Ludovic Pommeret wins Hardrock 100 for third straight year and smashes his own record
Three in a row for Ludovic Pommeret. Eleven days before his 51st birthday, the Frenchman won the legendary Hardrock 100 for the third consecutive year, covering 160 km and 10,000 m of elevation gain. His time of 21:11:36 also took more than 21 minutes off the record he set in 2024.
He’s done it again. In the Colorado night, at 3:11 a.m. local time, 11:11 a.m. in France, Ludovic Pommeret kissed the famous ram’s-head rock marking the finish of the Hardrock 100 for the third time. Setting out from Silverton at 6 a.m. the previous day, the Frenchman covered roughly 160 km and 10,000 m of elevation gain in 21:11:36. It was another show of strength in the San Juan Mountains. At 50, Ludovic Pommeret did more than claim a third straight victory at the American ultra. He also obliterated his own course record by more than 21 minutes.
In 2024, on his way to a first Hardrock win, the Savoyard had already made his mark by finishing in 21:33, shaving three minutes off the record set by Kilian Jornet in 2022. The Frenchman now owns the two fastest times ever recorded at the Hardrock 100, across all course configurations. A major figure in French and international ultra-trail, Ludovic Pommeret clearly isn’t done taking on XXL challenges. The runner, who lives in Savoie, has already announced that he will race Échappée Belle from August 21 to 23 in the Belledonne range, over 150 km and 11,200 m of elevation gain. Last year, to celebrate his 50th birthday, the French ultra-trail legend completed three iconic races in three months: winner of the Hardrock 100 (Sierra Nevada), sixth at UTMB (Chamonix) and fourth at Diagonale des Fous (Réunion Island). And just days before turning 51 on July 22, Ludovic Pommeret continues to add to his remarkable record.
French trail runners are enjoying a remarkable year, with two wins in the four major trail races so far: the Hardrock 100, dominated by Ludovic Pommeret, and the Western States 100, won by Vincent Bouillard. All eyes now turn to UTMB (Chamonix, August 24 to 30) and Diagonale des Fous (Réunion Island, October 15 to 18).
American Courtney Dauwalter dominated the women’s race in 26:03:10, finishing fifth overall. The ultra-trail star claimed her fourth victory in Silverton, following wins in 2022, 2023 and 2024, running 26:03:10, eight minutes faster than her 2024 time on the clockwise course. The previous year, her compatriot Katie Schide had stopped the clock at 25:50:23 on the course run in the opposite direction.
Photo credit: HOKA / Rhoam Creative Studio