Western States 100-mile Endurance Run women's results: Schide just spectacular

Katie Schide lit up the 51st edition of the Western States 100-mile Endurance Run with a quite remarkable performance to win the women’s race in emphatic style.

Just 12 months ago the GOAT that is Courtney Dauwalter rewrote the record books when she became the first to smash the 16-hour barrier in the women’s race to claim a new course record in 15:29:34.

That looked like a time which might not be challenged for decades but for much of today’s race – in much hotter conditions – it was under real threat from French-based American Schide, the 2022 UTMB winner.

In the end she crossed the line in 15:46:57 – nearly an hour quicker than her 2023 time, which itself was the previous second quickest!

Schide goes wire to wire

Schide made a statement start when the race began at 5am from Olympic Valley in what were near-perfect conditions.

She was out on her own and would never look back, constantly putting distance between herself and her rivals.

Emily Hawgood (ZIM) was her closest challenger for much of the first half of the race while former IRONMAN triathlon star Heather Jackson (USA) also began brightly.

But as the race wore on – and Schide’s advantage grew – it was Chinese duo Fuzhao Xiang and Chen Lin who moved into second and third.

Agonisingly for the latter an ankle issue saw her exit the race at the Rucky Chucky aid station with 22 miles remaining.

Up front though Schide powered on for a dominant win, reaching the track at Placer High School in Auburn just after sunset.

She was just 17 minutes off Dauwalter’s mark – on a day when the high temperatures tested everyone out on the trails.

And she only just missed out on the top 10 of the overall on a day when Jim Walmsley won a battle for the ages to claim a fourth Western States title.

Katie Schide after winning the 2022 UTMB — Katie Schide added a Western States win to her UTMB title [Photo credit: UTMB]

While they were all overshadowed by Schide’s heroics, there were still some of the fastest women’s times in Western States history in behind, with all of the top six going under 17 hours.

Fuzhao Xiang was a clear second in 16:20:03, Eszter Csillag (HUN) third in 16:42:17, Hawgood fourth at 16:48:43, Yngvild Kaspersen (NOR) fifth in 16:50:39 and Ida Nilsson (SWE) rounding out the six at 16:50:39.

There was also a great run in seventh – and first Western States finish – for former pro IRONMAN triathlete Jackson in 17:16:43.