2025 Broken Arrow 46k- Race Preview

The country's best compete for a spot at the World Championships in Spain later this summer.

The USA Track and Field (USATF) Short Trail Team will be selected at this year’s Broken Arrow 46k race, with the top 3 eligible men and women’s finishers being offered a spot on the team, as well as 3 additional men’s and women’s spots which will be allocated based on running resumes. The route for the Broken Arrow 46k course follows the same route as the 23k, and runners will loop the course twice, taking on nearly 2800m (9000ft) of elevation gain between these two laps. David Sinclair is the men’s course record holder for the current iteration of the course, running 4:01:08 in 2024, while Toni McCann set a record mark of 4:52:34 in last year’s race – both times should be under threat this year with two incredibly deep and competitive fields assembled. The race has an early start on Saturday June 21, kicking off from the village in Olympic Valley at 7:00am local time. Unfortunately, unlike the Ascent and 23k races, I don’t believe there will be a live stream for the 46k race.

As with the other previews in this series, this race preview will also be available IN PRINT (!!) as part of “The Trail Times” which can be found throughout the Lake Tahoe area during the Broken Arrow and Western States Weeks at outdoor retailers, hotels and restaurants throughout the area including @coffeebar, @pacostruckee, @alpenglowsports, @fleetfeetfolsomroseville and @tahoemountainsports. Grab a copy and support the team at Freetrail with this initiative!

Let’s take a look at some of the top contenders in this year’s race, listed in alphabetical order:

Women’s Field

Tabor Hemming (Colorado) – Three consecutive top five finishes, including two podium results, at the Broken Arrow 23k. Recently set the course record at the Big Alta 50k, and finished second at the and Canyons Endurance Runs by UTMB 50k.

Jennifer Lichter (Montana) – Champion of the 2022 Broken Arrow 46k, three-time winner of the Run the Rut 50k, and two-time winner of the Transgrancanaria Marathon.

Jane Maus (Utah) – Previous champion of the Quad Rock 50 and Silver Alpine Runs Marathon. Podium finisher at the Never Summer 100k, Javelina Jundred 100k and Lake Sonoma 50.

Helen Mino Faukner (California) – Winner of the 2023 Broken Arrow 46k, and second place at the 2021 46k race. Third place finish at the UTMB Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix (CCC) 100k race in 2023, and recent champion at the Speedgoat by UTMB 50k and Kodiak Ultra Marathons by UTMB 50k.

Dani Moreno (California) – Two-time top ten finisher (including a podium result) at the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) Orsières-Champex-Chamonix (OCC) 55k, podium finisher at the Marathon du Mont Blanc (2022) and recent wins in the 50k race at both the Kodiak Ultra Marathons by UTMB and Canyons Endurance Runs by UTMB.

Grayson Murphy (Montana) – Reigning World Champion of the Mountain Classic race at the 2023 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships (WMTRC), racing at beyond the marathon distance for the first time.

Klaire Rhodes (Alaska) – Second place finish at the 2024 Broken Arrow 46k, and champion of the 2024 Run the Rut 50k. Recently qualified for the USATF Long Trail team, with a podium finish at the Gorge Waterfalls 100k in the third fastest time in race history.

Emily Schmitz (Wisconsin) – Top five finishes at each of the UTMB OCC 55k and CCC 100k races, and a top ten finisher at the Long Trail race, representing the US at the 2023 WMTRC. Podium finisher at the
Chianti Ultra Trail by UTMB 73k this past March.

Emmeliese von Avis (Montana) - Top ten finisher at the UTMB CCC 100k race in the previous two races, and a fifth-place finisher at the 2023 Broken Arrow 46k. [Withdrawn as of June 18].

Additional Athletes to Watch: Linday Allison, Olivia Amber, Sarah Biehl, Addie Bracy, Ashley Brasovan, Jessica Brazeau, Sarah Carter, Claire Devoe, Kasie Enman, Robyn Lesh, Sam Lewis, Ruby Lindquist, Kimber Mattox, Mali Noyes, Denali Strabel.

Men’s Field

Eli Hemming (Colorado) – Became the first American male to win the UTMB OCC 55k in 2024. Previous champion (and twice second place finisher) of the Broken Arrow 23k. Recent wins at the Big Alta 50k and Canyons Endurance Runs by UTMB 50k.

David Sinclair (Vermont) – Two-time champion and current course record holder of the Broken Arrow 46k; his win in 2022 was followed by additional wins in subsequent months at the Speedgoat by UTMB 50k and Run the Rut 50k. Last fall, ran a record setting time at the JFK 50.

Nick Handel (California) – Three-time top ten finisher at the Broken Arrow 46k, including two previous third place finishes. Second fastest all time at the Quad Dipsea, including three race wins.

Michelino Sunseri (Idaho) – Winner of the 2023 Broken Arrow 46k, and a second-place finish in 2019. Three-time champion at the Run the Rut 50k. [Withdrawn as of June 18].

Jonathan Aziz (Colorado) – Three-time winner of the Pikes Peak Marathon, and previous member of the USATF Short Trail team, competing at the 2023 WMTRC.

Tracen Knopp (Alaska) – Second place at the Gorge Waterfalls 100k, earning him a spot on this year’s USATF Long Trail Team for the WMTRC. Previous top 5 results at the Chuckanut 50k, JFK 50, Lake Sonoma 50 and Mammoth Trailfest 50k.

Brian Whitfield (Colorado) – Numerous top results at competitive marathon and 50k races in the southwest, including Black Canyon Ultras 50k, Desert Rats by UTMB 50k, Moab Trail Marathon and Moab Red Hot Ultra 55k, among others.

Jeff Colt (Colorado) – Finished just off the podium at the Gorge Waterfalls 100k this past April in an extremely strong field. Has had impressive performances across a variety of ultra distances, including at Western States, UTMB Mont Blanc, Bandera 100k, Black Canyon Ultras 100k, among others.

Jeshurun Small (Colorado) – Winner of the hotly contest Black Canyon Ultras 50k earlier this season. Notable results include a win at the Eiger Ultra Trail by UTMB 54k, a second place at the Ultra-Trail Cape Town 56k and top five finishes at Transvulcania 73k and UTMB OCC 55k.

Cole Campbell (Nevada) – Two consecutive top ten finishes at the Broken Arrow 46k. Course record holder of the Dead Horse Ultra 50k, and second fastest all-time at the Behind the Rocks Ultra 50k.

Additional Athletes to Watch:, Ryan Becker, Robbie Britton, Preston Cates, Garrett Corcoran, Coleman Cragun, Finnian Jacobson-Schute, Liam Meirow, David Norris, Adam Merry, Cade Michael, Eddie Owens.

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As always, the above names are based on what’s listed on Ultrasignup at the time of publishing listing, so bear with me regarding any misses/errors. In fact, feel free to tell me who I’ve missed in the comments!