Tarawera Ultra-Trail by UTMB 2026 results: Home duo Croft and Jones unbeatable again in T102

The 50km, 102km and 100-mile races at Tarawera Ultra-Trail by UTMB again attracted some of the world’s top trail runners to Aotearoa New Zealand – and performances to match.

It was the second event in the 2026 UTMB World Series, following the Arc of Attrition by UTMB in Cornwall in the UK.

The top three female and male finishers in the TMiler, T102, and T50 qualified directly for the 2027 UTMB World Series Finals in Chamonix, France.

And the T102 race also returns a HOKA Golden Ticket qualifier for the 2026 Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run in California, USA – giving the top two female and male finishers a direct path to the start line.

Here’s how the three races played out…

TMiler

New Zealand’s Simon Cochrane and America’s Devon Yanko claimed the men’s and women’s titles, delivering standout performances across a demanding 100-mile course.

For Cochrane, it was a victory years in the making. After finishing second in 2025 and fifth in 2023 – and with a runner-up finish in the T102 back in 2021 – the Waikato-based athlete finally secured the title he has long been hunting.

Yanko, racing Tarawera for the first time, produced a composed and commanding effort to win the women’s race, demonstrating her class across a course that challenged even the most experienced competitors.

Cochrane crossed the line in 16:26:17, completing a patient and well‑executed performance to become New Zealand’s latest TMiler champion. With last year’s winner Sam Harvey (NZL) forced to withdraw after struggling to keep down nutrition, the men’s race opened up – but Cochrane’s experience and resilience proved decisive.

Japanese duo Yutaro Yokouchi and Takumi Sawayanagi were second and third respectively, more than an hour back.

“This win means everything,” said Cochrane. “It was such a great build-up and then come this morning I was committed to pushing early, making everyone hurt, it was all or nothing. I just decided to go – around 80 kilometres was when I got into the lead by myself and just pushed all the way through that muddy hilly section and I thought, if anyone’s running as quick as that, good on them, but deep down, I didn’t think anyone would be able to catch me through there, and then I picked up my pacer and got the job done.”

In the women’s race, ultra-running legend Yanko delivered a masterclass on her Tarawera debut, taking the lead early and never relinquishing control. Her winning time of 19:58:28 put her comfortably ahead of the field. Australia’s Hannah McRae finished second in 20:25:45, with compatriot Sarah Parkins – third last year – earning another podium in 21:34:06.

“This is my first time [racing at Tarawera]. I have signed up for this race many times, but it’s a really long way to come, so I’ve never actually made it here before now,” said Yanko. “I came prepared from everybody I know who’s raced this race and won this race. They said, ‘it’s so runnable, so nice, so smooth’, and meanwhile I’m here scooting down a hill on my butt in the mud. I was just really happy to finish in those conditions, and winning was just the cherry on top of it.”

T102

New Zealand’s dominant duo Ruth Croft and Daniel Jones have once again proved untouchable on home soil at Tarawera Ultra-Trail by UTMB, each claiming a fourth 102km (T102) title in Rotorua – Croft earning her fourth crown overall, and Jones securing his fourth consecutive victory.

While the pair have made winning look familiar over recent years, their latest efforts were anything but routine. Rainfall across the region left the trails wet, technical, and energy-sapping, turning the races into a battle of attrition.

Croft, the reigning UTMB champion, delivered another world-class run in conditions she described as some of the hardest she’s faced at Tarawera, once again going head-to-head with close friend and fellow Kiwi Caitlin Fielder. Croft completed the 102km course in 8:41:11, just over four minutes ahead of Fielder – who reduced this year’s gap to Croft by two minutes. Japanese runner Honoka Akiyama was overjoyed to cross the finish line in third in 9:00:24.

“I feel like every time I come back it just feels like it gets harder and harder, and especially when you’ve got Caitlin behind you and you know that she’s going to close strong. But yeah, it felt like a very different race today just because of the conditions, but I actually really enjoyed it,” said Croft. “It’s always great racing back in New Zealand and I think today with the conditions being so challenging, it was way worse for the volunteers than us, so it’s just great all the support out on course. It’s always special racing back at home.”

Ruth Croft wins her fourth T102 title at the Tarawera Ultra-Trail by UTMB. Photo - Graeme Murray — Ruth Croft celebrates her win [Photo credit: Graeme Murray]

Jones showed once more why he is one of New Zealand’s best, controlling the T102 men’s race from the front and slowly breaking the competition with his unrelenting pace. Jones took the tape in 7:31:27, more than 26 minutes ahead of Jacob Banta (USA) – the American improving on his return to Tarawera after finishing seventh in the T102 last year. Kiwi Max Yanzick had an outstanding race to finish third in 8:01:56.

“I was going through that race and just trying to stay in the moment,” said Jones. “It’s something that I try and concentrate on, it’s a 100km race, a long way – we started out hot and I thought there’s a long way to go here. It got super tough in the backend, the course was very muddy, but you know, you just keep digging in and making sure that you keep moving forward the best way possible. Getting to the last 10km where it was flat was nice, and then the reception here, coming into the Village Green in Rotorua, that was special for me.”

Jones will now turn his attention to the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run in California, USA, taking place in June. The Kiwi has finished in the top five at Western States for the past three years in a row.

T50

New Zealand’s Sam Macaulay and America’s Robyn Lesh took out the 50km titles.

Macaulay won the men’s T50 in 3:36:23, just two minutes ahead of Charlie Hamilton (AUS) in second. Another Kiwi, Sam Rout, finished third in 3:41:01.

“This is huge. I’ve always dreamt of winning a UTMB race,” said Macaulay. “I really wanted to come here and get a good result, so I’m stoked. It’s an OCC qualification for next year as well, so hopefully I can get out on the mountains and turn out there and have a good day out there too.”

Lesh landed the women’s title after finishing third in this race two years ago.

She took the tape in 4:05:35, seven minutes ahead of Jemima Cooper (GBR) in second, with New Zealand’s Julia Anderson rounding out the podium in 4:19:36.

“I’m feeling really good,” said Lesh. “I raced this race two years ago and Caitlin [Fielder] was like a rockstar just flying up the hills, so I tried to channel her this year. Two more years of training, two more years of experience, and it’s worked out.”