This week on Singletrack News, Finn Melanson and Alyssa Clark cover one of the wildest race cancellations in recent memory, a brewing sponsorship controversy, a landmark change at one of ultra running's most iconic events, and a full roundup of results from Crown King, Buffalo Stampede, and the Arizona Monster 300.

Timestamps:

• 02:54 Antelope Island Buffalo Run Cancellation
• 05:51 Trailhouse Announces New Head Coach
• 08:59 Emma Bates Controversy
• 11:40 Cocodona 250 Lottery System
• 14:46 Trail Super Shoe Power Rankings
• 17:43 Crown King, Buffalo Stampede Race Results
• 20:42 London Marathon Two-Day Format
• 23:40 UTMB Parenthood Policy
• 26:21 Content Finds of the Week
  
  

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains
• Janji - premium trail running apparel

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In this episode, Rachel Entrekin returns to the show immediately following her 3rd place finish at Chianti by UTMB and gives a firsthand account of one of the most dramatic finishes of the season.

We start with the moment everyone’s talking about: Courtney Dauwalter’s decisive late-race surge. Rachel walks us through how the race unfolded from the front, what it felt like to be running all day shoulder-to-shoulder, and what made Courtney’s final move so shocking even to the athletes in the race.

From there, we zoom out to what this performance means for Rachel’s trajectory. We discuss the narrative around her being a “200-mile specialist,” the pressure she felt coming into the race, and why this result felt like a long-overdue validation of her ability across distances.

We also break down the competitive dynamics at the front of the field, including what makes both Courtney Dauwalter and Ingvild Kaspersen uniquely difficult to race against, and why Chianti stands out as the most competitive - and most enjoyable - race of Rachel’s career so far.

In the second half, we get into the performance details: fueling breakthroughs (including a surprising shift toward gels), gear choices, and how improved nutrition may be unlocking a new level of speed and durability. We close with a look ahead to Cocodona and what this race might signal about Rachel’s ceiling in 2026.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains
• Janji - premium trail running apparel

Support the show

In this week’s edition of Singletrack News, we break down a massive weekend of racing across Chianti by UTMB, Chuckanut 50K, and Big Alta, highlighted by Golden Tickets awarded at Chianti and a highly anticipated showdown between Courtney Dauwalter and Rachel Entrekin. We discuss the winners, key performances, roll-down implications, and what it all means for the rapidly taking shape Western States field, along with early-season signals from some of the sport’s top contenders.

Elsewhere, we dig into one of the most interesting new concepts in the sport: the “Trail House”, a Boulder-based initiative aiming to create a pipeline for post-collegiate runners into professional trail running, with built-in support, structure, and storytelling.

We also cover:

• Lotti Brinks accepting a Western States Golden Ticket via roll-down from CCC
• François D’Haene’s 2026 schedule and his decision to center the season around an FKT attempt on the GR20
• The “Hardcore Harry’s” challenge, a last-person-standing-style event that has athletes running 80+ km on consecutive days
• A grassroots “Community Traverse” stepping in to support runners after the Northern Traverse disruption
• A wild FKT story out of North Carolina involving a broken wrist and a finish anyway
• Previewing the Arizona Monster 300 and what to expect from one of the most extreme races on the calendar

And our content picks of the week, including a new long-distance route in the UK and a broader conversation around “right to roam” and trail access.

Partners:

• Precision Fuel and Hydration - use code SINGLETRACK at checkout for 15% off your next order
• Norda - check out the 005: the lightest, fastest, most stable trail racing shoe ever made
• Raide - Making equipment for efficient human-powered movement in the mountains
• Janji - premium trail running apparel

Support the show