Pommeret and Dauwalter set new records at Hardrock 100, 2024.
Ludo Pommeret, Hardrock 100 2024 PIC IRUNFar
Full Results HERE
Ludovic Pommeret (FRA) and Courtney Dauwalter(USA) took the wins, and both recorded course records, at the 2024 Hardrock 100.
Pommeret recorded 21:33:06, just dipping inside Killian Jornet’s overall course record of 21:36:24, run in a clockwise direction in 2022.
Dauwalter recorded 26:11:49, Just over 2 minutes inside her previous record of 26:14:12 from her anti-clockwise run in 2023.It was her third successive victory at Hardrock.
THE HARDROCK 100 Background
The Hardrock 100 takes place in Southern Colorado’s San Juan Range, USA.
The course is a single circuit of 102.5 miles with 33,197 feet./10,118 metres of ascent.
It has an average elevation of 11,000 feet/3,352 Metres, with the highest point on the route being the summit of Handies Peak at 14,048 feet/4,281 Metres
The route alternates each year between a clockwise and anti-clockwise direction. The 2024 race was run in a clockwise direction.
It is one of the longest running 100 milers in the United States, first run in 1992.
Although world famous in the ultra-running community, Hardrock has a relatively small field of under 200 runners selected by lottery. This year, 146 runners started, and as I write this at 6 pm on Saturday, UK time, around 10 Runners have finished.
It is almost the antithesis of the UTMB formula of a series of races of various distances held over a few days, packing in as many runners as feasible, who sometimes run in, “Conga fashion” for many miles. At Hardrock, although pacers are allowed, you might not see too many people between checkpoints, such is the remoteness of the terrain. In essence it offers a wilderness experience with race conditions!!
It is this small family feel that, with many other smaller events, makes a family feel to the race.
2024 Hardrock Mens Race
Frenchman Pommeret seems to have been at the elite level in trail running for over 15 years. Remarkably, he recorded his win just a week short of his 49th birthday, possibly the oldest winner of Hardrock.
He is a former winner of UTMB and has been a regular and reliable member of the French ultra trail squad since 2015, being involved with several medal-winning teams.
From the splits, Switzerland’s Diego Pazos was with Pommeret until the first CP at 12 miles. From then on, the Frenchman steadily pulled away. Colorado native, Jason Schalrb moved into 2nd place at 30 miles and, at one point, held a 10-minute lead over Pazos.
The Swiss runner was to prove strongest over the final 20 miles, finishing second in 24:29:33, just under 10 minutes ahead of Schalrb in 24:38:13 . Schlarb, at 46, like Pommeret, also showed age is no barrier to performance.
Francois D’Hearne, Pommeret’s fellow countryman, a previous Hardrock Champion and four-time UTMB winner, dropped out at Animas Fork (57.9 Miles). He had been with Pommeret in the early stages , but still recovering from an illness picked up close to race day, had to call it a day.
2024 Hardrock Women’s Race
In 2023, Hardrock formed the second race in Dauwalter’s well-documented triple 100-mile summer with wins at Western States, Hardrock and UTMB in the space of 9 weeks. This weekend, she finished 4th overall, improving her overall course record.
Camille Bruyas of France was second and 6th overall in 29:28:11.
Katherina Hartmuth is third female and 9thh overall in 30:29:12.
All times TBC.
THE TWO SCOTTISH CONNECTIONS
There is a Scottish Connection for Pommeret as Hoka, his long-time sponsors, once brought him to Scotland to compete in the Highland Fling race. That was in 2012, as Hoka was evolving. They had a fledgling “Trail Team” of elite athletes and were the title sponsor of the event for a few years.
In what may have just been a “training run” he finished 2nd to Scott Bradley.
This year, there is a Scottish connection to Hardrock as Derek Fish, from Larbert, a veteran of many ultra adventures and obsessive Munro bagger, was lucky to get an entry through the ballot. As I write,(6pm Sat evening ) Derek is through 60 miles and going well. \
SUNDAY 7 AM UPDATE, Tracker indicates Derek is through the last Check point at 91 miles in around 41 hours. Barring any major mishaps well on schedule to finish within the race cut off of 48 Hours. Two other British runners are taking part. Stephen England from Hove who has finished in 41:49:33 (TBC ) and Owain Wainhouse from Dagenham who seems to be around an hour behind Derek but on course to finish.
Full details of the Hardrock 100 https://hardrock100.com
You can find numerous interviews and good stuff on the Hardrock 100 at https://www.irunfar.com
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Adrian Tarit Stott.
The author is a former GB 24 hour ultra international with over 100 ultra race completions. He has also been involved organising ultra distance races for over 30 years. Still an active recreational runner, he is currently a member of UKA’s Ultra Running Advisory Group (URAG) and part of the selection and team management for both Scottish and GB ultra teams.He is also a freelance writer in his spare time, contributing articles and reports to several websites and magazines including Athletics Weekly and Irunfar.
