Minotaur and Mercantour, Manitou, and Mauritius.
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Broken Arrow Skyrace – Olympic Valley, California
Vertical K
The Friday morning race went up 3,000 feet over three miles, finishing at the top of 9,000-foot Washeshu Peak. It was the year’s first World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) World Cup race.
Patrick Kipngeno and Joyce Muthoni Njeru, the 2024 Broken Arrow Skyrace Vertical K winners. Photo: Jonathan Wyatt
Women
Joyce Muthoni Njeru (Kenya) is crushing this year. She’s the current WMRA #1 and in April 2024 won the year’s second Golden Trail World Series race. And she dominated this race too. Muthoni Njeru was nearly two minutes ahead of everyone else with a 45:29 finish. Possible course changes aside, that’s 11 seconds better than Morgan Arritola’s 2019 event record.
The 2023 winner Anna Gibson came back to finish second in 47:25. And the 2022 and 2021 winner Allie McLaughlin came back to finish third in 47:40.
The full top 10 was:
- Joyce Muthoni Njeru (Kenya) – 45:29
- Anna Gibson – 47:25
- Allie McLaughlin – 47:40
- Hali Hafeman – 48:40
- Jessica Brazeau – 48:49
- Rachel Tomajczyk – 49:59
- Abby Lock – 50:16
- Tabor Hemming – 50:24
- Jade Belzberg – 50:27
- Ellyse Tingelstad – 50:40
Men
Before this year the event record was 41:16. All of the top 15 beat that mark this year.
The 2023 World Mountain Running Uphill champion Patrick Kipngeno (Kenya) led the way to the top in 36:11, and it wasn’t really close.
Jim Walmsley was the best of the rest. Whether to challenge Kipngeno or to just get a tune-up for next week’s Western States 100, Walmsley stepped way down in distance and went up second in 37:39.
Third-place Meikael Beaudoin-Rousseau pushed hard to finish in 37:53.
All of the top 10 was:
- Patrick Kipngeno (Kenya) – 36:11
- Jim Walmsley – 37:39
- Meikael Beaudoin-Rousseau – 37:53
- Christian Allen – 37:58
- Eli Hemming – 38:39
- Remi Leroux (Canada) – 39:15
- Philemon Ombogo Kiriago (Kenya) – 39:19
- Ryan Becker – 39:23
- Cam Smith – 39:55
- Darren Thomas – 40:18
46k
The two-loop race on Saturday went for 26.4 miles with 9,100 feet of climbing.
Women
Toni McCann (South Africa, living in France) is on the up and up too. She won last year’s OCC race, last year’s Ultra-Trail Cape Town 55k, and was unmatched at the front of the women’s field here. She finished in 4:52, and as with the Vertical K there is the potential for different courses, but McCann’s mark is two minutes back of what Helen Mino Faukner ran to win last year.
Second- and third-place Klaire Rhodes and Amanda Basham finished in 5:07 and 5:16, respectively.
The women’s top 10 was:
- Toni McCann (South Africa, living in France) – 4:52
- Klaire Rhodes – 5:07
- Amanda Basham – 5:16
- Lindsay Allison – 5:21
- Sarah Guhl – 5:23
- Emilie Mann (Canada) – 5:34
- Heather Henry (Canada) – 5:35
- Barrett Gray – 5:38
- Carmen Bango – 5:47
- Lauren Williams – 5:53
Men
In 2022 at Broken Arrow, David Sinclair was 12th in the Vertical K race and won the 46k. And in 2024 at Broken Arrow, David Sinclair was 12th in the Vertical K race and won the 46k.
Sinclair dropped his last hanger-on, Cam Smith, and cruised to the finish with a big lead. The course has likely changed a bit, but his 4:00 finish this year was 22 minutes better than his own 2022 winning time.
Jeff Mogavero and Adam Peterman moved up on the second lap, and Mogavero outgunned Peterman for second. He was almost a minute better in 4:11.
