2022 Western States 100 Women’s Race
Last year’s winner Beth Pascall was absent from the start list for 2022, but there was still plenty of talent toeing the line. Six of last year’s top 10 made the final starting list, including hot favorite and previous second-place finisher, New Zealand’s Ruth Croft (pre-race interview) and last year’s seventh-place woman Emily Hawgood (pre-race interview), who was believed to be capable of ruffling some feathers on her second attempt.
Outside of the returning top runners, this year’s start list also featured 100-mile world record holder Camille Herron, former podium finisher Lucy Bartholomew (Australia), and second-place woman at last year’s UTMB, France’s Camille Bruyas (pre-race interview).
Herron was first to the top of the Escarpment, the race’s high point at mile 3.5, with Ellie Pell hot on her heels. They were followed by Keely Henninger, Poland’s Dominika Stelmach, Katie Asmuth (pre-race interview), Canada’s Marianne Hogan (pre-race interview), Lindsey Hagen, and Camille Bruyas, all within a couple of seconds of each other. Hawgood followed along in ninth position, followed by Switzerland’s Luzia Buehler (pre-race interview) in 10th.
The race had yet to space out at Lyon Ridge at mile 10, with Stelmach, Herron, and Hogan coming in together, closely followed by Henninger, Hawgood, Asmuth, and Pell.
By Red Star Ridge at mile 15, Croft had begun to make her presence felt and climbed up the field to fourth position. Hogan led the field into Duncan Canyon, mile 24, just 20 seconds clear of Stelmach in second, then Hawgood, Henninger, and Croft.
By Robinson Flat, mile 30, Hawgood and Croft had moved up to share the lead and they continued to run together through mile 38, which they passed just under course record pace. Stelmach followed about 90 seconds back in third, a minute clear of Henninger in fourth. Herron had moved back to seventh position but still looked good.
The two leaders were still together at Devil’s Thumb, mile 47, but shortly after Croft managed to break away and ran through Deadwood Cemetery, mile 49.5, seven minutes back of course record pace. Hawgood came through just 30 seconds later, still looking happy and fresh and Henninger looked strong in third, 1:15 back from Croft.
The top two remained the same through mile 62, Foresthill, but Herron had begun to fight back and moved up to third position, about 18 minutes back from the leader and four minutes clear of Ailsa Macdonald in fourth. By the Rucky Chucky river crossing, mile 78, Croft had further extended her lead, but the real action was taking place behind her, with Macdonald making moves and climbing up to second place, 24 minutes back from Croft and three clear of Hawgood. Then with 10 miles to go at Quarry Road, Marianne Hogan, who had never been too far out of the frame, made a push and climbed up to third position.
Croft sealed the deal with a 17:21:30 finish to take the win, the third fastest women’s time on record. Macdonald finished impressively close, just 25 minutes back in 17:46:46. Marianne Hogan took the final podium spot in 18:08:32, less than three minutes clear of Buehler in fourth, in a race that really wasn’t over ‘til it was over.
Hawgood, who ran a brave race, finished fifth in 18:16:02, almost an hour better than her previous time. We expect there will be more to come from her if she takes her place on the 2023 start line.
Leah Yingling was sixth in 18:32:31, and Taylor Nowlin, who had a strong second half, took seventh in 18:46:42. Herron, who’s had bad luck in this race before, had a strong eighth place finish in 18:51:54 and Asmuth and Bruyas rounded out the top 10 in 19:30:26 and 19:34:24 respectively. Overall, 11 women broke 20 hours this year, with Anne-Marie Madden finishing just outside the top 10 in 19:38:44.
Women’s DNFs included Bartholomew and Henninger, both due to injury.
By Cal 2 at mile 70, Croft maintained an 11-minute lead on Hawgood, who was continuing to apply pressure, and Macdonald had edged past Herron into third.
posted Sunday June 26th