Latest news with #Ultra-TrailduMont-Blanc
France 24
29-06-2025
- Sport
- France 24
Olson wins Western States 100 in California, Jornet third
Billed as one of the most competitive editions in the race's 52-year history, this year's running of the 100-mile (161-kilometer) event lived up to the hype. Around 15 elite runners crested the course's high point around 2,600 meters (8,600 feet) above sea level just after sunrise following a 5:00 am (1200 GMT) start at Olympic Valley. After weaving through chilly snowfields of the Sierra Nevada mountains, runners then faced the brutal heat of canyons where temperatures neared 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius). The unforgiving combination of extreme heat and rugged terrain -- coupled with around 5,500 meters of climbing -- took its usual toll on the field. Maintaining an average pace of nearly 12 kilometers per hour, Olson, 29, surged to the front midway through the race and never looked back. He broke the tape at the finishing point at Auburn High School in 14 hours, 11 minutes and 25 seconds -- just two minutes shy of Jim Walmsley's course record (14:09:28). Walmsley, a three-time winner, withdrew from this year's race. After placing fifth in 2024, Olson's victory cements his place among the elite of ultra-trail running. The Salt Lake City native had previously earned top-20 finishes at the "CCC", the 100-km sister race to the famous Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc in Chamonix. Restricted entry Chris Myers claimed second after going shoulder-to-shoulder with Olson for much of the race. Spaniard Jornet was third, in a repeat of his finish at the Western States in 2010. Jornet, 37, returned to take part in this year's event 14 years after his lone victory in the race, determined to test himself against a new generation of athletes on the fast, exposed trails of California. Despite his renowned mental toughness, Jornet was unable to close the gap during the hottest parts of the race. Over the past 15 years, he has helped boost the profile of trail running, broadening the appeal of the niche endurance pursuit. Even with elite preparation and cutting-edge cooling strategies, no one is immune to the challenges posed by the Western States. Simply earning a bib to race in the event -- which is limited to 369 entrants -- is a feat in itself. Elite runners may qualify through one of the 30 "Golden Tickets" awarded at select races. For everyone else, entry depends on a livestreamed annual lottery that draws nearly 10,000 hopefuls, some of whom wait a decade for their name to be called. For first-time applicants, the odds hover around 0.04 percent, improving only with years of patience and additional qualifying ultras. Even after overcoming the hurdles to entry, some runners fail to last the course. Among those who were forced to withdraw this year was American runner David Roche, a rising star of the sport who had won both of his previous 100-milers. Greeted with loud cheers at the Foresthill aid station at mile 62, Roche appeared visibly shaken and was eventually forced to withdraw. © 2025 AFP
Hindustan Times
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Olson wins Western States 100 in California, Jornet third
American ultra-trail runner Caleb Olson was a surprise winner of California's grueling Western States Endurance Run on Saturday, emerging from the scorching canyons of Northern California to claim victory ahead of Spanish star Kilian Jornet, who finished third. HT Image Billed as one of the most competitive editions in the race's 52-year history, this year's running of the 100-mile event lived up to the hype. Around 15 elite runners crested the course's high point around 2,600 meters above sea level just after sunrise following a 5:00 am start at Olympic Valley. After weaving through chilly snowfields of the Sierra Nevada mountains, runners then faced the brutal heat of canyons where temperatures neared 104 degrees Fahrenheit . The unforgiving combination of extreme heat and rugged terrain coupled with around 5,500 meters of climbing took its usual toll on the field. Maintaining an average pace of nearly 12 kilometers per hour, Olson, 29, surged to the front midway through the race and never looked back. He broke the tape at the finishing point at Auburn High School in 14 hours, 11 minutes and 25 seconds just two minutes shy of Jim Walmsley's course record . Walmsley, a three-time winner, withdrew from this year's race. After placing fifth in 2024, Olson's victory cements his place among the elite of ultra-trail running. The Salt Lake City native had previously earned top-20 finishes at the "CCC", the 100-km sister race to the famous Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc in Chamonix. Chris Myers claimed second after going shoulder-to-shoulder with Olson for much of the race. Spaniard Jornet was third, in a repeat of his finish at the Western States in 2010. Jornet, 37, returned to take part in this year's event 14 years after his lone victory in the race, determined to test himself against a new generation of athletes on the fast, exposed trails of California. Despite his renowned mental toughness, Jornet was unable to close the gap during the hottest parts of the race. Over the past 15 years, he has helped boost the profile of trail running, broadening the appeal of the niche endurance pursuit. Even with elite preparation and cutting-edge cooling strategies, no one is immune to the challenges posed by the Western States. Simply earning a bib to race in the event which is limited to 369 entrants is a feat in itself. Elite runners may qualify through one of the 30 "Golden Tickets" awarded at select races. For everyone else, entry depends on a livestreamed annual lottery that draws nearly 10,000 hopefuls, some of whom wait a decade for their name to be called. For first-time applicants, the odds hover around 0.04 percent, improving only with years of patience and additional qualifying ultras. Even after overcoming the hurdles to entry, some runners fail to last the course. Among those who were forced to withdraw this year was American runner David Roche, a rising star of the sport who had won both of his previous 100-milers. Greeted with loud cheers at the Foresthill aid station at mile 62, Roche appeared visibly shaken and was eventually forced to withdraw. "I'm worried about David," his father, Michael Roche, told AFP. "I've never seen him in that kind of state." rg/rcw/sco ROCHE HOLDING This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
