Many individuals who comply with ultrarunning anticipated Ruth Croft (New Zealand) and Daniel Jones (New Zealand) to win the Tarawera by UTMB 102k on Saturday, February 17, in New Zealand.
In any case, the 2022 Western States 100 winner Croft’s final race was a dominant win on the Extremely-Path Cape City 100k this previous November, and Jones, the defending champion, is coming off a powerful 2023 that included a Twelfth-place end at UTMB and fifth-place end on the Western States 100. Mix that with operating your nation’s largest extremely and the additional consideration that brings, and there was no scarcity of strain and expectation on the Kiwi duo.
However Croft and Jones appeared to thrive on it, as they each took residence commanding wins of their respective races via the luxurious forests and cascading waterfalls of Rotorua, a metropolis on New Zealand’s North Island. It was each runners’ second wins at Tarawera, with Croft successful in 2021 and Jones victorious final yr.
Beginning beneath a morning fog, 726 runners started their approach via the 63.5-mile course that featured greater than 10,000 toes of elevation acquire. The temperatures climbed because the race wore on even with respectable cloud protection, with many runners — Croft amongst them — utilizing sponges soaked in chilly water, amongst different methods, to chill off.
Since its inception 15 years in the past, the Tarawera 102k has attracted a few of the sport’s high expertise and served as a bellwether of kinds for the upcoming extremely calendar. After Croft and Jones’ convincing wins, it’s arduous to not imagine they’re destined for an additional sturdy yr.
Learn on for the total race particulars.
[Editor’s Note: This article was written by guest contributor Robbie Harms.]
2024 Tarawera by UTMB 100k Ladies’s Race
Ruth Croft entered the primary checkpoint at Lake Rotokakahi about 13.5 miles into the race within the lead and by no means seemed again. Beth McKenzie (U.S.) was lower than two minutes behind at that time, however Croft’s lead grew steadily; by the point they reached the primary Millar Street checkpoint, at simply over a marathon, she led by almost 5 minutes, and by the point she obtained to Lake Tikitapu, it had grown to 11 minutes. McKenzie, an Ironman champion triathlete operating in her first 100k, capped off a robust debut by ending second.
New Zealand’s Nikki Everton was the opposite runner within the combine, operating in third constantly all through the race. Everton improved her end from final yr’s race by an astounding 30 locations to earn a spot on the rostrum and her first top-3 end in an extremely.
This race belonged to Croft, although, and as she methodically constructed her lead it was as much as her to easily hold her composure and never make any errors. She fortunately ran with younger locals who sprinted subsequent to her and loved a number of cold-sponge showers at support stations earlier than crossing the end line first for the second time in three years.
It was Sarah Ludowici (Australia) and Katie Wright (U.Okay., lives in New Zealand) who took fourth and fifth locations within the girls’s race.
Ruth Croft, 2024 Tarawera by UTMB 102k champion. Picture: Cameron McKenzie
2024 Tarawera by UTMB 100k Ladies’s Outcomes
- Ruth Croft (New Zealand) — 9:14:14
- Beth McKenzie (U.S.) — 9:38:03
- Nikki Everton (New Zealand) — 10:26:53
- Sarah Ludowici (Australia) — 10:54:33
- Katie Wright (U.Okay., lives in New Zealand) — 11:12:53
2024 Tarawera by UTMB 100k Males’s Race
Daniel Jones, too, led the race wire-to-wire. On the first checkpoint, he was three minutes forward of final sixth-place finisher Michael Dimuantes (Australia) earlier than protecting his foot on the fuel. He was targeted and intentional at support stations, methodically filling his bottles and cooling himself off to take care of his lead, which grew to double-digit minutes.
Justin Grunewald (U.S.) was his closest challenger all day, operating a sensible and powerful race. He was in fifth on the first checkpoint however made it as much as second by the Okataina checkpoint about 36 miles in, a spot he wouldn’t relinquish. Grunewald, who had two spectacular third-place finishes on the Grindstone by UTMB 100k and the Canyons by UTMB 100k in 2023, completed about 40 minutes behind Jones.
Sage Canaday (U.S.) and Matthew Healy (South Africa) battled for the ultimate podium spot. Canaday moved from seventh to 3rd from miles 13 to 36 earlier than Healy, who stayed within the high 5 the complete race, used a robust stretch from the second Millar Street checkpoint at mile 47 to Lake Tikitapu at mile 54 to maneuver up two locations to 3rd, the place he would stay till he crossed the end line.
Daniel Jones, 2024 Tarawera by UTMB 102k champion. Picture: Cameron McKenzie
2024 Tarawera by UTMB 100k Males’s Outcomes
- Daniel Jones (New Zealand) — 7:46:42
- Justin Grunewald (U.S.) — 8:25:57
- Matthew Healy (South Africa) — 8:58:43
- Sage Canaday (U.S.) — 9:13:06
- Roberto Mastrotto (Italy) — 9:24:37
