Black Canyon Ultras (BCU) happen this weekend in Arizona, and the 2026 version is ready to maintain the occasion’s “more durable, higher, quicker, stronger” streak going. The Black Canyon 100K is one in all simply two North American races within the World Path Majors collection, alongside Quebec Mega Path in July. The stakes are excessive once more this yr, with Golden Tickets to the legendary Western States 100 on the road. The highest three males and prime three girls all earn entry into WSER, which takes place June 27 in Olympic Valley, Calif.
The 2025 version noticed Riley Brady smash by means of the ladies’s 100K file, adopted by Tara Dower in second, additionally under course file time. On the boys’s aspect, Seth Ruhling additionally took down the course filetaking greater than 5 minutes off the earlier file set by Hayden Hawks solely a yr earlier than. “Over 2,000 runners. 25 nationalities. One enviornment the place each transfer issues. That is the place competitors meets journey,” the BCU social media web page says. Who will prime the rostrum?
The girls’s 100K race
As standard, the ladies’s aspect is stacked. Each Brady and Dower are again and speedier than ever. Present 50-mile world file holder Anne Flower will probably be within the combine, together with U.S. Olympian Molly Seidel in her 100K debut, sturdy off an general win at Bandera 50K. 2025 Western States 100 winner Abby Corridor will even toe the road.
Flower summed it up: “I’m very excited. The sector is stacked with Olympians, seasoned professionals, the ‘younger and match,” Black Canyon veterans, and short-trail crushers. The file will go down this yr, I’m simply unsure what number of girls will put all of it collectively on race day. The desert is magical and unforgiving. It’s going to be an journey.”
The lads’s 100K race
All eyes are on Francesco Puppiwho gained each Canyons 100 and CCC by UTMB in 2025. “After all, the purpose is all the time to win the race, though personally, I see it and body it as attempting my hardest and my finest on race day,” Puppi instructed Canadian Operating. “The attitude of working a race all the time scares me just a little bit, as a result of it entails a big ache part, which, after all, is just not simple to deal with, each bodily and mentally. It’s precisely what I educated for, however placing it collectively isn’t apparent. It doesn’t matter what, it will likely be enjoyable.”
Anthony Costaleswho took first at Black Canyon 100K in 2023, and Eli Hemmingwho was first within the Black Canyon 60K in 2024, will give Puppi a run for his cash, alongside Hans Troyerwho topped the rostrum on the JFK 50-mile in 2025.
All eyes on the Canadians
Followers could be remiss to low cost the Canucks toeing the road this yr. B.C.’s Jade Belzbergnot too long ago named one of many prime 10 ultrarunners of the yr by Ultrarunning Journalwill probably be toeing the elite begin line, in addition to Ontario’s Amanda Nelsonwho holds the Canadian 24-hour file.
On the boys’s aspect, followers must be eyeing B.C.’s Brady Goreskiwho took third at Fats Canine 100’s 100K occasion in 2025 and first on the 2025 version of Diez Vista 50K, and Quebec’s Elliot Cardin, who was sixth at Black Canyon 100K in 2025. “I’m feeling fitter than in earlier years, however Black Canyon will get extra aggressive each version, Cardin instructed Canadian Operating. Over the previous yr, I’ve constantly positioned myself within the prime 10, and whereas doing that once more would already be stable, I really imagine I can nonetheless be within the combine for a Golden Ticket this yr.”
To observe the Black Canyon Ultras livestream on Saturday, Feb. 14, head right here.
To take a look at the total listing of entrants, head right hereand to be taught extra concerning the race, head to the web site right here.
