Women’s ultrarunning GOAT Courtney Dauwalter got back to winning ways in the 120km race at the stunningly scenic La Sportiva Lavaredo Ultra Trail by UTMB in Italy as Ben Dhiman made it an American double with a course-record performance in the men’s event.
Dauwalter collected a rare DNF last time out at the Cocodona 250 but stepping markedly back down in distance here – albeit with an elevation gain of nearly 6,000 metres to contend with – she was in control throughout the women’s race and came home well clear of compatriot Alyssa Clark.
Dhiman meanwhile has based himself near the Pyrenees in recent years and it’s paying spectacular dividends as he’s become a runner who absolutely thrives in the high mountains.
He moved into the lead inside the opening 30km and went on to smash the previous best time with an incredible 11:49:16 to follow up April’s win at the Grand Raid Ventoux by UTMB.
Read on to find out how things played out…
Women’s race – All about the GOAT
The race started at 11pm local time at the Cortina d’Ampezzo ski resort in the Italian Dolomites and featured incredible views towards the three distinctive battlement-like peaks of Tre Cime di Lavaredo as the sun came up.
And Dauwalter was in the front rank from the outset.
Clark (USA) and Marina Cugnetto (ITA) were her closest challengers for much of the race but by the second half Dauwalter was almost a checkpoint ahead of the pair.
Cugnetto would drop out of contention in the last 30km and by the Mondeval checkpoint with 13km remaining Dauwalter’s advantage over Clark was just over 30 minutes, with Luisa Dematteis a very distant third at that point.
That meant Dauwalter was able to enjoy the largely downhill finish back to Cortina d’Ampezzo and she crossed the line in 14:14:40, a few minutes outside Rosanna Buchauer’s course record 14:09:23 from 12 months ago.
Just under half an hour behind in second was Clark at 14:43:51, with Poland’s Karolina Wierzchowiak overhauling Dematteis late on for third.
Men’s race – Dhiman hits new high
In the men’s race French-based American Dhiman made it two big wins out of two in 2025 with another superb display.
The Asics runner lives in south west France, with the Pyrenees on his doorstep and once again he showed he thrives when races hit the high mountains.
Last time out in late April he took first place in the Grand Raid Ventoux by UTMB and here he was content to let the likes of Antoine Charlovin (FRA) and Andreas Reiterer (ITA) set the early pace here before taking over at the head of affairs after the 28km mark at the Passo Tre Croci checkpoint.
He was in charge from then on but there was never much between himself and Raul Butaci (ROM) and Reiterer.
When the line came, Dhiman stopped the clock in 11:49:16, the only person in the race to dip under 12 hours for the 122km – and eight minutes quicker than the previous course record.
Butaci was next at 12:02:09, just in front of Reiterer at 12:05:24.
La Sportiva Lavaredo Ultra Trail by UTMB 2025, 122km – Friday 27th / Saturday 28th June 2025
RESULTS – WOMEN
- Courtney Dauwalter (USA) – 14:14:40
- Alyssa Clark (USA) – 14:43:51
- Karolina Wierzchowiak (POL) – 16:19:57
RESULTS – MEN
- Ben Dhiman (USA) – 11:49:16
- Raul Butaci (ROM) – 12:02:09
- Andreas Reiterer (ITA) – 12:05:24
