And four for Jim Walmsley! The American won the Western States for the fourth time, the first of the four majors (with the Hardrock 100, the UTMB and the Diagonale des Fous) of the ultra-trail season, he who had already triumphed in 2018, 2019 and 2021. He succeeds the Englishman Tom Evans, brilliant winner in 2023 and 2nd this weekend in the 120 km of Lavaredo in Italy. For the tall and lanky Jim, there are still three successes to go for to equal the record of seven victories of the emblematic Scott Jurek, unshakeable between 1999 and 2005.
It was 7:13 p.m. this Saturday evening in California (5:13 a.m. this Sunday in France) when Walmsley crossed the finish line on the athletics track at Auburn University Stadium, under a clear blue sky and a white bucket hat on his head. . Setting off at 5 a.m. with the 374 other runners, the runner from Arizona flew over the canyons of the American West to set an excellent time of 14:13:45, the 2nd best time in the history of this legendary race after 2:09 p.m. ’28 of 2019, already his work.
Aside from the first long uphill section at the start, which stretches for around 40km, Walmsley led the race. His pursuers, however, managed to stay on his wheel. Rod Farvard arrived at Auburn 10 minutes and 30 seconds after him (14:24:15), followed very closely by Hayden Hawks (14:24:31). Jonathan Albon took 5th place, ahead of Tyler Green (7th, 15:05:39), who was 2nd last year. Note the great performance of Frenchman Simon Gosselin, 22nd in 17h04’13.
A first for Katie Schilde
The first woman is none other than the big favorite Katie Schilde in the absence of Courtney Dauwalter. The American, who won this Major for the first time in her career, ranked 13th overall with an extraordinary time of 15h46’57, also the 2nd best time in the history of the “WS”, the record having been held since last year by Dauwalter and her 15h29.
Walmsley and Schilde are both expected to be at the UTMB in Chamonix at the end of August, and both will be aiming for victory once again, while Walmsley is the defending champion and Schilde was crowned in 2022. a feasible sequence but far from simple. In the meantime, they will think about recuperating and will undoubtedly watch with curiosity and interest the Hardrock 100, the 2nd major scheduled for Silverton, Colorado on July 12.
