EverUltra

The Arc of Attrition by UTMB came around again in late January with a stunning lineup of athletes ready to tackle this intense and challenging route. With three distances happening, it was a busy day on the south west coast path. 

Tom Evans returns to shatter course record for Arc50

Evans, who won the USA race Western States in 2023 hasn’t raced officially since his DNF at last year’s UTMB. Content to lead the group in the early stages, the British elite grabbed the first-place position and held it ahead of Hugh Chatfield and Kieth Wigley. 

Former British Army Captain Tom Evans smashed the record book in the Arc50, becoming the first person to complete the route in under seven hours, stopping the clock at 6:54:40. Mark Darbyshire held the previous record, which was 7:39:31 (2023). 

Dragons Back winner Hugh Chatfield took second place in 7:04:13, with Kieth Wigley coming in a short time later in 7:13:35. 

Elite runner and new mum Elsey Davis proved her status as favourite to win early on, pushing forward around 45km. By 62km (Godrevy) she had placed a gap of well over an hour between herself and defending champion Poppy Collingwood. 

Davis reached the finish in Porthtowan with a sub-eight-hour finish in 7:55:48 greeted by her partner and new-born son Victor. Fiona Pascall set the previous record in 2023 (8:18:46). 

Poppy Collingwood came second in 7:55:48, with Amanda Basham (USA) arriving third in 9:42:40. 

Lewis Ryan and Noor van der Veen win the Arc100 

British athlete Lewis Ryan returned from his 2024 win of the Arc 50 to win the Arc100 with a clear victory. His win had marked him as a favourite to win the 100 which he showed with prowess and determination. 

Finishing in an astonishing time of 19:22:35 with David Ryan taking second place exactly 20 minutes behind (19:42:30). There was a tie for third place with Hugh Tibbs and Simon Withers both taking the spot in 20:24:39. 

Dutch ultrarunner Noor van der Veen stormed the first position for the female race after French athlete and favourite to win Claire Bannwarth had a DNS after she raced in Hong King the week before. 

After being in 40th position at the first checkpoint, van der Veen worked her way through the field to grasp the first position in 22:30:44 with a two hour lead on second position. Sarah Page took second place with 24:17:28 and Zoe Murphy rounded out the podium in 25:42:26.