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Rachel Drake is the 3rd-ranked woman for 2024. Her running year was highlighted by a course-record win at the JFK 50, becoming the first woman to break 6 hours in the 62-year history of the race. She also won the Black Canyon 100k and placed 8th at Western States. A native of Minnesota, Drake also finished her medical degree during the year. She and her husband, Tyler Green, and their two-year-old son, Lewis, moved from Portland, Oregon, to Salt Lake City this year, where she is now a medical resident.

This weekend’s ultramarathon results include Avalon Benefit (50-mile and 50k), No Hands 50k, Bandera (100k and 50k), and Frozen Gnome 50k.

Rod Farvard is the 4th-ranked man for 2024. He placed second at Western States, posting the third-best time ever. He also set a course record in winning the Canyons by UTMB 100k. Originally from the San Francisco suburb of Moraga, Farvard now lives in Mammoth Lakes, California.

Emily Hawgood and Megan Eckert tied for 4th place in the women’s voting for 2024, each receiving 195 votes. Hawgood finished fourth at Western States – posting a 38-minute PR in her fourth consecutive top 10 finish. She was also sixth at UTMB. A native of Zimbabwe, Hawgood now lives in Roseville, California.

Megan Eckert and Emily Hawgood tied for 4th place in the women’s voting for 2024, each receiving 195 votes. Eckert had an incredible 10 ultra finishes in 2024, highlighted by the assist at Big’s Backyard, where she posted a women’s world best of 362.5 miles. Showing great versatility, she also won the Angeles Crest 100 and posted 153 miles in 24 hours at Desert Solstice in December. A middle school teacher and cross-country coach, Eckert lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with her husband, Joe.

Eli Hemming is the 5th-ranked man in the 2024 UROY balloting. Hemming won four large ultras during the year, including the Orsières-Champex-Chamonix (OCC) 57km race that is part of the UTMB series and had a whopping 1,534 finishers. Hemming’s win at the Black Canyon 60k was a course record. A former professional triathlete, Hemming lives in Kremmling, Colorado, with his wife, Tabor.