The men’s top 10 was:
- David Sinclair – 4:01
- Jeff Mogavero – 4:11
- Adam Peterman – 4:12
- Cam Smith – 4:21
- Guang-Fu Meng (China) – 4:27
- Cole Campbell – 4:29
- Nick Handel – 4:36
- Gregory Krathwohl – 4:37
- Gordon Gianniny – 4:41
- Ja Shua Ried – 4:42
23k
Sunday’s race ran 13.5 miles on a single loop course that put in 4,700 feet of gain. It too was a WMRA World Cup contest. For more details than laid out below, you can read iRunFar’s full look at the Broken Arrow Skyrace 23k.
Women
Joyce Muthoni Njeru ruled the women’s race, but this one was close at the finish. Muthoni’s winning margin was just 37 seconds. She finished in 2:11 and Jade Belzburg rocketed up the ranks with a 2:12 second-place run. Tabor Hemming was third in 2:13.
The top-10 women were:
- Joyce Muthoni Njeru (Kenya) – 2:11
- Jade Belzburg – 2:12
- Tabor Hemming – 2:13
- Allie McLaughlin – 2:14
- Dani Moreno – 2:17
- Rachel Tomajczyk – 2:21
- Sydney Petersen – 2:23
- Abby Lock – 2:24
- Sarah Carter – 2:26
- Karley Rempel – 2:30
Joyce Muthoni Njeru, 2024 Broken Arrow Skyrace 23k women’s champion. Photo: Howie Stern
Men
Most of the top finishers were doubling back from the Vertical K on Friday. Patrick Kipngeno jumped to a big lead early, and Eli Hemming made up time late. Kipngeno won for the second time on the weekend, but the time gap was shorter here than in the Vertical K. Kipngeno finished in 1:45 and Hemming was second in 1:47. The 2023 Sierre-Zinal winner Philemon Ombogo Kiriago was third in 1:50.
The top-10 men were:
- Patrick Kipngeno (Kenya) – 1:45
- Eli Hemming – 1:47
- Philemon Ombogo Kiriago (Kenya) – 1:50
- Taylor Stack – 1:51
- Meikael Beaudoin-Rousseau – 1:52
- Hawk Call – 1:54
- Andrew Douglas (U.K.) – 1:54
- Remi Leroux (Canada) – 1:55
- Sam Hendry – 1:55
- Cade Michael – 1:55
Patrick Kipngeno, 2024 Broken Arrow Skyrace 23k men’s champion. Photo: Howie Stern
Minotaur Skyrace – Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, Canada
The race was the year’s eighth Skyrunner World Series race and went 33k with 2,900 meters of gain across three big climbs. That’s 20 miles and 9,500 feet.
Emma Cook-Clarke (Canada) won for the second time here. She dropped Elise Poncet (France) with about 5k to go and set a new course record in 4:52. Poncet was second in 4:56, and Karina Carsolio (Mexico) was third in 5:10.
The men’s race came down to the final “shoe shredder” descent and Scott Patterson powered past longtime leader Jackson Cole. Patterson won in 4:08 to Cole’s second-place 4:10. John Luna-Lima was third in 4:18.
The 2024 Minotaur Skyrace men’s podium (left to right): 2. Jackson Cole, 1. Scott Patterson, 3. John Luna-Lima. Photo: Philipp Reiter/The Adventure Bakery
Skyrace du Mercantour – Saint-Martin-Vésubie, France
This was part of the Skyrunner World Series race too. The 30k race packed in 2,150 meters of climbing inside Mercantour National Park. That’s 18 miles and 7,050 feet.
Ariadna Fenes (Andorra) took the women’s race in 3:13. Naiara Irigoyen (Spain) and Holly Wootten (U.K.) were second and third in 3:18 and 3:23.
Men’s winner Alain Santamaria (Spain) overtook early leader Ruy Ueda (Japan) late and finished a minute better. Santamaria ran 2:38 to Ueda’s 2:39. Lorenzo Beltrami (France) was third in 2:41.
Ariadna Fenes winning the 2024 Skyrace du Mercantour. Photo: Antton Guaresti
Additional Races and Runs
Montane Summer Spine Race – Pennine Way, U.K.
