Morzine Ultra World Championship: A Legend Crowned, A Warrior Rises
The start line at Morzine was a masterclass in energy—music pounding, hearts racing, and 55 kilometers of unforgiving alpine terrain waiting ahead. Featuring 75+ brutal obstacles and a 33% DNF rate across 46 nationalities, only 800 warriors reached the finish line.
Gregory Basilico Completes the Crown
Having already bagged two Beast World Championships, two Trifecta World Titles, and a European Championship, Gregory Basilico had just one major trophy missing from his cabinet: the Ultra Crown.
Taking control early, Basilico put on a tactical clinic, crossing the line in 6:32:32 to claim his fifth world title overall. Behind him, a late course marking issue threw contenders Luca Pescollderungg and Jonathan Garcia into confusion, resulting in Garcia’s ultimate disqualification. Unaffected, Thibault Jean held strong for silver in 6:44:48, while Antoine Freymond repeated his 2025 bronze performance in 7:18:23.
Sabrina Daolio’s Defiant Victory
If Basilico’s win was pure dominance, Sabrina Daolio’s victory was pure defiance. Returning from severe ligament damage, Daolio twisted her ankle just 7.8 kilometers into the race. Stopping to reassess the agony, she refused to throw in the towel, battling through seven grueling hours of pain to cross the line in 8:17:21.
Estonia's Külli Sizask captured silver (8:19:09), while Denmark's Ulrikke Evensen took bronze (8:21:17) after a late-stage spear throw miss stripped her of the lead. Evensen led the praise post-race, calling Daolio's comeback "the mark of a warrior."
Top 5 Men’s Elite:
Gregory Basilico (FRA) – 6:32:32
Thibault Jean (FRA) – 6:44:48
Antoine Freymond (CHE) – 7:18:23
Nikolaj Dam (DEN) – 7:19:54
Oriol Torró (ESP) – 7:27:31
Top 5 Women’s Elite:
Sabrina Daolio (RSA) – 8:17:21
Külli Sizask (EST) – 8:19:09
Ulrikke Evensen (DEN) – 8:21:17
Rea Kolbl (SLO) – 8:36:21
Mallaury Cabaud (FRA) – 9:16:44
Related: Morzine 2026: A Championship For The Ages
Regional Rivalries & National Series Finales
1. Central Europe: Spartan Komárno (July 4)
Staged at the historic Fortress of Komárno—the central stronghold of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire—athletes battled along the confluence of the Danube and Váh rivers.
Men's Podium: Slovakia's Peter Ceniga took gold in 52:09, holding off Jan Vladar (53:55) and Jakub Vrbensky (54:07).
Women's Podium: Slovakian star Eszter Hortobagyiova (1:02:08) edged out Lucie Cerna (1:02:36) in a thrilling sprint finish.
2. France National Series Finale: Morzine Super (July 5)
Following the Ultra WC madness, Sunday hosted the France Series finale. Dutch sensation Stijn Lagrand took the Super victory in 59:06, edging out Basilico (59:28). However, Basilico’s consistent season earned him a tie on points at the top of the overall leaderboard.
In the women’s race, Camille Salliot claimed victory, finishing in 1:19:52. However, Perrine Abadie accumulated enough points to top the overall Series standings and stand on the top step of the podium.
Top 3 France National Series
Final Men's Leaderboard: 1st Gregory Basilico (564 pts - Wins via tie-break), 2nd Stijn Lagrand (564 pts), 3rd Thibault Jean (536 pts).
Final Women's Leaderboard: 1st Perrine Abadie (600 pts - Perfect Season), 2nd Mallaury Cabaud (528 pts), 3rd Camille Saillot (480 pts).
US Series Wrap-Ups: Poconos & Utah
US North East Series Finale: Spartan Poconos (July 11)
Blue Mountain’s rugged terrain tested athletes with steep climbs and dense forest runs. Logan Broadbent put on an absolute clinic in the men's race (1:10:48), while Nicole Mericle proved untouchable in the women's heat (1:22:25).
Final Men's Leaderboard: 1st Logan Broadbent (600 pts), 2nd Jordan McDougal (564 pts), 3rd Brent Trail (528 pts).
Final Women's Leaderboard: 1st Nicole Mericle (600 pts), 2nd Miranda Kielpinski (528 pts), 3rd Taylor Rae (480 pts).
US West Series Finale: Spartan Utah (July 11)
Set at a former Olympic winter sports venue, Utah demanded pure alpine power. Hawk Call smashed the men's Beast course (2:21:35), while Kaci Calaway dominated the women's race (3:13:02).
Final Men's Leaderboard: 1st Jhovany Mendoza (564 pts), 2nd Jeff Shady (500 pts), 3rd Vadzim Yauseikin (440 pts).
Final Women's Leaderboard: 1st Kaci Calaway (600 pts - Perfect Season), 2nd Rebecca Cerra (500 pts), 3rd Rachel Munoz (480 pts).
Castles, Sprints, and Asian Battles
Spartan Midlands | UK National Series (July 12)
Framed by the breathtaking Belvoir Castle, this high-speed Sprint saw major leaderboard swings at the late-stage Spear Throw. Daniel Titcomb snatched the men's win (24:29) after competitors missed their throws, while Josie Lloyd (30:46) capitalized on spear throw accuracy to capture the women's crown.
Spartan Changchun | China National Series Finale (July 18)
The China Series concluded with lightning-fast Sprint times. Local runner Feng Jiahao clocked a blazing 29:07 win, while Fuli Xu (33:18) secured a flawless victory in the women's division.
Final Leaderboard (Men): 1st Chen Chaojiang (536 pts), 2nd Davide Liu (536 pts), 3rd Wen Changxun (528 pts).
Final Leaderboard (Women): 1st Fuli Xu (600 pts - Perfect Season), 2nd Zhao Tenghe (480 pts), 3rd Huang Hongying (468 pts).
Spartan Mt. Fuji Susono | Japan National Series (July 25)
Closing out the month at Snow Park "Yeti" on Mt. Fuji's second station (1,450m elevation), athletes took on a punishing Super course across ski slopes and old golf links, setting the tone for the final stretches of the Asian circuit.
Top 3 Men’s Elite: 1st Ryoma Sugata (JPN), 2nd Hiroshi Kato (JPN), 3rd Takuya Mikami (JPN).
Top 3 Women’s Elite: 1st Kei Sakaino (JPN), 2nd Haruna Miyamoto (JPN), 3rd Chika Matsumoto (JPN)
What’s Your Next Series or Championship Event?
The Championship season is reaching its boiling point. Whether you are aiming for a regional title or looking to earn your next medal, the global schedule is ready for you:
World Championships:
Kids World Championship - Chongli, China - Aug 9
Para World Championship - Lahti, Finland - Aug 22
Regional Championships
Kids Latin American Championship - CDMX, Mexico - Aug 1
Latin American Championship - CDMX, Mexico - Aug 2
National Series & Championship
Red Deer, Canada (Beast) August 8, 2026
VIC Melbourne Urban - Werribee, Australia (Sprint) August 8, 2026
South West, UK (Beast) August 16, 2026
Lahti, Finland (Beast) August 22, 2026
Berlin, Germany-Austria (Sprint) August 30, 2026
Bielsko - Biala, Poland-CEU (Super) August 30, 2026
Are you ready to write your own chapter in Spartan history? Secure your spot on the start line today!
