Latest news with #Cocodona250
The Citizen
08-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
SA's Ryan Sandes finishes second at Cocodona 250 — after running 402km
The veteran South African is a former winner of one of the world's biggest ultra trail races, the Western States 100. Ultrarunner Ryan Sandes, seen here in action a few years ago, has finished second at the Cocodona 250. Picture: Kelvin Trautman / Red Bull Content Pool via AFP South African veteran ultra-distance trail runner Ryan Sandes has finished second at the gruelling Cocodona 250 race in the United States. The 43-year-old South African, who won the famous Western States race in 2017, finished the 250 mile race (402km) through the Arizona desert in a time of 61 hours, 21 minutes and four seconds (61:21:04). He finished overnight on Wednesday (SA time). The race was won by American Dan Green (28) in a record time of 58 hours, 47 minutes and 29 seconds. It was Green's first race over 100 miles. Sandes' time was also better than the previous mark. #Cocodona250 ~ Boom! Incredible performance by @RyanSandes to claim 2nd place at the Cocodona 250, crossing the finish in 61:21:04 – 'a steady, calculated race – smart running!' What a legend! 🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦 — Daz (@DazMSmith) May 8, 2025 The women's race was won by Rachel Entrekin (33), who defended the title she won last year. She finished in a time of 63:58:15, also a new record. She was fourth overall. The race started on Monday. The elevation gain (or height climbed) is roughly 40,000 feet, which in metres is 12,000 or 12km. This year's race had 307 starters and they have until Saturday to complete the event, that is 125 hours. According to the organisers the Cocodna 250 'takes runners across extremely varied terrain from the Sonoran desert to the 9,301ft summit of Mount Elden and through the largest ponderosa pine forest in the world. The course is 91 percent trail (45 percent of that is single track) and nine percent pavement.' Sandes is said to have slept for only 30 minutes during his run. More to follow…
Time Out
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Time Out
Local runner tackles iconic 400km race
250 miles. That's about 400 kilometres, give or take an ankle-twisting, knee-jarring mountain trail or two. And that's what Capetonian trail-running legend Ryan Sandes has set out to accomplish this week when he took his first steps across the start line of the Cocodona 250 at 5am Arizona time on Monday. Launched in 2021, the Cocodona 250 has quickly become known as one of the most gruelling ultramarathons in the world, tracing a heartbreaking route across Arizona's rugged high desert and mountain terrain. Starting in Black Canyon City and finishing in Flagstaff, the race takes runners on a punishing point-to-point journey that includes over 40 000 feet (12 000m) of elevation gain. That's the same height as running from Camps Bay to the top of Table Mountain... 12 times! With long and remote trails, intense heat, and high altitude, this is no weekend adventure, though. Cocodona 250 is aimed at seasoned endurance athletes, and most runners take between four and six days – DAYS! – to reach the finish line. After setting off at 5am on Monday, the runners will have 125 hours to complete the route, giving them until 10am on Saturday (May 10th) to cross the finish line in Flagstaff. Of course, Ryan Sandes is as hardcore as they come. In 2008, just two years after running his first marathon, he won the punishing 155-mile Gobi March in Central Mongolia, going on to become the first person to win all four outings in the 'Desert Races' series. Next, he became the first person to win an ultra-marathon on each of the seven continents, and claimed victory at the legendary Western States 100-miler. Closer to home, .
