With the 2024 Western States 100 upon us, it’s time to check out the ladies who we predict will problem for the entrance finish of the sphere!
This point-to-point 100.2-mile race, with 18,000 ft of mountain climbing and 22,000 ft of descending, is all the time hotly contested, and since warmth just about all the time performs an element on race day, we imply this each figuratively and actually.
In contrast to final yr, the place a large wintry weather left snow lingering at the first 25 miles of the path, runners will perhaps face extra standard stipulations this yr. The panorama adjustments brought about by means of the wildfires of 2022 will nonetheless be provide, and runners will once more must take care of some distance much less tree duvet over the center miles of the path. If the warmth turns up for race day, we will be able to be expecting this loss of coloration to issue into the end result, as runners will no doubt combat to stick cool.
Final yr’s girls’s race used to be one for the ages, with each Courtney Dauwalter and Katie Schide coming in below Ellie Greenwood’s 2012 path checklist of 16:47. Dauwalter got here away with the win in a time of 15:29:33 whilst Schide completed in 16:43:45. Whilst Dauwalter is staying house this yr, and Schide’s operating has most effective gotten higher, so she’s our odds-on favourite for the win.
It wasn’t simply the highest two that went rapid final yr. Eszter Csillag ran a time of 17:07, which is the fourth quickest time ever, to take 3rd. Katie Asmuth positioned fourth in 17:21, and fifth-place Emily Hawgood completed in 17:26, which might have gained the ladies’s race maximum different years. With 3 of those height 5 from 2023 returning, we will be able to be expecting fireworks on the entrance of the race. And this trio is joined by means of many different race veterans and inexperienced persons having a look to head rapid.
Learn on to be informed about extra of the highest runners. We’ll even be updating this newsletter via race day with any last-minute adjustments.
You’ll accept as true with the iRunFar staff to be there reporting at the race and the way it all performs out beginning at 5 a.m. U.S. PDT on Saturday, June 29. Keep tuned!
A distinct due to HOKA for making our protection of the Western States 100 imaginable!
Thank you additionally to Fractel for sponsoring our race protection.
You’ll want to additionally take a look at our 2024 Western States 100 males’s preview, which publishes the next day.
Katie Schide after taking moment on the 2023 Western States 100. She is a sturdy favourite for the win in 2024. Photograph: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
Returning Most sensible 10 Girls
Six girls from final yr’s height 10 are slated to go back in 2024. Particularly lacking is final yr’s winner and course-record holder, Courtney Dauwalter. Additionally absent are fourth position Katie Asmuth, 6th position Taylor Nowlin, and tenth position Meghan Morgan.
Katie Schide (U.S., dwelling in France) – 2d, 16:43:45 (2023 post-race interview)
Katie Schide
There are only a few cases the place breaking a path checklist gained’t web you the win in an tournament, however that’s precisely what took place to Katie Schide final yr when each she and Dauwalter went below Greenwood’s checklist time. One can most effective consider the incentive Schide has getting into this yr. Winner of the 2022 UTMB and the 2023 Diagonale des Fous 100 Mile, she’s off to a quick get started in 2024 with a win on the Canyons 100k.
Eszter Csillag (Hungary, dwelling in Hong Kong) – third, 17:07:55 (2023 post-race interview)
Eszter Csillag
Completing 3rd in her first try at Western States in 2023, Eszter Csillag brings again her path wisdom in an try to problem for the highest spot. The Hungarian dwelling in Hong Kong made her presence recognized to the ultrarunning international after a standout yr in 2022, completing 5th at UTMB, fourth on the Path International Championships – Lengthy Path, and 5th at Transgrancanaria. In 2023, she additionally gained the Translantau 100k.
Emily Hawgood (Zimbabwe, dwelling in U.S.) – fifth, 17:26:22
Emily Hawgood
After two fifth-place finishes in 2022 and 2023, Emily Hawgood is no doubt having a look to climb her approach upper within the completing order. In the beginning from Zimbabwe, Hawgood has been dwelling within the U.S. and persistently putting close to the entrance of extremely aggressive ultras, together with taking 6th and tenth at UTMB in 2022 and 2021, respectively, and moment on the CCC in 2023. She began off this yr rapid with a win on the Chianti Extremely Path 45 Mile.
