2025 Hardrock 100 Endurance Run - Race Preview

Big loopin' in the San Juans.

This year will be the 30th edition of the Hardrock 100 Endurance Run, this year being run in the counterclockwise direction (the race switches direction with every edition). Starting in Silverton, this loop direction passes through the towns of Animas Forks, Ouray and Telluride in sequence, before returning to the start 102.5 miles later, and after having ascended and descended 66,394 feet in total. Last year’s men’s champion and clockwise direction record holder Ludovic Pommeret returns to defend his crown, while a new women’s champion will be crowned with Courtney Dauwalter, the reigning women’s champion and course record holder absent from this year’s start list.

In this direction, course record marks are held by Aurelien Dunand-Pallaz (France), set in 2023 (23:00:30, with major elapsed timing milestones as: Animas Forks 8h50m, Ouray 11h31m and Telluride 15h14m), and Courtney Dauwalter (USA), also set in 2023 (26:14:12, with major elapsed timing milestones as: Animas Forks 10h15m, Ouray 13h24m and Telluride 17h29m).

The race starts at 6am MDT local time (5am PDT / 8am EDT / 1pm BST) on Friday July 11, 2025, and will be livestreamed on the Mountain Outpost YouTube channel.

Let’s examine some of this year’s top competitors below (in alphabetical order):

Women’s Field

Becky Bates (British Columbia) - Three-time top ten finisher of Hardrock, and top ten finishes at IMTUF 100, High Lonesome 100 and Run Rabbit Run 100 over the past 5 years.

Manon Bohard Cailler (France) - Reigning champion of the Grand Raid Réunion - La Diagonale des Fous, and with wins at the TDS at UTMB and Madeira Island Ultra Trail over her young career.

Stephanie Case (Canada, living in France) - Second place finisher of the 2022 Hardrock 100. Three-time top five finisher at the Tor des Géants, in addition to being the current course record holder at its sister race, the 450k Tor des Glaciers. Recently won the Snowdonia by UTMB 100k.

Lee Conner (Ohio) - Three-time Cruel Jewel 100 podium finisher, including a win. Also a three-time top 5 finishers at the Hellbender 100, including two podiums. Champion of the inaugural Jigger Johnson 100 in 2023.

Uxue Fraile (Spain) - Five-time UTMB finisher, including three podiums (2015, 2016, 2018), and most recently champion of the 2023 Ehunmilak Ultra-Trail 168k.

Katharina Hartmuth (Germany) - Debuted at Hardrock in 2024 with the twelfth fastest time in race history in the clockwise direction, in just over 30 hours. Last year Katharina went on to win Tor des Géants in a course record time, and was previously the second place finisher in the 2023 UTMB Mont Blanc, only behind Courtney Dauwalter in her record setting finish.

Shelby Johnson (North Carolina) - Top ten finisher at the Leadville 100 in 2022, and a second place finisher at the Grindstone by UTMB 100 miler in 2023.

Aliza Lapierre (Vermont) - New England ultrarunning legend, with five Western States top ten finishes, and two Leadville 100 top ten finishes. More recently has dove into the 200+ mile distance with podium finishes at both the Cocodona 250 and Bigfoot 200 in 2023.

Maria “Majo” Liao (Philippines) - Seven time (!!!) winner of the Hardrock qualifying race “Hardcore Hundred Miles” in the Philippines, including a six year streak of consecutive wins from 2014-2019.

Katie Schide (Maine, living in France) - Reigning UTMB champion (with two career wins) and current course record holder; career has been highlighted with wins at Western States, Grand Raid Réunion - La Diagonale des Fous, Madeira Island Ultra Trail 115k and Marathon du Mont Blanc 90k, among others.

Maria Semerjian (France) - Two time top ten finisher at the Grand Raid Réunion - La Diagonale des Fous, and top ten finishes in her career at the Madiera Island Ultra Trail 115k, Swiss Alps 100, Ehunmilak Ultra-Trail 168k and UTMB (twice).

