New era of Western States is ready to run; defending men's, women's champs not entered

For the first time since 2017, there will be new men's and women's champions of the Western States Endurance Run. Neither women's champion Beth Pascall or three-time men's champion Jim Walmsley are entered in the 2022 edition of the world's most famous ultra-running event, and the field looks to be wide open. In the women's field, seven of last year's top 10 are back, including runner-up Ruth Croft, a New Zealand native who finished 23 minutes behind Pascall. "We are expecting our women's elite field, which features several notable international standouts as well as some of the most well-known figures in American trail running, to be highly competitive again this year," race coordinator Craig Thornley said in a news release. Other notable racers in the women's field are 2021 fourth-place finisher Brittany Peterson of Pocatello, Idaho, and fifth-place finisher Katie Asmuth of Mammoth Lakes. On the men's side, Walmsley will not run due to his training for the UTMB Mont-Blanc event in France. Walmsley set the course record in 2019 and accounts for three of the four fastest times in Western States history. The rest of the top five from 2021 are returning and look to have a strong chance to win. Tyler Green, Drew Holmen, Cody Lind and Tim Tollefson are expected to be the frontrunners in 2022. Canyons 100K winner Adam Peterman of Missoula, Montana, is entered and boasts an impressive stat of winning every ultra in which he has competed. The Western States course is much tougher than any 100K, however. Runners will experience more than 15,000 feet of climbing and nearly 23,000 feet of descent as they make their way from Olympic Valley to Placer High School. "Our men's race should be fascinating as well, as we look to crown a new race champion following a succession of memorable runs by three-time champion Jim Walmsley," Thornley said in the news release. "The storyline for our men's race will be 'a changing of the guard.' It is anybody's guess who among a field of proven veterans and exciting newcomers will be our 2022 men's champion." The Western States will be a part of the UTMB World Series for the first time, alongside other notable races such as The Canyons and Mont-Blanc. The race begins Saturday, June 25, at 5 a.m. Finishers who reach Placer High School in under 24 hours will receive a commemorative belt buckle.