Kodiak by UTMB 2026 Preview: The 50K Takes Centre Stage
Photo : ©UTMB®
The Americas Major returns to Big Bear Lake with close to 2,700 runners, five race distances and an unusually strong field assembled for Saturday’s 50K.
Kodiak by UTMB returns to Southern California from October 8–11 for its second edition as the UTMB World Series Major for the Americas.
The programme ranges from 10K to 100 miles, but the most compelling elite race may be the 50K. A deep international field will take on a fast, runnable course where small mistakes could prove difficult to recover from.
Delorenzi and Hemming headline the 50K
Roberto Delorenzi enters with the highest UTMB Index in the men’s field. The Swiss runner brings exceptional speed over shorter mountain distances, but he faces a serious challenge from American Eli Hemming.
Hemming’s aggressive running style should suit a course featuring extended sections of forest road and relatively fast terrain around Snow Summit and Bluff Lake.
Miquel Corbera Rubio, Cade Michael and Matt Daniels strengthen the field, while Cole Campbell, Spencer Shellberg and Chad Hall give the United States several further contenders.
The women’s race carries just as much interest. Abby Hall is the highest-rated athlete on the current list, with Anna Gibson, Elizabeth O’Connor, Alicia Vargo and Sofie Schunk forming a strong American group behind her.
With few opportunities to create decisive gaps on highly technical terrain, the 50K could remain close deep into the race.
Barrera returns to the Kodiak 100M
Photo : ©UTMB®
Jhon Barrera is the most proven Kodiak specialist on the current 100M roster.
The Colombian finished third in 2025, fifth in 2024 and third in 2023. That experience matters on a course where altitude, exposed sections and large temperature changes can punish runners long before the final descent into Big Bear Lake.
Barrera is joined by Kilian Korth, Tony Rodriguez and Cody Poskin in the leading men’s group.
Helen Mino Faukner holds the highest current rating in the women’s field, ahead of Jaclyn Noshay and Barrett Gray.
The 100M covers 161 kilometres with approximately 4,876 metres of climbing. Much of the course sits above 7,000 feet, while its highest point near Sugarloaf reaches almost 10,000 feet.
This is not the largest climbing total found in a major 100-miler. The altitude and consistently runnable terrain, however, create their own challenge: runners need to move quickly while managing an environment that makes the same pace increasingly expensive.
Brinks leads the 100K field
Lotti Brinks is the leading name in the women’s 100K after finishing fifth at Western States earlier this year. Corinne Shalvoy, Lindsay Allison and Megan Anderson are among her closest challengers.
Stephen Kersh tops the current men’s roster, followed by Gavin Prior and Spain’s Jose Angel Fernandez Jimenez.
The 100K course measures just over 101 kilometres with 3,143 metres of ascent. A late route adjustment has added roughly one mile, prompting the organisers to extend the final cutoff to 2:15 a.m. on Sunday.
High altitude, warm afternoons and cold nights
Kodiak’s numbers can make the races appear faster than many European mountain ultras, but the elevation should not be underestimated.
The 100M spends significant time at altitude and crosses terrain ranging from alpine forest to high desert. Daytime temperatures are currently forecast to reach around 21–24°C, while overnight temperatures could fall towards 7–8°C.
That combination places extra importance on hydration, pacing and equipment choices. The runners who feel comfortable early on Friday afternoon may face very different conditions after sunset.
Photo : ©UTMB®
More than another UTMB qualifier
Kodiak is expected to welcome close to 2,700 runners, with approximately one-third of the field made up of women. Nearly three-quarters of those entered are from North America.
As the Americas Major, the event awards double Running Stones. A total of 210 direct qualification places for the 2027 UTMB World Series Finals will also be distributed across the 50K, 100K and 100M categories.
The event therefore carries considerable weight for North American runners targeting OCC, CCC or UTMB without travelling overseas for qualification.
When to watch Kodiak by UTMB
The 100M begins on Friday, October 9 at 1:00 p.m. local time — 22:00 in Norway.
Saturday’s 100K starts at 6:00 a.m. local time, or 15:00 in Norway. The 50K follows at 7:30 a.m., corresponding to 16:30 Norwegian time.
Live coverage of the 50K and 100K is expected through UTMB Live.
The 50K promises the weekend’s most concentrated elite contest, while the 100M should reward experience and patience. At Big Bear, the fastest-looking race on paper is rarely as straightforward as it first appears.
Start lists remain subject to late changes. This preview is based on the official elite roster published on October 7.
