The 2025 Western States Endurance Run starts at 5am this Saturday, 28th June from Olympic Valley to Auburn, CA. With Kilian Jornet back on the start line, a women’s field stacked with returning top 10s and rising stars, and legends like Michel Poletti and Jamil Coury running, this year’s race is shaping up to be an interesting one.
Women’s Race: Wide Open and World Class
2025 features a strong and interesting women’s field with returning elites and fresh challengers.
Returning top 10 finishers
- Fu-Zhao Xiang (China) – 2nd in 2023, 3rd in 2024. Fast and consistent.
- Eszter Csillag (Hungary) – 4th last year.
- Emily Hawgood (Zimbabwe) – 4th in 2024.
- Ida Nilsson (Sweden) – 6th in 2024, with loads of mountain experience.
- Heather Jackson (USA) – 10th in 2024, former pro triathlete with deep endurance who, despite winning a 350 mile gravel bike race at the end of May, is a strong contender.
New entries to watch:
Fiona Pascall (UK) – Salomon athlete and winner of the Chianti Ultra Trail Golden Ticket. With strong mountain form and recent international results, she’s a serious top-5 contender.
Debbie Martin-Consani (UK) – A legend of the UK ultra scene, Debbie is making her Western States debut. She brings vast experience over 24-hour and mountain events and has long been one of Britain’s most admired endurance runners. Expect a smart, steady performance and she’ll be a huge inspiration for European fans following the race.
Listen to our podcasts with both these ladies where we talk about their hopes for WSER.
Men’s Race: The GOAT Returns
Kilian Jornet (37, Spain) returns to Western States for the first time since his 2011 victory, having claimed a Golden Ticket at Chianti Ultra Trail earlier this year. With his injury now behind him, he’ll line up as a clear favourite and global headline act.
Top contenders joining him
- Rod Farvard (USA) – 2nd in 2024 (14:24), fast and fearless.
- Dan Jones (NZ) – 5th in 2024, with a podium at CCC and win at Tarawera.
- Caleb Olson & Chris Myers (USA) – Young and dangerous; both top 10 in 2024.
- Adam Peterman, David Roche, Vincent Bouillard – All Golden Ticket runners with the potential to disrupt the podium. David Roche in particular is in great form after winning Leadville and Javelina.
- Jamil Coury (USA) also returns 15 years after his first WSER in 2009, bringing with him a huge following and a deep-rooted love of the sport.
Trail Legacy: Poletti at 70
A unique story in this year’s race is the entry of Michel Poletti (France) — co-founder of UTMB who will run aged 70.
His participation comes not just as a competitor, but as a bridge between trail communities; now WSER is part of the UTMB World Series perhaps a gesture of sportsmanship and mutual respect between European and American ultra cultures.
Final Thoughts
This year’s Western States Endurance Run isn’t just packed, it has stories to pull us in.
Whether it’s Kilian chasing history, Fiona Pascall and Debbie Martin-Consani representing British endurance on American trails, or Michel Poletti proving age is no limit, this race has emotion, talent, and global energy in equal measure.
We’ll be watching the canyons, river crossings, and Robie Point to see where the legends rise and where new ones are born; who will you be watching?
Photos courtesy of Ultra Running Sam
