French-based American ultrarunning sensation Katie Schide added to her budding resumé with a third-place finish at the French Cross-Country Championships in Challans, Vendée on Sunday.
The 2024 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) champion was in emphatic form last term as she claimed UTMB’s biggest crown in addition to securing Western States Endurance Run and The Canyons Endurance Runs by UTMB glory.
And she has now started the 2025 campaign in solid fashion with a cross-country bronze in the French Championship. She finished behind short-course triathlon star Léonie Périault and French long-distance talent Marie Bouchard.
‘XC is truly the best’
Katie posted on Instagram following the performance, discussing how much she enjoyed the competition:
“Already spent way too long trying to find a cool way to describe how much fun I had this weekend but I’m out of time.
“Loved this opportunity to race with women who inspire me from a variety of disciplines and see how we all played our cards on game day. XC is truly the best.
“Proud of my team of niçoises who did my hair, let me teach them how to make eggs in the microwave, gave lots of advice for my first national meet, and finished 9th 🙌🏼”
Her performance follows on from a 10K PB earlier in January of 35:45. She is set to spend the season competing with fellow American Courtney Dauwalter as the two giants of the sport do battle.
Schide is yet to reveal her full schedule, but she is due to be on the start line at Hardrock 100 in July – a race won by Dauwalter in 2024 – one of her five victories in a perfect campaign.
