2025 Transvulcania Ladies’s Preview – iRunFar

The enduring 2025 Transvulcania Ultramarathon is again for one more yr, kicking off at 6 a.m. native time on Saturday, Could 10. iRunFar shall be there in individual to convey you up-to-the-minute updates on all of the motion, in addition to earlier than and after athlete interviews. Keep tuned!

The 73-kilometer (45.4-mile) ultramarathon, which has 4,350 meters (14,270 ft) of elevation acquire, takes place on the volcanic island of La Palma, one among Spain’s Canary Islands, located off the northwest coast of Morocco. It has been a staple on the worldwide ultrarunning calendar since its inaugural yr in 2009. The race was briefly part of the UTMB World Sequence in 2022 and 2023 earlier than withdrawing to proceed as an unbiased occasion in 2024. This seems to haven’t any influence on its reputation, because the race continues to attract the most effective of the most effective to the elite discipline and is a bucket checklist occasion for the remainder of us.

The ladies’s race this yr mustn’t disappoint in competitiveness, with headliners together with reigning Transvulcania champion and course file holder, Ruth Croft (New Zealand); two-time path world champion, Blandine L’Hirondel (France); and 2023 Transvulcania winner Martina Valmassoi (Italy).

The depth of the sector may make for an end-to-end battle for podium spots, with final yr’s fourth place lady, Ekaterina Mityaeva (Impartial), and three-time Transvulcania runner-up, Anne-Lise Rousset Séguret (France), additionally billed to race.

As at all times, there are sure to be some surprises. Learn on for particulars on a few of the prime ladies who shall be gracing La Palma’s distinctive trails on Could 10.

Additionally, make sure you take a look at our in-depth 2025 Transvulcania Ultramarathon males’s preview, which publishes tomorrow!

Favorites for the Win

Reigning Transvulcania champion Ruth Croft shall be again to defend her title, after resetting the course file on the 2024 race in a time of 8:02:49. Along with her second place end at UTMB final yr, the New Zealander reasserted herself as one among path and extremely’s world superstars. This yr, she received the 2024 Tarawera 100k for the third time, however turned down the Golden Ticket to the Western States 100, a race she additionally beforehand received in 2022. She’s additionally received the OCC in 2018 and 2019, and the 2023 Extremely-Path Cape City 100k, to call however a number of. Croft has loads of expertise and course data at Transvulcania. Additional to her win final yr, she additionally positioned third there in 2016.

France’s Blandine L’Hirondel has confirmed herself over a spread of distances, however this 45-mile course may be her candy spot. She has been the path world champion twice — in 2019 over the 50k distance, and 2022 over 80k — and European path champion in 2022 over 47k. Ever current on essentially the most aggressive begin traces, she received the OCC in 2021, CCC in 2022, and made her 100-mile debut by inserting third on the 2023 UTMB, which she adopted up with fifth on the occasion final yr. Regardless of transferring into 100 milers, she’s demonstrated she nonetheless has loads of pace, inserting fifth on this yr’s French Cross Nation Championships.

Italian Martina Valmassoi received the 2023 Transvulcania and has had a stack of sturdy ends in aggressive races since then. She thrives in laborious mountain races and was fourth within the 2023 Path World Championships Lengthy Path, received the 2024 Madeira Island Extremely-Path 115k, and took ninth on the 2024 UTMB. With a background in skyrunning and having additionally received the 2022 TDS, La Palma’s vert-y, volcanic trails will certainly play proper into her palms.

Going way back to 2020, France’s Anne-Lise Rousset Séguret has been within the prime two at nearly each race she’s completed, with only a mild smattering of DNFs alongside the best way. Her vary stretches from successful the latest 2025 Path d’Annecy 33k to second on the 2023 Hardrock 100. She additionally positioned second on the 2024 Madeira Island Extremely-Path 115k behind Martina Valmassoi and received the 2023 Wildstrubel 70k. She has loads of expertise on the Transvulcania course, the place she positioned fifth on her debut in 2014, and second in 2016, 2017, and 2019. She is going to absolutely be seeking to convert all these second place finishes right into a win.

Impartial athlete Ekaterina Mityaeva was fourth eventually yr’s Transvulcania and had the identical consequence on the 2019 version. This was an enchancment on fifth in 2018, and seventh in 2017. Since final yr’s race, her outcomes have been a bit all-or-nothing. In 2024, she had wins on the Mont Blanc 90k and the Chiangmai Thailand 93k, in addition to second on the Extremely Pirineu 100k — all punctuated by DNFs at UTMB and the Extremely-Path Cape City 100k. She additionally has a latest DNF on the 2025 Chiangmai Thailand 93k. On her good days, she is a drive to be reckoned with, and if she continues her present enhancing pattern at this explicit race, a podium end may effectively be on the playing cards.

Extra Quick Ladies

The U.Okay.’s Fiona Pascall is quick making a reputation for herself and following within the footsteps of her sister, Beth. She lately had a large win on the 2025 Extremely Path Chianti 120k, incomes herself a Golden Ticket into the 2025 Western States 100. Till pretty lately, she had raced largely at residence within the U.Okay., successful the 2023 Arc of Attrition 50 Mile, and inserting third within the 2023 Extremely-Path Snowdonia 50k. Breaking onto the worldwide scene, she received the 2023 Extremely Path Julian Alps 170k, the 2024 Mozart 100 Mile, and the 2024 Wildstrubel 72k. That is her first time racing Transvulcania, however she may effectively be within the combine.

