WESTERN STATES 100

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See you Squaw… it’s the term and phrase that so many want to here and the only guaranteed entries are for those who place top-10 (male and female) in the previous edition and those who gain places via the Golden Ticket races, UTWT and Ultrarunning Race Series.

Golden Ticket Races

• January 7th — Bandera 100k
• February 4th — Sean O’Brian 100k
• February 18th — Black Canyon 100k
• March 25th — Gorge Waterfalls
• April 1st — Georgia Death Race
• April 15th — Lake Sonoma 50-miles

Of the 20 top-10 male and females from 2016, 19 will return, the only person not to accept a place is Didrik Hermansen who placed 2nd in 16:16:08. That’s a surprise for me as WSER suits this fast runner.

The men’s returning list is as follows:

1. Andrew Miller
2. Will not return
3. Jeff Browning
4. Thomas Lorblanchet
5. Paul Giblin
6. Ian Sharman
7. Chris Mocko
8. Kyle Pietari
9. Chris DeNucci
10. Jesse Haynes

The times for those returning 9 vary from 15:39:36 to 17:12:30.

The ladies’ returning list is as follows:

1. Kaci Lickteig
2. Amy Sproson
3. Devon Yanko
4. Amanda Basham
5. Alissa St Laurent
6. Meghan Arbogast
7. Bethany Patterson
8. Maggie Guteri
9. Jodee Adams Moore
10. Erika Lindland

The times for those returning 10 vary from 17:57:59 to 21:07:40.

Notable entries for 2017 come from ‘Automatics’ (notes here) in addition to the top-10 men/women come from Golden Ticket Races, 6 slots from UTWT and as listed on the WSER Automatics page.

WSER lottery statistics are here

But 250 runners were drawn HERE on December 3rd with 117 automatics. The waitlist is HERE.

The 2017 WSER entrants list is HERE with 332 entries.

Notable names on pre-lottery were:

• Jonas Buud
• Zach Bitter
• Ryan Sandes
• Michael Wardian
• Stephanie Case

Jim Walmsley needs to qualify; I think we can expect him to crush a Golden Ticket race to confirm his 2017 WSER slot.

Other slots:

• 24 tickets will come from the Golden ticket races,
• 6 from UTWT
• 2 places from the Ultraruning Race Series. These slots will go to the top male and female as of April 30th 2017.

HARDROCK 100

Well, Jason Schlarb and Kilian Jornet crossed the line hand-in-hand and they have both confirmed they will return in 2017 to dance once again in the San Juan’s. The only other person guaranteed a slot is Anna Frost – she will be back!

Information HERE.

Hardrock, despite being a small race increasingly is becoming THE race people want to do and that is reflected in almost 2000 applications for 2017.

Entry is down to a lottery but the lottery is broken down into divisions as follows:

• ‘Veterans’ – Runners who have finished more than 5 times.
• ’Everyone Else’ – runners who have completed 1-4 times.
• ‘Nevers’ – As the name implies, runners who have never finished Hardrock.

Hardrock 100 usually has around 150 starters, 2016 edition had 152 and I understand the 2017 edition will be just less than 150.

So, who’s in?

• Caroline Chaverot is a huge draw and I have to say her attendance in the San Juan is an
• exciting prospect. For me, Caroline has been THE ultra-runner of 2016.
• Darcy Piceu missed 2016 and as a 3-time winner, she is the one that ‘Frosty’ will most
• fear and the one that will always challenge for the victory.
• Nathalie Mauclair has won UTMB and excelled at Raid de la Reunion.

Other notable names for the ladies’ – Darla Askew, Rachel Bucklin, Bethany Lewis,

Betsy Kalmeyer and Betsy Nye.

The men’s race is an interesting one with some old and new names.

• Joe Grant is back again to the race he loves, boy does he have some luck with the lottery.
• Mike Foote was 2nd at the 2015 Hardrock.
• Iker Karrera 9th at Hardrock in 2015 but he’s a podium contender for sure.
• Karl Meltzer has been there, done it and won it. This will be a breeze after the AT!
• Adam Campbell, wow, does he have some motivation to be back!
• Mike Wardian just runs and runs and runs, Hardrock will be an interesting one.
• But the biggest interest will come with Zach Miller. We could see fireworks!

Full Entrants List HERE

We can expect other top ranked men to contest this list and then of course there is the ‘waitlisted’ men and ladies who will have a chance to run. HERE.