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Highlighting our Ultra Weekend Recap for April 8-9 was a hotly contested Lake Sonoma 50 in California, the Smith Rock Ascent 50k in Oregon and the historic Diez Vista 50k in British Columbia.
At the Lake Sonoma 50 on Saturday, April 8, in Healdsburg, California, the top three women and men earned spots on the 80k Team USA heading to the Trail Running World Championships in Austria this June. Both winners came from behind at the turnaround point on the out-and-back course to claim the titles and the $2,000 cash prize. Erin Clark of Missoula, Montana, won in 7 hours, 49 minutes and 27 seconds. She was followed by Allison Baca out of Golden, Colorado, in 7 hours, 54 minutes and 26 seconds and Sarah Keyes from Saranac Lake, New York, snagged the final spot on the team by finishing third in 7 hours, 57 minutes and 50 seconds. Drew Holmen of Boulder, Colorado, won the men’s contest in dominating fashion in 6 hours, 44 minutes and 20 seconds. Caleb Olson from Draper, Utah, was the race’s runner-up in 6 hours, 55 minutes and 45 seconds and Flagstaff’s Preston Cates took third in 7 hours, 2 minutes and 42 seconds. Full results here.
Also on Saturday in Terrebonne, Oregon, the Smith Rock Ascent 50k saw former UR podcast guest Mario Mendoza from Bend, Oregon, win in 4 hours, 11 minutes and 18 seconds. Sam Chaney of Portland, Oregon, came in second in 4 hours, 19 minutes and 5 seconds and Marc Laveson out of Bainbridge Island, Washington, rounded out the podium in 4 hours, 23 minutes and 53 seconds. Coming all the way from Manhattan, Kansas, Amanda Hardcastle took the women’s title in 5 hours, 9 minutes and 12 seconds. Rachel Hawkings out of Glide, Oregon, was second in 5 hours, 18 minutes and 50 seconds and Jacalyn Gross from Everett, Washington, finished in third in 5 hours, 32 minutes and 17 seconds. Full results here.
Canada played host to the 25th edition of the Diez Vista 50k in Port Moody, British Columbia. 355 finishers completed the course with Mercedes Vince from Victoria, British Columbia, winning for the women in 4 hours, 56 minutes and 24 seconds. She was followed by Meredith Wilson from North Vancouver, British Columbia, in 5 hours, 6 minutes and 18 seconds and Kia Wheeler also of Victoria, just seconds later in 5 hours, 6 minutes and 25 seconds. Simon Widmann of Surrey, British Columbia, won for the men in 4 hours, 11 minutes and 26 seconds, Marc Fawcett-Atkinson from Vancouver was the runner-up in 4 hours, 24 minutes and 15 seconds and Kevin Briggs out of Calgary, Alberta, finished in third in 4 hours, 28 minutes and 39 seconds. Ful results here.
Check out more race results from the weekend including the Diablo Trails Challenge 50k in Walnut Creek, California, the Fools 50k Trail Run in Peninsula, Ohio, the Austin Falls Ultra 50k in Austin, Texas, the Rattler Trail Race 50k in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the Lake McMurtry Run 50k/100k in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
What’d we miss? Where are you racing next weekend so we can include it in our What’s Up In Ultra column? Let us know below.