Amber Weibel (California) - Ninth place in the 2024 Hardrock 100, and a top ten finisher at High Lonesome 100 and IMTUF 100. Podium finisher at the 2024 Swiss Alps 100.

Men’s Field

David Ayala (Montana) - Three-time winner of the IMTUF 100 (2024, 2018, 2016), and two-time second place finisher of the Bighorn 100.

Mathieu Blanchard (France) - Reigning men’s champion of the Grand Raid Réunion - La Diagonale des Fous, and has had three top five finishes (including two podiums) at the UTMB Mont Blanc. Earlier this year, Mathieu completed the brutal 600km Yukon Arctic Ultra.

Brian Culmo (Utah) - Top ten finisher in the Hardrock 100 in 2023 (in the same direction of this year’s race). Brian is the current record holder of the Hellgate 100k, and holds the joint record for most laps (13) of Grandeur Peak during the 24-hour Running Up for Air (RUFA) event in Salt Lake City.

Kyle Curtin (Colorado) - Current record holder of the supported Colorado Trail FKT (East to West, Collegiate West), and is a previous (two time!) top ten finisher at the Tor des Geants, including the third fastest finish by an American in race history. Kyle also has recent top results at the Tushars 70k, Jemez Mountain 50, Cruel Jewel 50, San Juan Solstice 50, Hellbender 100 and Western States 100.

Hannes Gehring (Colorado) - First time Hardrock 100 starter, with notable historical results that includes a win at the Fat Dog 120, and top ten results at the Leadville 100, Run Rabbit Run 100 and podium finishes at the Cloudsplitter 100 and High Lonesome 100.

Germain Grangier (France) - Three-time UTMB Mont Blanc top ten finisher, including a podium finish in 2023. More recently finished second at the Grand Raid Réunion - La Diagonale des Fous in 2024, and has had other career victories at races including the Marathon du Mont Blanc 90k, Ultra-Trail Côte d'Azur 130k and the MaXi-Race.

Isaiah Hemmen (Washington) - Top ten finishes at the HURT 100, Plain Endurance 100, Scout Mountain Ultras 100, Orcas Island 100 and Fat Dog 120.

Gabe Joyes (Wyoming) - Fourth place finisher at the 2017 Hardrock 100, and has historically recorded top ten finishes at Orcas Island 100 (win!), Wasatch 100, Leadville 100, Run Rabbit Run 100, Scout Mountain Ultras 100, High Lonesome 100, IMTUF 100, and this year, at the Canyons by UTMB 100 miler.

Zach Miller (Colorado) - Was scheduled to race this last year as one of “Dale’s Picks” (his second , but dealt with appendicitis the week prior - will be making his Hardrock debut. Four-time top ten finisher of the UTMB Mont Blanc, including a second place finish in 2023.

Ludovic Pommeret (France) - Defending champion and course record holder in the clockwise race direction (set last year). Has run the “Softrock” (doing the Hardrock course over a 3-4 day period at a non-race pace) twice in this years build, mirroring his preparation for last year’s race. Over his career, has four top five finishes at the UTMB Mont Blanc, including a win in 2016.

Chris Roberts (Missouri) - Doing the Western States-Hardrock double, having just finished a hair over 20 hours two weeks ago in Auburn. Recent impressive results include ten finishes at the Hellgate 100k (eight of which were in the top ten), six finishes at the Grindstone by UTMB 100 miler (four of which were in the top five), and top finishes at the Hellbender 100, HURT 100 and Old Dominion 100. Completed 50 yards (laps) at Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra (233.33 miles) in 2024.

Jeff Rome (Colorado) - Three-time Hardrock finisher, including a top five finish last year and a podium in 2018. Jeff is a Silverton local, likely with intimate knowledge of the trails.

John Tidd (American, living in Spain) - Six-time UTMB finisher, including a top ten placement over a decade ago. Also a two-time finisher of the Tor des Géants.

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Who did I miss? Who are you rooting for?