For the previous 11 years, I’ve posted some year-end ultrarunning awards. I wish to introduce the twelfth annual AJW’s Taproom Yr in Ultrarunning Awards for 2023. You’ll be able to take a look at my awards from the tip of 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022. I did one thing a bit of completely different in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
These should not scientific in any method, and the scoring system is made up completely by me, however I borrowed a few of the standards from the “Ultrarunning Journal” awards, which state: “It is a North American award. To be eligible for consideration, an athlete should be a full-time North American resident (no matter their citizenship), or be a U.S., Canadian or Mexican citizen (no matter the place they reside.)”
My rankings by no means characterize an exhaustive research, nor do they faux to be absolutely consultant of all that occurred in 2023 — so take them or go away them. Right here goes!
Ladies’s Ultrarunner of the Yr
- Courtney Dauwalter
- Katie Schide (U.S., lives in France)
- Emily Hawgood (Zimbabwe, lives within the U.S.)
- Tara Dower
Courtney Dauwalter climbs amongst the 2023 Hardrock 100 wildflowers. Picture: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Males’s Ultrarunner of the Yr
- Jim Walmsley (U.S., lives half time in France)
- Zach Miller
- Tyler Inexperienced
- Mathieu Blanchard (Canada, lives in France)
Ladies’s Efficiency of the Yr
- Courtney Dauwalter’s course document on the Western States 100 (interview)
- Katie Schide’s second place and underneath the prior course document on the Western States 100 (interview)
- Camille Herron’s course document on the Spartathlon
Males’s Efficiency of the Yr
- Charlie Lawrence’s 50-mile world document on the Tunnel Hill 50 Mile (interview)
- Jim Walmsley’s course document at UTMB (interview)
- Jonathan Rea’s course document on the Javelina 100 Mile
On his fifth try, Jim Walmsley put collectively all of the items of UTMB for a win and new course document. Picture: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
Ladies’s Rookie of the Yr
[Author’s Note: For the purposes of my Rookie of the Year award, I consider a runner to be a rookie if 2023 was their first season racing at a highly competitive level. In most cases, the candidates considered for this award have completed a few races in prior years, but 2023 marked the first time they made an impact on the national or international scene beyond a race or two. For me, my “rookie” litmus-test example is Anton Krupicka in 2006, when he came out of nowhere and won the Leadville 100 Mile.]
Males’s Rookie of the Yr
Ladies’s Shock of the Yr
- The margin by which Courtney Dauwalter set a course document on the Western States 100
Males’s Shock of the Yr
- Charlie Lawrence’s 50-mile world document on the Tunnel Hill 50 Mile
A fast second of support for Charlie Lawrence en path to a brand new 50-mile world document on the 2023 Tunnel Hill 50 Mile. Picture: Zack Lever/@TrailLive
Ladies’s FKT of the Yr
- Nina Bridges’s girls’s supported FKT on the Colorado Path within the east to west route, utilizing the Collegiate East variant
Males’s FKT of the Yr
Greatest Path Working Movie of the Yr
Most Inspirational Particular person of the Yr
Bottoms up!
AJW’s Beer of the Week
This week’s Beer of the Week comes from Stone Brewing in San Diego, California. Their Stone Smoked Porter is a deep, darkish, smoky porter with a creamy head and a scrumptious end. With a touch of the standard chocolate and occasional flavors of most porters, Stone Smoked is exclusive and acquainted suddenly.
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Who would you choose for these awards?
