Courtney Dauwalter, widely regarded as one of the greatest ultrarunners of all time, secured another impressive win on Saturday at the Nice Côte d’Azur by UTMB, a 100-mile ultramarathon through challenging terrain. Dauwalter not only dominated the women’s race but also finished second overall, just behind Spain’s Cristofer Clemente Mora. This victory adds to her already remarkable 2024 season, where she also won at Transgrancanaria, Hardrock 100, Mt. Fuji 100, and SwissPeaks 70. This run follows a groundbreaking 2023 season when she became the first athlete to complete the Western States, Hardrock, and UTMB 100-mile races in the same year.
A Scenic and Demanding Race
The Nice Côte d’Azur 100-miler starts in the French mountain town of Auron, at an elevation of 2,523 meters. Participants climb over 8,200 meters across 150 kilometers, with views of the Mediterranean Sea at the halfway point, before beginning a long descent to the finish along the Promenade des Anglais. This year, the top three male and female finishers earned automatic entry into the 2025 UTMB World Series Finals.
Runners battled through the night in tough conditions, as heavy rain made the rocky and root-laden trails slippery and hazardous. “When I came over that last hill and saw the sea, I couldn’t believe it,” Dauwalter shared after the race. “This course was incredible—the rocks, the roots, and the rain made it tough, but I loved every minute.”
Dauwalter’s Unstoppable Run
Dauwalter outpaced nearly every runner, exchanging leads with Cristofer Clemente Mora throughout the race. Clemente Mora ultimately pulled ahead, finishing with a time of 21 hours, 22 minutes, and 14 seconds. Dauwalter crossed the line just 13 minutes later, recording a time of 21:35:57.
French runner Nicolas Cerisier rounded out the top three overall, finishing in 22:28:25. Dauwalter’s commanding performance left a wide gap in the women’s competition, with Italy’s Enrica Dematteis finishing five hours behind her in 26:33:34, followed closely by France’s Agathe Lebel, who completed the race in 26:37:57.
After the race, Dauwalter expressed her appreciation for the event: “I feel really lucky to have been part of such a beautiful race. The course was demanding and technical, especially with the rain, but I enjoyed every bit of it.”
With yet another victory to her name, Dauwalter continues to solidify her legacy in ultrarunning as she builds on an already stellar career.
