We’ve got the latest from the Golden Trail World Series and the World Mountain Running Association’s World Cup, and of course we dig into the Hardrock 100 too. It’s Monday, so jump on for the ride!
Dolomyths Run – Canazei, Italy
High-elevation fog pushed the start of the Dolomyths Run back 30 minutes, and cut the race distance short too. The race was intended to be 22 kilometers and with a giant 1,700-meter (5,575 feet) climb in the opening 10k. It was this year’s third Golden Trail World Series (GTWS) race.
Stian Angermund running downhill toward the win at the 2021 Dolomyths Run. Photo: Golden Trail Series | Dolomyths Run | Jordi Saragossa
Men
Stian Angermund (Norway) is three-for-three in GTWS contests this year. Angermund impressively won again, and again cartwheeled across the finish. He finished in 1:51:36, 25 seconds ahead of his closest competitor. Angermund won the GTWS’s opening year in 2018 because of the depth of his finishes, but didn’t win a single race that year. This year he’s dominating the series with nothing but first-place finishes.
Second- and third-place Elhousine Elazzaoui (Morocco) and Joey Hadorn (Switzerland) both came in 1:52 and then familiar series names filled the rest of the top 10.
4 – Bartłomiej Przedwojewski (Poland) – 1:53
5 – Christian Mathys (Switzerland) – 1:53
6 – Thibaut Baronian (France) – 1:53
7 – Matthias Kyburz (Switzerland) – 1:54
8 – Rémi Bonnet (Switzerland) – 1:54
9 – Davide Magnini (Italy) – 1:56
10 – Stefan Lustenberger (Switzerland) – 1:56
Less than three minutes separated the second- through eighth-place finishers, and barely five minutes separated the top 10.
At the weekend’s start, Davide Magnini won the Vertical K in 33:31.
Judith Wyder running downhill at the 2021 Dolomyths Run. Photo: Golden Trail Series | Dolomyths Run | Jordi Saragossa
Women
2019 winner and course-record holder Judith Wyder (Switzerland) repeated as champ. She finished in 2:14, almost one-minute up on second-place Marcela Vašínová (Czech Republic). Vašínová, who starred at the Skyrunning World Championships just one week ago, finished in 2:15, and third-place Karina Carsolio (Mexico) followed in 2:18.
4 – Stephanie Kröll (Austria) – 2:18
5 – Odile Spycher (Switzerland) – 2:21
6 – Núria Gil (Spain) – 2:23
7 – Iris Pessey (France) – 2:23
8 – Sheila Avilés (Spain) – 2:25
9 – Sara Alonso (Spain) – 2:25
10 – Anna-Stiina Erkkilä (Finland) – 2:25
Uphill-running legend Andrea Mayr won the Vertical K race in 39:58.
The August 7 Sierre-Zinal race in Switzerland is the next Golden Trail World Series event.
La Montee Du Nid d’Aigle – Saint Gervais, France
Twenty kilometers of running with 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) of elevation gain met runners at La Montee Du Nid d’Aigle, the World Mountain Running Association’s third World Cup race. The all-uphill course finished at Refuge du Nid d’Aigle, or the Eagle’s Nest, and also at the place where the Mont Blanc tramway stops.
Men
Xavier Chevrier (Italy) and Francesco Puppi (Italy) broke from the chase group in the opening flat kilometers, and as the grade increased, Chevrier eased past Puppi. Chevrier won in 1:44, a new course record, and Puppi finished second in 1:45, just over a minute back. Henri Aymonod ensured an all-Italy podium with a third-place 1:46.
Women
Lucy Murigi Wambui (Kenya) got pushed around at last week’s WMRA race when she finished third, but came back this week with a narrow win. Murigi won in 2:06 and that was only two seconds off a long-standing course record. Uphill ace Christel Dewalle (France) was second, also in 2:06 and only 21 seconds back of Murigi, and Anaïs Sabrié (France) was third in 2:07.
Dewalle previously served a four-month doping ban after a positive test for the stimulant Heptaminol at the 2016 Skyrunning World Championships.
The women’s course record has now stood for 16 years, set by four-time WMRA world champ Isabelle Guillot (France).
The next WMRA World Cup race is the July 24 Tatra Sky Marathon in Poland.
Hardrock 100 – Silverton, Colorado
Absence makes the heart grow fonder, so the first Hardrock 100 since 2018 was really special. Just like other big races, we’ll include every runner listed in the pre-race previews here.
Men
François D’haene (France) runs big mountains really well and he delivered both a new counterclockwise course record and a new overall record. The Hardrock course switches direction each year, and D’haene’s 21:45 finish bettered Kilian Jornet‘s 23:28 counter clockwise course record from 2015, and Jornet’s 22:41 overall record from 2014. D’haene is already a three-time UTMB winner and is on the entrant list for this year’s August 27 contest too.
Dylan Bowman chased D’haene all day, and finished exactly one hour — to the second — behind the race winner. Bowman’s 22:45 also bettered Jornet’s course record, and so too did Ryan Smith‘s third-place 23:23.
The rest of the pre-race previewed roster included:
- Julien Chorier (France) – 4th, 25:56
- Jeff Browning – 5th, 26:58
- Nick Pedatella – 6th, 28:27
- Troy Howard – 7th, 28:33
- Trevor Fuchs – 8th, 29:19
- Mick Jurynec – 9th, 30:33
- Dominic Grossman – 11th, 31:37
- Bryan Williams – 13th, 32:59
- Michael Wardian – 23rd, 36:00
- Aaron Saft – 34th, 38:06
- Jamil Coury – 42nd, 39:02
- Johnny Clemons – 68th, 43:33
The first runner to finish not included in the preview was Kevin Shilling. He tied with Jurynec for ninth in 30:33.