The 268-mile point-to-point race was underway last week and has now wrapped. Sue Straw (U.K.) won the women’s race in 122:43, and Chris Cope (U.K.) won the men’s race in 79:10. Cope was incredibly over 21 hours better than anyone else. Full results.
Chris Cope winning the 2024 Montane Summer Spine Race. Photo: Will Roberts
Mauritius by UTMB – Mauritius
This might be the small East African island’s first entry into TWIR. It was the race’s first edition too, and some 1,000 runners took part. The event’s longest race went nearly 84 miles with 17,716 feet of elevation gain. Race winners Xue-Er Shang (China) and Elias Kadi (France) finished in 26:41 and 16:45. Full results.
Tenderfoot Boogie 50k – Squamish, British Columbia, Canada
North of the border, Julie Gill and Matthew Schneider were the champs on Squamish’s trails this weekend in 6:08 and 4:43, respectively.
Julie Gill on her way to winning the 2024 Tenderfoot Boogie 50k. Photo: Michael Kennedy
U.S. Olympic Trials – Eugene, Oregon
On Friday, 2022 U.S. Mountain Running Team member Lauren Gregory ran 15:35 for 5,000 meters, finishing ninth in her heat and qualifying for the final. Gregory will contest the final tonight, June 24. Also on Friday night, 2023 Mount Washington Road Race runner-up Sam Chelanga was seventh in the 10,000 meters in 28:04. Full results.
Headwaters Trail Runs 56k – Mount Shasta, California
Mila Opalenik set a new women’s course record in 7:26 and Michael Buyaskas won the men’s group in 6:32. Full results.
Mila Opalenik after winning the 2024 Headwaters Trail Runs 56k. Photo: Carsen Maciag
Flagstaff Extreme Big Pine – Flagstaff, Arizona
The event’s 53k distance winners were Angie Hodge-Zickerman and Ethan Koza in 5:15 and 3:46. Full results.
Bears Ear Ultra – Monticello, Utah
In the 50 miler, Erin Park and Damon Chavez won in 8:40 and 7:34 on a course shortened due to rain-caused trail damage in the preceding days. In the 50k, Madison Andersen and Cal Seneker did it the fastest with 7:09 and 6:42 finishes. Full results.
Ring the Springs – Colorado Springs, Colorado
The Aravaipa Running race had multiple ultra distances. For 100 miles, it was Taylor Reffett and James Mayuric at the front in 27:36 and 24:38. The 100k winners were Jessica Klein and Nick Care in 15:47 and 11:31. Full results.
Six Days in the Dome – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
In the six-day race, Megan Eckert totaled a massive 526 miles. It was the second-best American performance ever over six days, and fifth-best women’s total globally. David Johnston won the men’s race with 460 miles. Full results.
Two Hearted Trail 50k – Paradise, Michigan
With cool temperatures, hot times were run, with both course records falling. Michele Magagna won in 4:28, while William Caldwell did in 3:51. Full results.
Michele Magagna set a new course record at the 2024 Two Hearted Trail 50k. Photo courtesy of race.
New River Gorge Trail Fest 50k – Fayetteville, West Virginia
Parts of the race course were in New River Gorge National Park, America’s newest national park. The 50k winners were HollyAnn Swann and Heath Goshorn in 4:48 and 4:31. Full results.
The 2024 New River Gorge Trail Festival 50K winners, Heath Goshorn and HollyAnn Swann. Photo: Jennifer Klimchak
Manitou’s Revenge 53 Mile – Windham, New York
Despite extreme heat and thunderstorms, course records fell in the Catskill Mountains and in the race’s 11th year. Elizabeth McGurk ran away from everyone in 13:15, and Justin Kousky topped the men in 10:24. Full results (when available).
Last Annual Heart of the South Road Race – Castle Rock, Georgia
This one really gets the imagination going, for me. The course was unknown until the day before the event and runners were given 10.5 days to cover the 384 miles back to their car. Meghan Curley and Addison Hendricks did it the fastest. The two finished in nine days, 11 hours, 47 minutes and in six days, six hours, and 25 minutes. That’s 9:11:47 and 6:06:25. Tracking.
Call for Comments
That was a lot of fun. What popped for you as a standout performance on the weekend?
