Ruth Croft from Greymouth has made sporting history by becoming the first woman to win all three UTMB World Series Finale Races.
Her latest victory came in France at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, a famous 174-kilometre ultramarathon that stretches through France, Italy, and Switzerland. Croft completed the race in 22 hours, 56 minutes, and 23 seconds, making her also the first New Zealander to win the title.
The UTMB race is one of the toughest in the world, often called the “Olympics of trail running.” Competitors face steep mountains, cold nights, and unpredictable weather. This year, runners battled rain, snow, and freezing temperatures. Croft explained that once the bad weather set in, she focused on “just surviving the night.”
Her biggest rival was American runner Courtney Dauwalter, who had already won three UTMB races in recent years. Croft passed Dauwalter around the 100-kilometre mark and kept pushing until she crossed the finish line smiling.
Although winning was not her main goal, Croft described the victory as “the cherry on top.” She has also triumphed in other major races, including the Tarawera Ultramarathon in New Zealand and the Ultra Trail Cape Town in South Africa.
