Abby Hall, Anna Gibson and Dani Moreno are set to line up in a compelling women’s 50K at HOKA Kodiak Ultra Marathons by UTMB, while Roberto Delorenzi and Eli Hemming headline the men’s field.
California’s Big Bear Lake hosts the event from 8–11 October, with the 50K providing a particular highlight on a weekend which also features strong fields over 100K and 100 miles.
There is more than race victory at stake. Kodiak returns for its second edition as the UTMB World Series Major in the Americas, offering double Running Stones and automatic qualification opportunities for the 2027 World Series Finals.
There will be changes across the Majors from 2027 but that doesn’t kick in for this event.
Nearly 2,700 runners are expected across the weekend. Here’s who to watch, when the main races start and how to follow the action.
Kodiak 2026 dates and start times
The event runs from Thursday 8 to Sunday 11 October, with the three principal ultra races starting on Friday and Saturday.
The 100M gets under way at Rim Nordic Ski Area on Friday afternoon, while the 100K and 50K start from the Village of Big Bear Lake on Saturday morning.
| Race | Date | Local start (PDT) | UK start (BST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100M | Friday 9 October | 1pm | 9pm |
| 100K | Saturday 10 October | 6am | 2pm |
| 50K | Saturday 10 October | 7:30am | 3:30pm |
These timings follow the organisers’ official event schedule, which specifies a revised 7:30am start for the 50K.
How to watch Kodiak live
The 50K and 100K races will be shown live on Saturday 10 October, with free coverage available at UTMB Live.
English and French commentary will be available, alongside race footage, LiveTrail statistics and tracking information, plus live chat and guest appearances.
What are the courses like?
Big Bear’s mountain trails provide a mix of alpine forest, rocky terrain and sweeping lake views. The longer races also visit Sugarloaf Mountain, whose summit sits at almost 10,000ft.
The 50K starts and finishes in Big Bear Village. An early climb up Snow Summit leads onto the rolling singletrack of Skyline Trail, with granite boulders and ridge sections adding variety along the way.
The 100K explores the South Shore trails, including Sugarloaf Mountain and Skyline Trail, while the 100M makes a circuit of Big Bear Valley, taking in a section of the Pacific Crest Trail.
Much of the 100M is run above 7,000ft, adding altitude to the challenge of its distance and climbing.
| Race | Actual distance | Elevation gain |
|---|---|---|
| 50K | 49km | 1,325m |
| 100K | 99.7km | 3,121m |
| 100M | 161km | 4,876m |
50K: Hall, Gibson and Moreno lead the women’s contenders
The women’s 50K is the weekend’s standout contest, with three leading American names giving the home supporters plenty to follow.
The 2025 Western States winner Abby Hall has the highest UTMB Index of the trio at 808, ahead of Anna Gibson on 791 and Dani Moreno on 769.
Those figures offer a guide to the field, but the race itself will be decided on Big Bear’s trails, with the opening climb and subsequent rolling terrain presenting different challenges.
In the men’s race, Switzerland’s Roberto Delorenzi and American Eli Hemming are closely matched on the UTMB Index – 919 and 916 respectively.
Spain’s Miquel Corbera Rubio, with an Index of 888, adds another strong European contender to the contest.
100K: Brinks and Kersh among the leading names
Germany’s Lotti Brinks heads the women’s contenders, arriving after a fifth-place finish at this year’s Western States.
Her UTMB Index of 803 places her ahead of Colorado-based New Zealander Juliette Soule, on 744, and American Jenna Bensko, on 740.
The men’s field features Stephen Kersh and Gavin Prior, with UTMB Index figures of 875 and 864, alongside Spain’s Jose Angel Fernandez Jimenez on 855.
100M: Montgomery heads the men’s field
Ryan Montgomery is the leading name in the men’s 100M, following his third-place finish at Western States this year.
The American has the highest UTMB Index in the field at 925, with compatriot Adam Loomis and Colombia’s Jhon Barrera also among his likely rivals.
In the women’s race, Addie Bracy, Helen Mino Faukner and Jaclyn Noshay are the likely favourites – Bracy on 749, ahead of Mino Faukner on 733 and Noshay on 694.
