She already won Western States, she already won the Hoka Canyons Endurance runs this year, so who can stop Katie Schide from winning UTMB, just like she did in 2022?
Courtney Dauwalter is not running UTMB this year, which leaves the door wide open for Katie Schide. Although in the form Schide is in, a head-to-head with Dauwalter would have been interesting. Seeing how good Schide is at this moment, the question is if anybody can stop her.
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Xiang or Csillag
Fuzhou Xiang is the highest ranked athlete on the UTMB Index, after Schide. The Chinese Hoka runner finished second behind Schide at Western States. Last year at UTMB she just missed the podium (fourth). Marianne Hogan is an interesting runner to watch as well. The Canadian won earlier this month the Swiss Canyons (115k, 5.295m+) race. The question is, is she recovered?
Hungary’s Eszter Csillag is another one doing the double. She was third at Western States. Last year she didn’t make it to the finish line at UTMB. In 2022 she did, and came in fifth. Emily Hawgood was fourth at Western States. The Adidas Terrex runner won earlier this year Chianti Ultra Trail (73k, 2.905m+) in a new course record. Last year she was second at UTMB, so she knows what it takes.
The year of Ruth Croft?
This could also be the year of Ruth Croft. This year she already won the 100k at Transvulcania La Palma Island 2024 (4.350m+) and the Tarawera Ultra-Trail 105k (2.680m+) in New Zealand, her home country. That she can handle 100 miles as well, she proved at Western States in 2022, when she won that race. Or is it the year of Blandine Hirondel? The French Kiprun athlete stood on the podium (third) last year. Can she improve from that?
Other outsiders: Ragna Debats (the Netherlands), Lin Chen (China), Martina Valmassoi (Italy), Fiona Pascal (Great Britain), the winner of Mozart 100 this year.
None of these athletes has the speed Katie Schide has at this moment. But at the UTMB sometimes the only thing you have to do, is sit back and weight for the race leader to blow up.
Archive photo: UTMB