New Straits Times
20-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Local hero Aqmal defends Janda Baik Ultra 100km title in brutal conditions
KUALA LUMPUR: National ultra trail-running ace Aqmal Adzmi showed no signs of slowing down as he successfully defended his 100km title at the Janda Baik Ultra, which drew nearly 2,000 participants from 19 countries over the weekend in Bentong. Aqmal clocked 18:33:54s to take top honours in the men's 100km category, holding off a spirited challenge from Japan's Takio Fukumoto (18:57:53), while Zulhusni Ibrahim (19:55:14) completed the podium. "It was much more challenging this year with added distance, elevation, and tricky conditions due to the rain," said Aqmal. "But I enjoyed every bit of it, and winning again here in my hometown of Bentong makes it even more meaningful." Aqmal, who has family ties in nearby Janda Baik, described the race as "a personal affair", and took pride in seeing his "kampung" play host to a major endurance event that showcased the region's natural beauty. "I'm proud that my 'kampung' has an event like this. It really highlights what Janda Baik has to offer — lush forests, stunning scenery, and tough, technical trails. Many fellow runners told me this is probably one of the toughest trail races in Malaysia, and I fully agree." Aqmal also revealed that Janda Baik Ultra was only his second competitive outing of the year, as he's carefully managing his schedule in preparation for the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Spain this September. "I'm trying to stay injury-free and build up properly for Spain. It'll be my second time representing Malaysia at the world meet after competing in Austria in 2023, so I want to give it my best shot," he said. In the women's 100km race, Malaysia's Poo Lai Kuen conquered the trail in 25:55:01, ahead of China's Long Fengju (26:57:44) and Nor Shahirah Nasir (29:41:18). The two-day event, held at the Cherengin Hills Convention and Spa Resort in Janda Baik, also saw spirited contests across the 75km, 50km, 30km, 14km, and 5km categories – each offering its own blend of scenic views, elevation challenges, and unpredictable terrain. Among the other standout performers were Yusof Abdul Manan (13:45:29) and Chiew Mei Theng (18:56:48) in the 75km race, as well as Khairulamirin Kamarudin (7:31:57) and Jenny Lem (10:56:41) in the 50km. Adding to the prestige of the Janda Baik Ultra, participants also earned valuable points toward the International Trail Running Association (ITRA) and Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) Index — both of which contribute to global rankings and qualification pathways for elite-level trail races worldwide. RESULTS (Overall top three) Men's 100km: 1. Aqmal Adzmi 18:33:54s, 2. Takio Fukumoto (Jpn) 18:57:53, 3. Zulhusni Ibrahim 19:55:14. Women's 100km: 1. Poo Lai Kuen 25:55:01, 2. Long Fengju (Chn) 26:57:44, 3. Nor Shahirah Nasir 29:41:18. Men's 75km: 1. Yusof Abdul Manan 13:45:29, 2. Akmal Mansur 14:01:52, 3. Mohd Hasim 14:10:33. Women's 75km: 1. Chiew Mei Theng 18:56:48, 2. Kam Sin Yee 19:53:18, 3. Loo Mun Chui 19:57:12. Men's 50km: 1. Khairulamirin Kamarudin 7:31:57, 2. Amierul Amin Shamsul Kamal 7:31:58, 3. Johari Mohd Ali 8:19:29.
BBC News
26-01-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Ultrarunner Sophie Power smashes world record in Birmingham
An ultrarunner has set a new world record for the longest distance covered by a woman in two days on a Power made the achievement - which is subject to official confirmation by Guinness World Records - at the National Running Show in Birmingham, beat the previous record of 211.49 miles (340 km).She ran more than 226 miles (365km) in 48 hours, saying she is "thrilled" to have achieved the record and done it for a cause close to her heart - SheRaces, the charity she set up to champion female runners."It's been an incredible challenge and I'm very thankful it's over," she said. Power said she had made it her mission to break down barriers facing women in sport - including greater consideration of women's needs in race rose to prominence in 2018 when an image of her taken during the 2018 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc captured her breastfeeding her son, during a 103-mile race, one of the world's toughest ultra-marathons, while a male competitor napped beside inspire her to set up the charity, which aims for better equity and inclusion for women in trail running and ultrarunning."SheRaces is about changing the narrative for women in endurance sports - breaking down barriers, creating opportunities, and empowering women to achieve their full potential," Power said."This record is proof that when given the platform, we can achieve the extraordinary." She added that running on a treadmill – as she did for this record – was harder than running outdoors, as the unchanging environment makes it mentally exhausting."You don't have the stimulation of scenery or fresh air to keep you going," she said."It was tough not being able to nap or properly eat while trying to keep moving, and the monotony tested my resilience, but ultimately we can do hard things and that's what I set out to prove."She said doing it for SheRaces and ensuring her daughter does not experience the barriers she faced kept her pushing on. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
