are self-supported. Thirty-two runners completed the fifth annual run on December 27 with Carissa Derr and Chris Varnadoe finishing first in 23:34 and 17:09. Full results.
Tuscobia Winter Ultra – Park Falls, Wisconsin
The run, bike, and ski event goes one way for 80 miles, or as a 160-mile round trip. The 80-mile run saw Bethany Holley in 22:35 and John Pollihan in 21:01 as champions. For the 160-miler, Angela Freedman and Jason Kinsella brought home victories in a respective 58:38 and 50:30.
Bethany Holley, 2022 Tuscobia Winter Ultra 80 Mile champion. Photo: Tuscobia Winter Ultra
Next Weekend – Bandera 100k – Bandera, Texas
The race describes itself as a “trail of rugged and brutal beauty where everything cuts, stings, or bites,” and it’s again a Golden Ticket race with two entries to the Western States 100 up for grabs in each of the women’s and men’s races.
Women
- Amanda Basham – 4th 2021 Speedgoat by UTMB 50k
- Nicole Bitter – 3rd 2022 Javelina 100 Mile
- Courtney Dauwalter – 1st 2022 Hardrock 100
- Kasie Enman – 1st 2022 Trapp Mountain Marathon
- Rachel Entrekin – 5th 2022 Cascade Crest 100 Mile
- Rachel Lemcke – 1st 2022 McDowell Mountain Frenzy 50k
- Michelle Magagna – 1st 2022 Kettle Moraine 100 Mile
Men
- Ryan Atkins (Canada) – 5th 2019 Broken Arrow Skyrace 46k
- Caleb Bowen – 1st 2022 Canal Corridor 100 Mile
- Elliot Cardin (Canada) – 1st 2022 Ultra-Trail Harricana 125k
- Jeff Colt – 11th 2022 Western States 100
- Nick Coury – 2nd 2022 Cave Creek Thriller 50k
- JP Giblin – 2nd 2022 Leadville 100 Mile
- John Kelly – 10th 2022 Hardrock 100
- Bryan Kerl – 1st 2022 McDowell Mountain Frenzy 50 Mile
- Joe McConaughy – 1st 2022 Cocodona 250 Mile
- Adam Merry – 3rd 2022 Gorge Waterfalls 50k
- Ryan Montgomery – 1st 2022 Paramount Ranch 50k
- Devon Olson – 2nd 2022 San Juan Solstice 50 Mile
- Jim Rebenack – 1st 2022 Pikes Peak Ultra 50k
- Tim Tollefson – 1st 2022 American River 50 Mile
- Charlie Ware – 1st 2021 Zane Grey 100k
- Canyon Woodward – 1st 2021 Cruel Jewel 100 Mile
2023 World Mountain Running Association World Cup
The 2023 Skyrunner World Series schedule earlier dropped, and the 2023 World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) World Cup schedule and the 2023 Golden Trail World Series schedule are both below. WMRA will run its World Cup as 17 races at 11 events in eight countries from June to October.
June 16 – Broken Arrow VK – USA
June 18 – Broken Arrow Skyrace – USA
July 2 – Montemuro Vertical Run – Portugal
July 15 – Piz Tri Vertical – Italy
July 16 – FlettaTrail Malonno – Italy
July 22 – La Montée du Nid d’Aigle – France
August 6 – Krkonošský Half Marathon – Czech Republic
August 13 – Sierre-Zinal – Switzerland
September 2 – Vertical Nasego – Italy
September 3 – Trofeo Nasego – Italy
September 8 – Canfranc-Canfranc Vertical – Spain
September 10 – Canfranc Skyrace – Spain
September 30 – Primiero Dolomiti – Italy
October 10 – Smarna Gora – Slovenia
October 13 – Skygrancanaria Uphill – Spain
October 14 – Skygrancanaria Classic – Spain
October 15 – Skygrancanaria Long – Spain
2023 Golden Trail World Series
Six races plus the series championships make up next year’s Golden Trail World Series.
May 14 – Zegama-Aizkorri – Spain
June 25 – Mont Blanc Marathon – France
July 15 – Dolomyths Run – Italy
August 12 – Sierre-Zinal – Switzerland
September 16 – Pikes Peak Ascent – USA
September 23 – Mammoth Trail Fest – USA
October 19 to 22 – Il Golfo Dell’Isola Trail Race – Italy
2023 IAU 50k World Championships Canceled
We missed covering it on the website until now, but on December 9 the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) announced the cancellation of the May 28, 2023, IAU 50k World Championships in South Africa. There is potential for the race to still be held at a new location.
Sponsor Changes
Queue up the ESPN-style trade board. Camille Herron, Dani Moreno, and Tim Tollefson all announced that they’re leaving Hoka sponsorships, and Moreno too is stepping away from clothing brand rabbit. Stian Angermund (Norway) and Leah Yingling are similarly no longer sponsored by Salomon.
Call for Comments
- I’ll go first. Eat healthier! I traveled a lot in 2022 and struggle to just get enough calories, and so I slip on trying to eat healthy and instead just eat whatever. I’ll do better this year. What’s your 2023 resolution?
- And how about races on the weekend? What did you see and where were you running to ring in a new year?
