Devon Yanko and Paul Terranova have won the UltraRunning Race Series Overall Ranking in its inaugural year. The Series applied a formula to score every ultra finisher at every ultra race in the 12 months ending April 24, 2016. Top scores for four races – one at each classic ultra distance – were added to tabulate every ultrarunner’s score. The talented and experienced Terranova and Yanko took different paths to the top of the rankings.
Terranova raced early and often – setting the bar at 100k high with a second place and 80 points at the large and competitive Quicksilver 100K in May 2015, which ended up scoring more points than his third at Bandera 100k in early 2016. Although he finished 10th in a stellar Western States 100 last June, that performance netted him 108 points which was less than his exceptional performance at the similar-sized Rocky Raccoon in February 2016 at which his second place netted him 132 points. The lynchpin performance for Terranova was at 50 miles – but it was not at the Lake Sonoma 50 or the North Face Championship at both of which he raced well. It was back East at the Mountain Masochist 50 miler that he won in a tough field of 190 runners. That performance earned him his highest 50 mile score.
For Yanko the formula was simple: have four great races. She started with a solid second place at the venerable and large Skyline 50k in August 2015, in a fine return to ultra racing for the Olympic Marathon qualifier. Then in October 2015 she blew the doors off the Javelina 100 miler – setting a course record on the way to a dominating win in the desert at the large 100 miler, and 143 Race Series points. In February 2016 she then won a Golden Ticket race at the Sean O’brien 100k for another 78 points. Next up was the 500-plus field at the American River 50 miler which she also won easily, for another 79 points. Four great races at four distances equaled Race Series dominance for the Bay Area restaurant entrepreneur.
The Top Overall winners of the Race Series receive paid-for entry into Western States this June 25 where they will test themselves against the most elite field in North America on the famed Western States trail. Since Terranova and Yanko earned entries into Western States on their own already, as did several other top Overall runners, the Race Series’ Western States spots drop down to Alissa St Laurent for the women and Kyle Pietari for the men. After a great year at four distances – we will be rooting for them on June 25 as they take on Western.
Rankings for the 9 North American regions, seven age groups and both genders was also hotly contested – check all the scoring at http://ultrarunningraceseries.com/final-results to see how you stacked up, and if you are in line for one of the prize packages awarded to the top three in every category from Race Series sponsors – 378 prizes in all. If you made the podium please provide your information at http://ultrarunningraceseries.com/dashboard so we can get you your prizes, as well as provide some feedback for us about how your year came together so well.
And don’t forget, scoring for next year’s Race Series is already underway! Starting April 30th, 2016.
Thank you to our 2015-2016 Sponsors:
Maggie Tides Design, Amphipod, Nathan, Drymax Socks, GU, Tailwind Nutrition, Nipeaze.