Mid-West Sprints and Historic Milestones
Spartan Cincinnati | US North East National Series (Beast, 2nd Leg) – June 6
Located just thirty minutes outside the city, the Perfect North Slopes ski resort welcomed a massive crowd ready to tackle a dynamic mixture of hills, field running, water, and mud. The 21K Beast course proved to be a fast yet challenging test, anchoring a weekend that offered everything from 5K races to full Trifecta challenges.
The Elite Female field of racers was stacked with some heavy hitters as champions littered the start line, but nobody could top Spartan legend, Nicole Mericle. Watch Nicole's and Miranda's Race breakdown.
Brutal climbs, slick descents, and fending off the competition, Logan Broadbent details what went into his win in the Elite Male field.
Top 3 Men’s Elite: Logan Broadbent put on a clinical performance, taking the win in 2:16:41. 2nd place: Jordan McDougal USA (2:40:28), 3rd place: Michael Suazo USA (2:42:59).
Top 3 Women’s Elite: Legendary champion Nicole Mericle proved her dominance, clearing the field to lock down the top spot in 2:51:17. 2nd place: Miranda Kieplinski USA (2:57:32), 3rd place: Taylor Rae USA (3:14:43).
Spartan Encamp, Andorra | Spain National Series (Beast, 2nd Leg) – June 6
Andorra celebrated a major milestone, marking its 10th consecutive year of hosting world-class Spartan racing. Pau Nacenta continued his absolute reign over the Spain National Series, capturing his second consecutive victory in 2:25:46 and cementing his status as the athlete to beat this season. The women’s division shook up the entire leaderboard; Slovakian powerhouse Veronika Drinkova grabbed gold in 3:10:03, leading a podium of fresh faces that showcased the depth of the field.
Top 3 Men’s Elite: 1st place: Pau Nacenta ESP (2:25:46), 2nd place:Jonathan Garcia FRA (2:27:16), 3rd place: Albert Soley ESP (2:28:50).
Top 3 Women’s Elite: 1st place: Veronika Drinkova SVK (3:10:03), 2nd place: Muntsa Ciuró ESP (3:35:04), 3rd place: Maria del Pilar Simón ESP (3:38:36).
Chasing Seconds & Leaderboard Ties
Spartan Scotland | UK National Series (Super, 2nd Leg) – June 7
The Scottish course bore witness to two of the closest duels of the season. In the men's race, Tom Tweddell, Morgan Maxwell, and Roman Tóth traded positions constantly. The turning point came when Tweddell missed his spear throw, leaving Maxwell and Tóth to sprint for the line, where Roman Tóth (52:45) edged out the win by just 12 seconds to lead the UK series with a perfect 600 points. Watch The Hihglights
The women's race was pure redemption theatre. After narrowly missing a win in London West, Britain's Becky Neal (1:04:08) fought neck-and-neck with Czech star Blanka Adamova, out-surging her late in the race to claim her first-ever Elite victory. Watch the Highlights
The dramatic finish leaves the UK National Series deadlocked at the top:
Becky Neal: 564 points (Leads via tie-break rules)
Blanka Adamova: 564 points
Related: Race Reporter Reece’s Scotland Round Up
Bavarian Showdowns & Costly Penalty Loops
Spartan Kulmbach | Germany/Austria Series (Beast, 2nd Leg) – June 13
Kulmbach hosted the very first Beast distance of the Germany/Austria Series. Italy’s Matteo Pelizza conquered his favorite course profile to take the win in 1:51:39. Behind him, series contender Christian Röttger slipped on the Sparkasse Multi-Rig, picking up a brutal 20-meter chain-carry penalty loop that paved the way for Christian Kraus to snatch second.
The women's race featured a spectacular German podium sweep led by Sophia Grimm (2:33:48) after a seventy-five-second, shoulder-to-shoulder battle with Alexandra Kraienhorst.
Top 3 Men’s Elite: 1st place: Matteo Pelizza ITA (1:51:39), 2nd place: Christian Kraus GER (1:56:48), 3rd place: Christian Röttger GER (1:57:27).
Top 3 Women’s Elite: 1st place: Sophia Grimm GER (2:33:48), 2nd place: Alexandra Kraienhorst GER (2:35:03), 3rd place: Olivia Leitmer GER (2:37:05).
