Bigfoot 200: Former winner and Cocodona podium finisher in contention for 2023 crown

The 2023 Bigfoot 200 will feature several esteemed runners as over 200 competitors compete for glory in the 208-mile ultra in Washington, USA.

The men’s field for the point-to-point through the Cascade Mountains boasts 178 entrants, while 57 will do battle in the women’s event.

The women’s race is poised to be an intriguing affair, with a stacked start list including a host of decorated athletes.

Stacked women’s field

Most notably, the 2021 winner Mika Thewes returns – she finished in 76:15:57 to take victory two years ago and is back for the first time since that triumph.

It is her fifth Bigfoot 200 this year, having achieved top-eight finishes in 2015 and 2017 before taking third in 2019.

Thewes was also third at the Cocodona 250 in May and won the Many on the Genny 45-miler last month.

She won the Tahoe 200 last year, and has twice finished second at that race, which forms part of the Triple Crown along with Bigfoot 200 and the Moab 240, where she took ninth in 2017.

Aliza Lapiere is another big name at this year’s Bigfoot 200 and is a vastly experienced runner. It is her first time at the race, but she has won the Vermont 100 and finished on the podium at Western States and Leaville 100. Lapiere took second ahead of Thewes at Cocodona in May.

Sally McRae and Gill Fowler are two more accomplished runners set to toe the start line at Bigfoot 200.

McRae is gunning for the Triple Crown after finishing third at last month’s Tahoe 200. She was fourth at Cocodona this year and won the notoriously tough Badwater 135 in 2021.

Meanwhile, Fowler was sixth at the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) in 2013 and has been regular at the Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB 100K over the years, taking fourth in 2014.

Further leading contenders include Marisa Toth, who won the Orcas Island Trail races last year, and Nicole Diedrick who, claimed victory in the Infinitus 100 in May.

Tough to call

On the men’s side, Chris Crowley will be one to watch among an array of runners boasting successes across the USA.

He won the Georgia Death Race 74-miler earlier this year and was fifth at the Vermont 100 in 2022.

Todd Nott is also expected to go well – the veteran’s staggering list of completed races features two top-10 finishes at Badwater, including this year, which has also brought victories at Crown of the Crest, Double Down and Psycho Psummer Toto Run.

Another to keep an eye on is Ryan Shephard, who triumphed at the BC Backyard Ultra in April and clinched third at the Javelina Jundred last year.