Ida Nilsson (Sweden, dwelling in Norway) – seventh, 17:43:34
Ida Nilsson
A presence within the ultrarunning international since 2015, Ida Nilsson returned to the ultrarunning scene with pressure in 2022 with her moment position on the Path International Championships – Lengthy Path. In 2023, she used to be 5th on the Black Canyon 100k and gained the Canyons 100k prior to completing 7th at Western States and later successful the Ultravasan 90k. It used to be an outstanding yr, to make certain. She’s apparently taken a distinct solution to 2024 by means of racing much less, beginning the yr off with a second-place end at Transvulcania.
Priscilla Forgie (Canada) – eighth, 17:46:34
Priscilla Forgie comes again this yr having a look to strengthen on her 8th position from 2023. The Canadian had a large 2023, as she additionally completed moment on the Canyons 100k and twelfth at CCC. In the past, Forgie gained the 2021 Canadian Demise Race, the 2022 Squamish 50 Mile, and the 2022 Extremely-Path Harricana 122k all north of the border.
Leah Yingling – ninth, 17:49:00
Leah Yingling
Working within the height 10 at Western States in 2023, Leah Yingling continues to turn her talent to run on the entrance of ultrarunning fields. She had a leap forward yr in 2022, together with taking 6th at Western States, 3rd on the Bandera 100k, 3rd on the Transgrancanaria Complicated 65k, moment on the Canyons 100k, and nineteenth on the Path International Championships – Lengthy Path. In 2023, she additionally positioned 8th at UTMB. Final month, she gained the Quad Rock 50 Mile and prior to that during March 2024, she ran some 400 miles on the lululemon Additional six-day tournament.
Zoë Rom and Leah Yingling (proper) early within the 2022 Western States 100. Yingling returns for a 3rd yr in a row in 2024. Photograph: Tony DiPasquale
Extra Most sensible Contenders
Fu-Zhao Xiang
On paper, it kind of feels that Fu-Zhao Xiang from China will perhaps characteristic on the entrance of the race one day. She is a four-time finisher of UTMB, the place she positioned fourth in 2023. She additionally gained the Translantau 140k in 2023. Xiang excels in lengthy mountainous ultras, and most effective time will inform how the warmth and runability of the Western States path deal with her. It sort of feels that since her win at Translantau final yr, she’s serious about velocity at shorter occasions and got here away with wins at 3 50k or shorter occasions over the path of 2 weekends in mid-April. It’s value noting that Xiang has raced within the house prior to, as she took fourth on the Damaged Arrow Skyrace 46k final June.
Norway’s Yngvild Kaspersen earned her access into Western States by means of successful the 2023 CCC. Since successful the Zegama Marathon and completing moment at Les Templiers in 2016, she’s persistently run on the entrance of the sphere of medium-to-long ultras. She’s proven her skill in the whole thing from vertical kilometers to 100k distances. Extra not too long ago, she positioned moment at Transvulcania in 2022 and 7th within the 2023 Black Canyon 100k. Once more, it’s unknown how this mountain specialist will deal with the warmth, the slightly flatter terrain, and the 100-mile distance.
Ragna Debats
Ragna Debats, from The Netherlands and dwelling in Spain, has an ultra-racing resume relationship again a decade, and she or he’s by no means been some distance from the entrance of any box. She earned her Golden Price tag access with a second-place end on the Javelina 100 Mile in 2023. In 2021, she positioned 3rd at Western States and set a brand new girls’s masters path checklist with a time of 17:41:13. In 2019, she gained the Marathon des Sables, so she is aware of how to deal with the warmth, and in 2022, she gained each the Istria 100 Mile and Transgrancanaria.
An American dwelling in France, who has based totally maximum of her top-level operating outdoor of the U.S., Emily Schmitz is anyone we’re in point of fact having a look ahead to seeing race Western States. Her credentials in mountain ultrarunning definitely make her a heavy favourite for a top-10 end, however she stays a wild card in that we predict that is her first 100 miler. Amongst her height performances over time were a 5th position on the 2023 CCC and 7th on the 2023 Path International Championships – Lengthy Path. In 2022, she took fourth on the Extremely Pirineu 100k. A few of these races have ranged to fourteen hours lengthy, so she’s were given the entire time-on-feet revel in wanted for a primary 100 miler.
