Course Records Shattered! Vincent Bouillard and Jenn Lichter Win the 2026 Western States 100 in Historic Fashion

On Saturday, June 27, at 5:00 a.m., the 53rd running of the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run kicked off from Olympic Valley, California. What followed was arguably the fastest and most historic day of racing in the event’s 53-year history.

Aided by unseasonably cool conditions—with Auburn high temperatures peaking at an ideal 74°F—both the men’s and women’s champions shattered the existing course records in spectacular fashion.

♂️ Men's Race: Vincent Bouillard Breaks the 14-Hour Barrier France's Vincent Bouillard, 32, crossed the finish line at the Placer High School track in a mind-boggling 13:46:15 to secure the men's title. His performance obliterated the previous course record of 14:09:28 (set by Jim Walmsley in 2019) by over 23 minutes.

In an unprecedented display of depth, the top four men's finishers all ran faster than the previous course record.

Men's Top Finishers & Times

1. Vincent Bouillard (France) - 13:46:15 (New Course Record)
2. Francesco Puppi (Italy) - 13:51:08
3. Ryan Montgomery (USA) - 13:53:55
4. Thomas Cardin (France) - 14:07:58

♀️ Women's Race: Jenn Lichter Wins in 100-Mile Debut In the women's race, Jenn Lichter, 30, of Missoula, Montana, made a statement in her 100-mile debut, stopping the clock in 15:28:05. With this stunning performance, she eclipsed Courtney Dauwalter’s legendary 2023 course record (15:29:33) by 1 minute and 28 seconds.

Lichter pushed the pace from the very first climb up the Escarpment, trading blows with a deep field and fighting the clock all the way to the track in Auburn.

Women's Top Finishers & Times

1. Jenn Lichter (USA) - 15:28:05 (New Course Record)
2. Riley Brady (USA) - 15:42:14 (3rd Fastest Time in WSER History)
3. Marianne Hogan (Canada) - 15:51:44 (Personal Best by over 70 minutes)

🎭 Drama and Key Takeaways

1. DNF Heartbreaks: Kilian Jornet and Jim Walmsley
   Pre-race favorite and 2011 champion Kilian Jornet abandoned the race at the Dusty Corners aid station (mile 38) due to lingering knee issues. Four-time champion and former course record holder Jim Walmsley also suffered a tough day. Despite a strong start, he changed shoes at Michigan Bluff and eventually registered a DNF at the Foresthill aid station (mile 62).

2. Riley Brady's Grit Runner-up Riley Brady put on a masterclass in determination. During the race, Brady dealt with temporary vision loss in one eye due to salt depletion and battled severe projectile vomiting in the final third of the course, yet still managed to run the third-fastest women's time in history.

3. Marianne Hogan's Consistency Canada’s Marianne Hogan claimed third place at Western States for the third time (following podium finishes in 2022 and 2025). Her time of 15:51:44 marks a massive personal best of over 70 minutes on the historic course.

🌌 Morning Escarpment Climb Canada’s Marianne Hogan claimed third place at Western States for the third time (following podium finishes in 2022 and 2025). Her time of 15:51:44 marks a massive personal best of over 70 minutes on the historic course.

On this historic day, the limits of ultrarunning were redefined once again, with Bouillard and Lichter etching their names into the sport's history books.