François D’haene leading the 2021 Hardrock 100 at Maggie Gulch (mile 15.4). Photo: iRunFar
Women
Sabrina Stanley won the 2018 Hardrock 100 in 30:23 and it was the slowest winning time since 2008. Three years later and her finish this year shows how much Stanley has grown as a runner. She crushed this year’s run in 27:21, the race’s second-fastest finish ever. She trails only Diana Finkel‘s 2009 course record, and only by three minutes. Stanley talked of chasing history pre-race and she largely fulfilled that promise.
Darcy Piceu earned her eighth finish with a second-place 32:08, and iRunFar’s Meghan Hicks was third in 33:05.
The rest of the previewed list includes:
- Olga Nevtrinos – 4th, 36:35
- Betsy Nye – 6th, 39:36
- Marta Fisher – 9th, 45:21
- Betsy Kalmeyer – 10th, 45:47
Liz Bauer and Courtney Dauwalter did not finish.
Heather Brooks was the first finisher not mentioned in the preview. She was fifth in 38:09.
Sabrina Stanley with her pacer at the top of the last climb at mile 93. Photo: iRunFar/Charles Johnston
Additional Races and Runs
Pacific Crest Trail FKT
Timothy Olson started the 2,592-mile Pacific Crest Trail on June 1, and the current FKT is 52 days, eight hours. That means Olson needs to finish by early afternoon on July 23. For the first time, he’s opened a live tracker. He’s in the middle of Washington state with something less than 250 miles to go.
The Outside tracker places Olson at the Oregon-Washington state line with only days to go. Look for increased announcements as the clock ticks here.
Tahoe Rim Trail 100 Mile — Carson City, Nevada
New courses met runners at the Tahoe Rim Trail group of events. In the 100 miler, Grant Hotaling finished first in 20:51, in his first 100-mile race, and Jenelle Potvin won for the women in 26:34. Ben Tedore and Katy Pieri-McCaffrey won the 50-mile race in 8:18 and 10:44. Full results.
Cirque Series — Alta, Utah
The Cirque Series Alta race went 7.1 miles and with 2,545 feet of elevation gain. Joe Gray set a new course record in 56:34 and won $1,000. Grayson Murphy did the same thing, a new course record and $1,000. She won in 1:05. Full results.
10k at 10,000 Feet — Vail, Colorado
Andy Wacker and race local Annie Bersagel ran the high-altitude 10k in 38:55 and 46:38, respectively. Bersagel is a one-time U.S. mountain running team member and a 2:28 marathoner. Full results.
Race Cancelations
The Vermont 100 Mile was canceled for this past weekend. The cancelation leaves a hole in the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning, but Ohio’s July 24 Burning River 100 Mile is serving as a replacement race.
Today – Badwater 135 Mile – Death Valley, California
It’ll be the 44th Badwater 135 Mile, going from Death Valley, California to the base of Mount Whitney, California. Temperatures are expected to be exceptionally high. The race will start over three waves at 8:00 p.m., 9:30 p.m., and 11:00 p.m.
Four former men’s champions headline the field. Michele Graglia won in 2018, Pete Kostelnick won in 2015 and 2016, Harvey Lewis won in 2014, and Oswaldo Lopez won in 2011. Look for one of these men to win again.
It’ll be a first-time winner in the women’s race though. 2019 third-, fourth-, and sixth-placers Lisa DeVona, Caryn Lubetsky, and Suzi Swinehart all return, and Sally McRae is looking to improve on her 2018 race debut.
Next Weekend – Speedgoat 50k – Snowbird Resort, Utah
Karl Meltzer‘s Speedgoat 50k returns for its 14th year and it’s again drawing a competitive U.S. field. It’s been held every year since 2008. The challenging course totals some 11,800 feet of climbing, all at high altitude and on technical trails.
Men
- Preston Cates – 6th 2021 Canyons 100k
- Tim Freriks – 2nd 2019 Crown King Scramble 50k
- Johnny Luna-Lima – 4th 2019 Barr Trail Mountain Race
- Travis Morrison – 1st 2021 Cirque Series Brighton
- Cody Reed – 1st 2019 Ultra-Trail Cape Town 100k
- Seth Ruhling – 1st 2019 JFK 50 Mile
- David Sinclair – 8th 2021 Olla de Núria
- Michelino Sunseri – 1st 2019 Speedgoat 50k
- Cole Watson – 5th 2021 Canyons 100k
Women
- Amanda Basham – 2nd Smith Rock Ascent 15 Mile
- Cat Bradley – 1st 2021 Go Big 50k
- Ashley Brasovan – 2nd 2021 Mount Washington Road Race
- Emily Caldwell – 1st 2021 Golden Gate Dirty Thirty 50k
- Michelle Hummel – 3rd 2021 Kendall Mountain Run
- Taylor Nowlin – 8th 2021 Canyons 100k
- Anita Ortiz – 3rd 2021 Bears Ears 50 Mile
- Paige Pattillo – 3rd 2018 White River 50 Mile
- Kristina Trygstad-Saari – 2nd 2020 Speedgoat 50k
Call for Comments
It’s been a fun few weeks with lots of racing. We always welcome your additions in the comments below!