Coming from a triathlon background, gravel motorbike racer and ultrarunner Heather Jackson is usually a pressure to take care of. Whilst she DNFed her first try at Western States final yr, she had gained the Canyons 50k and positioned moment at Black Canyon 100k previous that yr. She additionally gained the Javelina 100 Mile in October of 2023. With seven Ironman triathlon wins to her title prior to retiring from the game in 2022, she now splits her time between racing her gravel motorbike and ultrarunning. We’ll have to peer how she implements any courses she realized from her 2023 try to strengthen her efficiency this yr.
Lin Chen
So far as we will be able to inform, Lin Chen from China has most effective raced outdoor of her house nation two times, as soon as when she positioned moment on the 2023 Trans Jeju 100k in South Korea and however when she gained the 2023 Doi Inthanon 100 Mile in Thailand, incomes her Golden Price tag access to Western States. Her ends up in China are spectacular — infrequently does she position outdoor of the highest 5 in occasions starting from 20k to over 100 miles. She gained the Anta Hong Kong 100k this January.
Rachel Drake is on a steep ascendency within the recreation, however this can be her debut 100 miler, so most effective time will inform how she’ll fare with the longer distance. Previous in 2024, she gained the Black Canyon 100k, incomes her Golden Price tag, and the Tillamook Burn 50 Mile. Final yr, she positioned 6th at OCC and fourth on the Kodiak 50k. In 2021, she gained the Black Canyon 60k.
Kaci Lickteig
One will have to by no means rely out Kaci Lickteig, a nine-time Western States finisher and winner in 2016. After completing 3rd in 2019, she’s struggled to refind the shape that had her on the very height of the race, completing tenth, 18th, and twelfth in 2021, 2022, and 2023 respectively. However that doesn’t imply her shape is long gone, a reality demonstrated by means of her win on the 2023 IMTUF 100 Mile.
Ragna Debats on her strategy to putting 3rd and surroundings a masters checklist on the 2021 Western States 100. She’ll contend on the 2024 race version. Photograph: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
Nonetheless Extra Rapid Girls to Watch
- Kellie Angel (née Emmerson) (Australia) – 2d 2023 Lavaredo Extremely Path 80k; seventeenth 2023 CCC; nineteenth 2019 UTMB
- Careth Arnold – 4th 2024 Canyons 100k; sixth 2023 Black Canyon 60k; third 2022 Bandera 100k
- Lotti Brinks – 1st 2023 Grindstone 100k; 1st 2024 & 2d 2023 Gorge Waterfalls 100k; 1st 2022 Javelina 100k
- Eleanor Davis (U.Ok.) – 1st 2023 Great Côte d’Azur 100k; 2d 2023 Eiger Extremely Path 50k; eighth 2022 OCC; eighth 2022 Path International Championships – Brief Path
- Anna Li (China) – 2d 2023 Doi Inthanon 100 Mile; 1st 2024 Mount Yun 100k
- Anna Louden – third 2024 Canyons 100k; 1st 2023 Javelina 100k; 4th 2023 Black Canyon 100k; seventh 2022 IAU 100k International Championships
- Sally McRae – eleventh 2016, seventh 2015, & tenth 2014 Western States 100; 1st 2023 Moab 240 Mile
- Jo Meek (U.Ok.) – 4th 2022 Mozart 100k; twenty first 2021 UTMB; fifth 2020 Black Canyon 100k
- Lauren Puretz – third 2024 & seventh 2022 Black Canyon 100k; 4th 2023 & eighth 2022 Javelina 100 Mile; fifth 2021 Bandera 100k
- Giulia Vinco (Italy) – third 2023 Great Côte d’Azur 100k; third 2023 Transgrancanaria Complicated 85k; thirteenth 2021 Lavaredo Extremely Path; thirteenth 2019 UTMB
- Madeline Wighardt (Canada) – third 2023 Leadville 100 Mile; ninth 2023 & eleventh 2021 JFK 50 Mile; 2d 2022 Quebec Mega Path
- Becca Windell – 2d 2024 Black Canyon 100k; 1st 2021 Undergo 100 Mile; fifth 2021 Canyons 100k
Ruth Croft and Emily Hawgood (proper) run stride for stride at mile 30 at Robinson Flat of the 2022 Western States 100. Hawgood returns to the 2024 version. Photograph: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
In the past Entered, However No Longer Working
- Marjo Liikanen (Finland)
- Devon Yanko
Name for Feedback
- Who do you suppose will achieve the Placerville Prime Faculty observe first? Race rookie or veteran?
- Is somebody going to get just about course-record time?
- Did we disregard some other girls you suppose will run close to the entrance?