100K: Shellberg Leads the Men, Jackson Conquers the Women's Field
The 2026 Desert RATS Trail Running Festival by UTMB delivered three days of spectacular racing on the red rock trails of Fruita, Colorado from April 10-12. In the marquee 100K event, Spencer Shellberg (USA) ran a commanding race, crossing the line in 8:19:29 to claim the men's title. Michael Mitchell (USA) earned second place in 9:21:20.
On the women's side, former professional triathlete Heather Jackson (USA) continued her impressive transition to ultra running with a dominant victory in 9:45:12. Tay Cavett (USA) followed closely in 9:52:04, while Corinne Shalvoy (USA) rounded out the podium in 10:20:24. The 100K saw 280 starters with 234 finishers across the demanding 6,200 feet of elevation gain.
50K: Stack and Carter Set the Pace
Taylor Stack (USA) delivered a decisive performance in the 50K, finishing in 3:39:41, nearly five minutes clear of Justin Grunewald (USA, 3:44:25). Preston Cates (USA) completed the men's podium in 4:02:23.
The women's 50K produced one of the tightest finishes of the weekend, with Sarah Carter (USA) edging out Spain's Claudia Tremps by just 12 seconds, 4:09:45 to 4:09:57. Flannery Davis (USA) took third in 4:14:41. Out of 446 starters, an impressive 422 runners finished the course.
21K: Blair Dominates, Mira Rai Returns to Fruita
Whit Blair (USA) took the men's 21K title in 1:23:05, ahead of Marty Andrie (1:27:30) and Brian Glassey (1:27:42).
Women's winner Janelle Lincks (USA) crossed the finish in 1:36:48. Notably, Nepalese trail running legend Mira Rai took second place in 1:46:14, demonstrating that the National Geographic Adventurer of the Year remains a force on any terrain. Chloe Rylance (GBR) finished third in 1:46:31.
10K: Junell and Hemming Take Short Course Wins
Chase Junell (USA) won the 10K in 37:52, while Tabor Hemming (USA) took the women's title in 40:38. All 241 starters completed the course, a testament to the accessible yet scenic 10K route.
Festival Highlights
With nearly 1,500 runners across four distances, the Desert RATS Trail Running Festival continues to grow as a cornerstone of the UTMB World Series calendar in North America. The 100K also served as a qualifier for both the UTMB World Series Finals and the Western States Endurance Run, adding extra stakes for many participants. The high desert landscape of Fruita once again proved to be the perfect backdrop for world-class trail racing.