2025 Broken Arrow Ascent - Race Preview
The most important North American uphill race of the year, hands down.
The Broken Arrow Ascent (formerly the “Broken Arrow Vertical Kilometer”) is back for its 9th edition, kicking off a weekend of racing at Palisades Tahoe on Friday June 20, at 9:30am local time. The uphill 3-mile race climbs 3,000 feet from valley floor to the summit of 9,000-foot Washeshu Peak, and has been a mainstay in recent years as a Classic Uphill race in the World Mountain Running Association World Cup series. This year, the Broken Arrow Ascent also serves as the selection race for the Team USA Vertical Uphill squad, which will compete at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships this September in Canfranc, Spain. The top four American men and women finishers at this race will automatically be selected to represent Team USA at that race. As this year’s Ascent course nearly mirrors last year’s course, Patrick Kipngeno’s (36:21) and Joyce Njeru Muthoni’s (45:39) times serve as the male and female course record marks to best, respectively.
Live coverage will be brought to us by Aravaipa Running via the Mountain Outpost YouTube channel, with live coverage starting 20 minutes before race start on Friday June 20 at 9:10am PDT (12:10pm EDT / 5:10pm BST).
A special note that 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!
There are an incredible number of national and international athletes toeing the line at this years race, a small selection of which we’ll briefly look through below (in alphabetical order).
Women’s Field
Jade Belzberg (Canada) – Three-time top ten finisher at the Broken Arrow Ascent (including a second-place finish in 2023) and earned a second-place finish at the Canadian Mountain Running Championships Vertical race last fall.
Annie Dube (Colorado) – Fourth place finisher in the 2024 Broken Arrow Ascent, and former podium finisher the Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) World Championships in the 3k and 15k.
Anna Gibson (Wyoming) – Champion of the 2023 Broken Arrow Ascent, and second place finisher in last year’s race; previous podium finisher at the 2023 Pikes Peak Ascent. Current fastest known time holder of the Mount Tamalpais ascent in Mill Valley, California.
Hali Hafeman (Colorado) – Fourth place finish at the 2024 Broken Arrow Ascent, and a second-place finish at the Pikes Peak Ascent last year as well. US National Skimo Champion in the Vertical race (and Relay race, alongside Cameron Smith) at the 2025 Wasatch Powderkeg.
Abby Lock (Colorado) – Champion of the 2024 Mammoth Trailfest Dragon Ascent, and top ten finisher at the Broken Arrow Ascent.
Allie McLaughlin (Colorado) – Three-time Pikes Peak Ascent Champion, two-time Broken Arrow Ascent Champion and former World Champion in the Uphill race at the 2022 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships (WMTRC) in Chiang Mai.
Nicole Mericle (Colorado) – Two-time Broken Arrow Ascent finisher, including a top ten finish in 2022. Twelve-time OCR world champion.
Joyce Njeru (Kenya) – Defending champion and current record holder of the Broken Arrow Ascent, who holds numerous top results in top European uphill races (including Piz Tri Vertical and Vertical Nasego).
Allie Ostrander (Colorado) – Former Mount Marathon Champion (including three wins as a Junior, including the still-standing course record) and Olympic Trials finalist in the 5000m and 3000m Steeplechase.
Rachel Tomajczyk (Arizona) –Two time top ten finisher in the Broken Arrow Ascent, and a podium finisher at the 2023 Sunapee Scramble Vertical race. Previously represented Team USA in the Uphill race twice at the WMTRC in 2022 and 2023.
Additional Names to Watch: Jessica Brazeau, Kasie Enman, Lara Hamilton, Sydney Petersen, Ellyse Tinglestad, Tayler Tuttle.
Men’s Field
Christian Allen (Utah) – Fourth-place in the 2024 Broken Arrow Ascent, and podium finisher at the finals of the 2023 Valsir Mountain World Cup at Sky Gran Canaria.
Henri Aymonod (Italy) – Sub-30-minute time on the Fully Vertical Kilometer (VK) in Switzerland (29:56, from 2024) and podium finisher at the 2023 Broken Arrow Ascent.
Lukas Ehrle (Germany) – Podium finisher at the 2024 European Off-Road Championships in both the Uphill and Up-Down races, and champion of the Montemuro Vertical Run last year.
Joe Gray (Colorado) – The most decorated runner in American mountain running history; two-time World Mountain Running Champion and 11-Time USA Mountain Running National Champion.
Kilian Jornet (Spain, living in Norway) – Doubling up the week prior to his start at Western States; significant uphill pedigree, including a world record 28m48s on the Vengetind VK in Norway.
Patrick Kipngeno (Kenya) – Two-time Uphill champion at the WMTRC (2022 and 2023), and reigning champion (and record holder) of the Broken Arrow Ascent.
Philemon Kiriago (Kenya) – Podium finisher in the Uphill race at the 2022 WMTRC in Thailand, and multiple podium finishes at notable European uphill races (including Giir di Mont Uphill and Canfranc-Canfranc Vertical).
David Sinclair (Vermont) – Fourth career start at the Broken Arrow Ascent, which includes a previous second place finish. Top ten finish at the Canadian Mountain Running Championships Vertical race last fall.
Cameron Smith (Colorado) – Champion of the 2022 Broken Arrow Ascent (and top 10 finisher last year). US National Skimo Champion in the Vertical race (and Relay race, alongside Hali Hafeman) at the 2025 Wasatch Powderkeg.
Andy Wacker (Colorado) – Four-time finisher of the Ascent (including two top 10 results), and three-time podium finisher at the Pikes Peak Ascent. Fifth place at the 2025 USA Track and Field (USATF) Up-Down National Championships earlier this month.
Additional Names to Watch: Sam Chelanga, Remi Leroux, Tyler McCandless, Taylor Stack.
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!
Probably gonna beat this drum every time because I believe in her so much, but Sarah Biehl can fly uphill. Just earned a big FKT on Mt Sanitas in Boulder. First crack at an uphill race and excited to see it!