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British runner Ian Sharman wins Leadville 100 by nearly an hour

Kate Lessman
Special to the Daily
Leadville 100 runners take on Hope Pass on August 19. The 100-mile race contains elevations ranging from 9,200 to 12,600 feet, with a total elevation climb of more than 14,000 feet.
Glen Delman Photography | Special to the Daily |

LEADVILLE — The 35th annual Leadville Trail 100 Run wrapped up Sunday morning with more than 600 runners from ever state and 35 countries participating in the 100 mile run.

British runner Ian Sharman, of Bend, Oregon, won the race for the fourth time with previous wins in 2016, 2015 and 2013, finishing in 17:34:51. David Teirney, of Denver, finished second in 18:32:34 and Michael Hewitt, also of Denver, finished third in 18:59:45.

In the women’s division, Devon Yanko, of San Anselmo, California, took the top honor finishing in 20:46:29. Italian runner Simona Morbelli, of Climax, finished second in her first 100-mile race in 21:16:22 and Christy Burns, of Evergreen, finished third in 21:43:15.



2017 WAS TOUGHEST

Sharman said of all his times racing Leadville, 2017 was the hardest.

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“Winning this year means more to me than my other wins, because I had to overcome more,” he said. “Leadville is a classic race and it’s great racing here. I’ll definitely be back at some point to go for five wins.

Yanko said racing Leadville has been on her bucket list for a long time.

“I had such a great support group; this was the first time my husband paced me and towards the end of the race, he reminded me that one of my best skills is finishing strong,” she said. “Racing today, I really felt that family and community that everyone talks about when racing Leadville and that’s really important.”

LOCAL NAMED LEADMAN

The Leadville Trail 100 Run also marked the fifth and final challenge for those who competed for the titles of Leadman and Leadwoman. To earn the title of Leadman or Leadwoman, each athlete must also complete the Leadville Trail Marathon, Leadville Silver Rush 50-Mile Mountain Bike or Silver Rush 50-Mile Trail Run, Leadville Trail 100 MTB and the Leadville Trail 10K Run. This year, Leadville’s own Wesley Sandoval finished ninth overall in the Leadville Trail 100 Run in 19:57:12 and claimed a second Leadman title with a total time of 38:19:40.

“Congratulations to our winners and all of the participants who gave it their all on the course,” said Ken Chlouber, Founder of the Leadville Race Series. “When racers come to experience Leadville, we welcome you into our community and family with open arms. The accomplishment of running 100 miles is an amazing feat, but it couldn’t be achieved without the support of the crews and volunteers on the course who work tirelessly to see competitors to the finish line. By working together, we can all accomplish amazing results and encourage each other to lead a healthier way of life.”

After starting with only 45 runners as the Leadville Trail 100 in 1983, the The Leadville Race Series now consists of six running events, the Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike race, and six mountain biking events in the Leadville Qualifying Series.

The race series stretches across three months and hosts thousands of racers on foot and bike in some of the world’s most iconic events. Endurance athletes worldwide now make the pilgrimage to Leadville with the single goal of competing in what has been dubbed The Race Across the Sky. Visit http://www.leadvilleraceseries.com for more information.


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