Ruth Croft and Daniel Jones win Tarawera 102K for the fourth time each in the mud
Rain turned New Zealand's biggest ultra into a slog: Croft ran 8:41:11 and Jones 7:31:27, neither near the course records they set a year ago.
Photograph: Lake Tarawera, which the 102 km course passes on its way to Rotorua, by Simeon W, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsThe Tarawera Ultra-Trail by UTMB runs point to point from Kawerau past five lakes to Rotorua, with about 2,300 m of climbing packed into two big hills in the middle. Overnight and race-day rain left the trails sloppy for the 17th edition on Saturday, and it was warm. More than 5,500 runners took part across five distances. Nobody got near a course record.
Daniel Jones started as the favourite and defending champion and was sixth at 42 km, where Jacob Banta of the United States led in 2:56. Jones took the lead back on the first big climb, was alone at Okataina, 58 km, five minutes behind his own record split, and led by 17 minutes at Millar Road. He won in 7:31:27, his fourth Tarawera in a row after 2023, 2024 and 2025. Banta was second in 7:57:39 and Max Yanzick of New Zealand ran down Nick Handel late for third in 8:01:56.
Ruth Croft won the women's race in 8:41:11 for her fourth title, after 2021, 2024 and 2025, and her third in a row. Honoka Akiyama of Japan led at the Lake Tarawera outlet, 28 km, with Croft and Caitlin Fielder 36 seconds back. Croft went on the first climb and was seven minutes clear at 73 km. Fielder closed late for second in 8:45:35, with Akiyama third in 9:00:24 and Holly Ranson fourth.
Croft passed up her Western States Golden Ticket and Fielder already had a place, so the tickets went to Akiyama and Ranson. Banta and Yanzick took the men's.
In the 100-mile TMiler, Simon Cochrane of New Zealand won in 16:26 and Devon Yanko of the United States in 19:58.
Sources: iRunFar; Eastern Bay News; iRunFar.
