The Golden Trail World Series ended in Muju, South Korea, on a technical 29km course with 2,441 metres of climbing. Morocco’s Elhousine Elazzaoui won the men’s race in 2:49:14 to secure the overall series title for a third consecutive year. Kenya’s Patrick Kipngeno was second in 2:49:58, with his compatriot Timothy Kibett third in 2:50:48.
In the women’s race, held a day earlier, Iceland’s Andrea Kolbeinsdóttir won in 3:19:56, nearly six minutes clear of Romania’s Mădălina Florea, who was second in 3:25:46. Florea’s runner-up finish was enough to win the overall series for a second year running. Mexico’s Miriam Morales completed the podium in 3:29:12.
Elsewhere in the mountains, the Skyrunner World Series stopped at the Sobrescobio Skyrace in Spain’s Redes Natural Park, the final event before the Skymasters finale. Frédéric Tranchand of France won the men’s 30km in 2:39:07, a course record, and Spain’s Sara Alonso set a record of her own in 3:13:55, almost ten minutes ahead of Greta García.
The biggest headline came from the Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra World Team Championships, where the United States won the team title. Mark Dowdle and Jon Noll were the last American runners, with Dowdle finishing on 107 yards. Belgium’s Ivo Steyaert and Merijn Geerts carried on after the US had finished and completed 124 yards together, more than 516 miles in just over five days.
That total beats Phil Gore’s 119-yard record from 2025 and is the third time the Belgian pair have set a backyard ultra record, following 2022 and 2024. Further down the calendar, Puglia by UTMB, the Canyonlands Ultra and Cactus Rose all produced winners this weekend, with Nicolas Thomas taking the 140km in Italy in 12:15.