A little bit of this weekend, and a little bit of next weekend. We pulled a fistful of news together for what was another quiet January weekend. We’d love your help rounding up a few more results in the comments section, too!
Races and Runs
Aconcagua Fastest Known Times (FKTs) – Argentina
On January 24, Tyler Andrews raced up Aconcagua, a 22,837-foot peak that’s the highest in both the Southern and Western Hemispheres. Andrews reached the summit from the Horcones Trailhead in 7:35, 20 minutes better than Karl Egloff‘s 2015 former men’s supported best. En route, Andrews also grabbed an intermediate men’s supported FKT for his split from the Plaza del Mulas Ranger Station to the summit in 3:32. Egloff still holds the roundtrip men’s supported FKT from the trailhead to the summit and back. Andrews reportedly had a crampon break near the summit that impeded his descent. Aconcagua Ascent FKT and Strava verification.
Jumbo Holdsworth – Mt. Holdsworth, New Zealand
Just north of Wellington, on New Zealand’s North Island, the Holdsworth Jumbo contested 24-kilometer and 12k races on its namesake mountain. Imogene Scott and Jade Valler won the women’s long- and short-races in 3:10 and 1:04, and men’s leaders Gene Beveridge and James Richardson ran 2:31 and 57:17. Full results.
Folsom Lake Sweetwater Trail 50k – Folsom, California
Nicolette Del Sarto dominated the women’s run in 5:30, winning by almost an hour. She won the race in 2017 and 2018 too. Men’s winner Grant Santos was in front at 5:28. Full results.
Arches Ultra – Moab, Utah
The Mad Moose Events race had two ultra distances and over 50 miles, Kyla Maher and Luke Metzger won in 8:30 and 7:18, and over 50k Devon Yanko and Mike McMonagle won in 4:13 and 3:53. Full results.
Luke Metzger, 2022 Arches Ultra 50 Mile champion, with his family. Photo: Mad Moose Events
A view of the Arches Ultra course. Photo: Abigayle Verthein
Chehaw Challenge – Albany, Georgia
Fifty-mile and 50k races filled the Chehaw Challenge. There were just two female finishers, with Adrian Parker first in 12:00. Men’s winner Harold Allen finished in 7:55. Lori Love and race local Patrick Whitehead won the 50k in 6:02 and 4:29. Full results.
Skydive Ultra – Clewiston, Florida
A 13,500-foot freefall to start the race ensures the fastest two miles of any race. Runners then complete various ultra distances on a seven-mile loop. Rachel Belmont won the 100-mile race in 19:40, uniquely after her 100th skydive, and Scott Davis won for the men in 22:30. Full results (when available).
Race Cancelations and Postponements
Tarawera Ultramarathon by UTMB – Rotorua, New Zealand
Ah, shoot. The Tarawera Ultramarathon by UTMB was canceled as part of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its current impact on New Zealand. The large event was to be the first-ever UTMB World Series contest. Next up on the calendar then is the 100k Canyons Endurance Runs by UTMB in California on April 23. Both the Canyons race and the February 12 Black Canyon 100k in Arizona will give out one additional Golden Ticket entry to a top finisher toward the Western States 100. Race cancelation announcement.
Orcas Island 50k – Orcas Island, Washington
The popular Rainshadow Running Orcas Island 50k was earlier pushed back to a not-yet-announced date possibly later this year. Race postponement announcement.
Next Weekend – The Coastal Challenge – Costa Rica
The 18th annual Coastal Challenge starts on Saturday, February 5, and runs 230k (143 miles) over six days. Top entrants for the jungle adventure include:
Women
- Tomomi Bitoh (Japan) – 2nd 2021 Marathon des Sables
- Beth Pascall (U.K.) – 1st 2021 Western States 100
Men
- Julien Chorier (France) – 4th 2021 Hardrock 100
- Franco Collé (Italy) – 1st 2021 Tor de Géants
- Hayden Hawks (USA) – 5th 2021 OCC
World Mountain and Trail Running Championships – U.S. Team Selection
The American Trail Running Association spelled out the happenings, and honestly, we needed it. The first-ever World Mountain and Trail Running Championships are still on the calendar, just later than planned after a few postponements. As a reminder, this event unifies the former World Mountain Running Championships, the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships, and the IAU’s Trail World Championships.
The new world championship event is now expected to happen over three days in November 2022 in Thailand and includes Vertical, 40k, 80k, and 11k races.
The U.S. did have a 2021 mountain running championship race with some entries awarded, but with the world championship postponed, selections start over. Circle these new selection races on the calendar now.
Vertical
The top man and woman at each of the June 17 Broken Arrow Skyrace VK in California and the July 10 Loon Mountain Race in New Hampshire earn national team positions. A third man and woman will be on the team based on resume selection.
11k
World Mountain Running Champions Joseph Gray and Grayson Murphy (2019) automatically earn team spots, and so do the top three at the July 2 Whiteface Skyrace in New York. Teams will be four deep and USATF may select team members if needed to complete the roster.
40k
The 2019 World Long Distance Mountain Running Champion Jim Walmsley is automatically on the U.S. team for 2022. The top man and woman at the September 18 Pikes Peak Marathon will automatically be on the team too, and USATF selection will place the remaining team members for the five-man and five-woman group.
80k
The top man and woman at the June 18 Broken Arrow Skyrace 52k plus the top two men and women at the July 16 USATF 50k Trail Championships in Corvallis, Oregon will automatically be on the team, and the USATF will select team members for the rest of the roster toward five men and women.
Call for Comments
- Is 2022 starting to hit its stride? What other races can you call out in the comments field below?
- Things are a bit slow over the winter months, but we promise, it will start to pick up again soon!
