Virgin, Utah, May 11. Jay Aldous and Hannah Roberts were winners of the inaugural Zion 100, held just west of Zion National Park. Aldous, who won the Salt Flats 100 just two weeks prior, led from the early stages. Slater Fletcher, running his first 100, started cautiously and moved up through the field in the later stages to take second.
Roberts waged a long battle with Sarah Evans before taking the lead for good on the rough climb up to Gooseberry Mesa at mile 45. Evans ultimately finished a close second.
Runners faced hot weather, with temperatures peaking in the low 90s on a course with virtually zero shade. Of the 106 starters, only 59 made it to the finish within the 36-hour time limit.
Men
1. Jay Aldous, 50, Salt Lake City, UT, 18:25:40
2. Slater Fletcher, 35, Irvine, CA, 19:39:08
3. Gary Gellin, 43, Menlo Park, CA, 20:16:07
4. Brian Kamm, 51, Salt Lake City, UT, 21:46:22
5. Justin Nelson, 35, Washington, UT, 22:00:13
Women
1. Hannah Roberts, 25, Honolulu, HI, 22:45:10
2. Sarah Evans, 39, Alta, UT, 23:09:15
3. Katherine Metzger, 31, Prescott, AZ, 25:08:48
4. Pam Reed, 50, Tucson, AZ, 26:46:15
5. Carol Manwaring, 48, Toquerville, UT, 27:03:22
Photo, left: Hannah Roberts at the 2011 HURT 100 (Mark Tanaka photo)
Below: Errol “Rocket” Jones and pacer Lisa Henson cross the desert below the imposing Gooseberry Mesa (John Medinger photo)