Jessica Tipán Gutierrez of Ecuador positioned third on the 2022 Transvulcania and has had some sturdy outcomes since that, notably an eighth place end on the 2023 Les Templiers 80k, and third on the 2024 Penyagolosa Trails CSP 106k. Additionally in 2023, she positioned fourth on the 60k Penyagolosa Trails MiM and sixth on the Transgrancanaria Marathon. She has highway legs too, and lately contested the 2025 Barcelona Marathon in 2:48. She shouldn’t be too far again from the motion.

Spain’s Azara García was eighth eventually yr’s Transvulcania, and needs to be in sturdy competition for one more prime 10 inserting. She lately took third on the 2025 Extremely Path Chianti 120k, narrowly lacking out on a Golden Ticket to the Western States 100. Additional again, she received the 2021 Transgrancanaria 129k and the 85k in 2023, and was additionally second on the 2019 OCC and fourth on the 2019 Path World Championships, which was a 50k distance.

Italy’s Elisa Desco received the 2014 Transvulcania and was sixth on her final outing, again in 2019. She has some prime outcomes again some years at across the marathon distance, together with successful the Marathon du Mont Blanc two years operating, in 2014 and 2015. She’s had 4 top-10 finishes on the Zegama Marathon, with the most effective being second in 2019, and the newest being sixth in 2024. She received Sierre-Zinal again in 2013, has had 4 extra prime 10 finishes there since, and eleventh final yr. [From 2010 to 2012, Elisa Desco served a two-year doping ban from the IAAF after she tested positive for EPO at the 2009 World Mountain Running Championships.]

Italy’s Giulia Marchesoni was 2024 Skyrunning world champion within the extremely division, a title that would appear to set her up completely for this quick and technical path race. She has largely raced in Italy and has labored her approach as much as extremely distances from a background in mountain operating. Final yr, she additionally received the Dolomythsrun Fassa Path 43k and the 45k Lunigiana Skyrace. To date in 2025, she suffered a DNF on the Transgrancanaria Marathon however bounced again with a win on the 54k Tuscany Crossing in April. Transvulcania shall be her longest race thus far, however she seems to have a strong build-up to the space.

Sarah Vieuille has had an extended and illustrious profession in path operating, with outcomes going again so far as 2011. She possible could be higher recognized internationally however for the truth that she races largely in her residence nation of France. She has had some stellar outcomes, together with second on the 2018 Les Templiers 80k and fourth within the 2022 Diagonale des Fous. Extra lately, she took fifth on the 2025 Transgrancanaria 82k and sixth eventually yr’s Endurance Path des Templiers 100k.

France’s Léa Duhet positioned seventh on her final outing at Transvulcania in 2022, and has been maintaining comparable type since then. In 2024, she positioned twelfth on the Les Templiers 80k, and a decent sixteenth on the CCC in a time of 14:14. She needs to be in with a great shot at transferring additional up the highest 10.

Yuri Yoshizumi of Japan has a depth of sturdy outcomes on trails over a spread of distances. Highlights embody a sixth place end on the 2024 Transgrancanaria 127k, adopted by ninth on the 82k Superior race this yr. Additionally thus far in 2025, she has positioned second on the Hong Kong 100 Half, and received a few shorter races at residence in Japan. She has loads of endurance — having received the 2022 Doi Inthanon 100k and positioned second within the 2023 Good Côte d’Azur 100 Mile — however from her latest racing, she seems primed for pace, which ought to work effectively over this course.

Italy’s Marina Cugnetto positioned ninth in her Transvulcania debut final yr and is again seeking to construct on that consequence. A prolific racer, Cugnetto’s greatest outcomes embody a win on the 2019 130k Tot Dret, third within the 2022 UltraDolomites 81k, second within the 2023 Doi Inthanon 50k, and sixteenth within the 2023 Path World Championships Lengthy Path. She is in speedy form this season, having simply received the 68k Jangsu Path Race in South Korea.

Austria’s Kristin Berglund has been quiet on the racing entrance the previous few years, however was fifth at her final outing at Transvulcania in 2019, a yr the place she additionally positioned second behind Courtney Dauwalter at UTMB. Previous to that, she positioned eleventh within the 2017 CCC, fourth within the 2017 Transgrancanaria, and received the 2016 Grossglockner Extremely-Path 110k. Her lack of latest outcomes makes her a little bit of an unknown entity, however she has demonstrated that at her greatest, she is world class.

Canada’s Geneviève Asselin-Demers is off to a great begin this yr with a 3rd place end on the Desert RATS 100k in April. She had an enormous yr final yr too, with quick runs on the Black Canyon 100k, Madeira Island Extremely-Path 115k, and Extremely-Path Cape City 100k — the place she completed sixth, eighth, and seventh, respectively. She additionally had wins at residence on the 2024 Québec Mega Path 80k and the Path Coureur Des Bois 46k. She has additionally received Canada’s Extremely-Path Harricana 110k in 2023, and positioned third there in 2022, and needs to be effectively in competition for a prime 10 inserting.

France’s Sabine Ehrström loved wins final yr on the Extremely Path du Vercors 81k and the Swiss Canyon Path 33k, in addition to a 3rd place end on the Path du Ventoux 41k. Additional again, she took fifth within the 2022 Les Templiers 80k, and a decent twenty second within the ever aggressive OCC. She has path race outcomes going again so far as 2013, however has raced predominantly at residence in France. This shall be her Transvulcania debut.

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