Alpine Arenas & National Debuts
Spartan Sainte-Croix | Switzerland National Series (Super, 1st Leg) – June 13
Over 1,800 runners converged on Sainte-Croix for the official launch of the Swiss National Series. Local favorite Lara Wieser thrilled the home crowd by taking the women's elite title in 1:22:37, holding off a fierce challenge from France's Mallaury Cabaud. In the men's heat, the French team flexed their muscles, with Grégory Basilico (1:02:19) and Thibault Jean securing a commanding 1-2 finish.
Top 3 Men’s Elite: 1st place: Gregory Basilico FRA (1:02:19), 2nd place: Thibault Jean FRA (1:03:11), 3rd place: Antoine Freymond CHE (1:06:05).
Top 3 Women's Elite: 1st place: Lara Wieser CHE (1:22:37), 2nd place: Mallaury Cabaud FRA (1:23:43), 3rd place: Claudia Bongiovanni ITA (1:24:48).
Spartan Tremblant | Canada National Series (Super, 1st Leg) – June 14
Mont Tremblant kicked off the Canadian National Series with a course that demanded absolute resilience. Athletes were pushed off-trail into technical, steep mountain terrain designed to break their rhythm. Canadian locals kept the hardware at home, with Brendan Neely roaring to a first-place finish in 1:14:27 and Beatrice Moyen-Sylvestre capturing the women's elite title in 1:30:23.
Top 3 Men’s Elite: 1st place: Brendan Neely CAN (1:14:27), 2nd place: William Leroy CAN (1:17:28), 3rd place: Michael Mercier CAN (1:21:30).
Top 3 Women's Elite: 1st place: Beatrice Moyen-Sylvestre CAN (1:30:23), 2nd place: Susan Snitynsky CAN (1:42:30), 3rd place: Karine Leveille CAN (1:43:11).
Spartan St. Pölten | Germany/Austria Series (Super, 3rd Leg) – June 21
The series quickly transitioned to Austria for a high-velocity Super, where the spear throw completely dictated the podium. In the men's race, leader Matteo Pelizza missed his target, dropping to his hands for 30 burpees and opening the door for Roman Tóth (56:56) to clean the obstacle and steal first place. In the women's division, Germany's Olivia Leitmeir left no room for drama, dominating from the starting gun to cross in 1:12:36.
Top 3 Men’s Elite: 1st place: Matteo Pelizza ITA (1:51:39), 2nd place: Christian Kraus GER (1:56:48), 3rd place: Christian Röttger GER (1:57:27).
Top 3 Women’s Elite: 1st place: Sophia Grimm GER (2:33:48), 2nd place: Alexandra Kraienhorst GER (2:35:03), 3rd place: Olivia Leitmer GER (2:37:05).
Peak Performance: The Terrace over the Dolomites
Spartan Belluno-Nevegal | Italy National Series (Beast, 2nd Leg) – June 27
The Italian series introduced a brand-new addition to the Spartan calendar at the Altopiano del Nevegal. Known historically as the "Terrace over the Dolomites," this UNESCO World Heritage location offered jaw-dropping 360-degree panoramic views—and an absolutely brutal mountain course with punishing elevation gain across all distances.
Compounding the steep climbs, a major European heatwave pushed afternoon temperatures to a scorching 35°C, turning the race into a strict test of hydration strategy and heat management.
The Women’s Elite division witnessed an unforgettable tactical war. Italy’s Marta Marraghini and Slovakia’s Veronika Drinkova ran virtually lock-step, continuously overtaking and re-overtaking each other along the grueling course. Marraghini dug deep to take a hometown win in 2:58:49.
In the men's race, the Italian contingent protected their turf perfectly, pulling off a clean podium sweep led by a phenomenal performance from Andrea Riva (2:19:57).
Top 3 Men’s Elite: 1st place: Andrea Riva ITA (2:19:57), 2nd place: Loris Schina ITA (2:23:34), 3rd place: Stefano Tanghetti ITA (2:31:39). Watch the Race Highlights
Top 3 Women’s Elite: 1st place: Marta Marraghini ITA (2:58:49), 2nd place: Veronika Drinkova SVK (3:01:20), 3rd place: Federica Toni ITA (3:04:47). Watch the Race Highlights
What’s Next: Upcoming Schedule
The mid-summer battles are only getting hotter. Rest up, hydrate, and prepare for the next critical stops on the global calendar:
July 18: Spartan Changchun - Sprint (China National Series - Series Finale)
July 25: Spartan Mt. Fuji Susono - Super (Japan National Series - 3rd leg)
Pick your distance and let's see what you've got. Where will we see you in July?
