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Home / Sport

New Zealand ultrarunner Ruth Croft wins 100-mile Western States Endurance Run race in California

NZ Herald
26 Jun, 2022 07:47 AM4 mins to read

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Ruth Croft at the Tarawera Ultramarathon in Rotorua. Photo / File

Ruth Croft at the Tarawera Ultramarathon in Rotorua. Photo / File

New Zealander Ruth Croft was the first woman to cross the finish line of the gruelling Western States Endurance Run in California today, running the 100-mile (160km) race in an astonishing17 hours 21 minutes and 30 seconds.

With this result, the West Coast ultramarathon runner has set the third-fastest time by a woman in the iconic race's 49-year history.

Ruth Croft (@adidas) wins the 2022 Western States 100 in 17:21:30, the third fastest women’s time in race history. Our pre-race interview: https://t.co/DI5rciNPbg #WS100 pic.twitter.com/oGRsqw1DAW

— iRunFar (@iRunFar) June 26, 2022

The Kiwi crossed the finish line with three dinosaurs chasing her.

Not sure anyone can top Ruth Croft’s win with her dinosaurs 😂 #WS100 pic.twitter.com/Iiuidr3tLb

— Heather Balogh Rochfort (@HeatherRochfort) June 26, 2022
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Croft, who hails from the West Coast but currently lives in Wānaka, led the woman's race for several hours before her victory.

Leading the women's race at Pointed Rocks (mile 94.3) is Ruth Croft in 16:13 elapsed. She is switching from a pack to a belt and is out quickly and looking strong. #WS100 pic.twitter.com/FtJmqwC8iE

— iRunFar (@iRunFar) June 26, 2022

Ruth Croft is in the lead at Green Gate (mile 79.8) in 13:30 elapsed. She put on her headlamp and says she hopes she doesn't need it. She looks strong. #WS100 pic.twitter.com/4OH5lBtEW9

— iRunFar (@iRunFar) June 26, 2022

Croft was the first woman finisher of this year's 100-mile race at Western States, and came second overall.

Ruth Croft is the first woman to the river crossing at mile 78 in 13:05 elapsed. She’s looking so strong and having a great time with her pacer Alex Varner. It’s feeling like game, set, match. Our pre-race chat: https://t.co/DI5rciNPbg pic.twitter.com/pOpjMKBCfv

— iRunFar (@iRunFar) June 26, 2022

“Who’s idea was it run 100 miles?” Ruth Croft playfully teases as she approaches Michigan Bluff (mile 55.7) in 9:23. She looks so strong and relaxed. Our pre-race interview: https://t.co/DI5rciNPbg pic.twitter.com/QYiphUe1Q6

— iRunFar (@iRunFar) June 25, 2022

The race was won by Adam Peterman, who finished in 15 hours 13 minutes and 48 seconds.

This was Croft's second stab at the 100-mile distance, after an incredible second place in her first attempt at the distance at Western States last year.

Last year, Croft won the 100km race at the Tarawera Ultramarathon in Rotorua outright and is also a previous winner of the 85km Old Ghost Ultra near her hometown on the West Coast.

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A few months ago, she also won the Kepler 60km race over the Kepler Track in Fiordland.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ruth Croft (@ruthcrofty)

The Kiwi, who got into trail running while living in Taiwan and is now a professional runner, also came second at the World Trail Championship in 2019 and won the 2018 Golden Trail Series run.

The Western States Endurance Run is the oldest - and arguably the most prestigious - 100-mile foot race in the world.

The route goes from Olympic Valley to Auburn in California, in the US. Over the course of 100 miles, runners climb about 5485m (18,000 feet) in scorching heat.

And in 17:21:30, in the third fastest women’s time in the 49 year history of Western States Endurance Run: the women’s champion of our 2022 race, @adidas athlete Ruth Croft. pic.twitter.com/FBX3OYvBan

— Western States 100 (@wser) June 26, 2022
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