JOLLIFFE RUNS 20:53:41 AT BADWATER 135 AS BOTH COURSE RECORDS FALL
Max Jolliffe ran from Badwater Basin to the Whitney Portal trailhead in 20:53:41 on Tuesday evening, the first finish under 21 hours in the race's history. Carmen Maria Perez of Spain crossed 11 minutes and 51 seconds later in 21:05:32, second overall and a women's course record. Both were making their debuts at the Badwater 135.
Jolliffe, 34, of Costa Mesa, California, took 39 minutes and 20 seconds off the men's record of 21:33:01, set by Yoshihiko Ishikawa of Japan in 2019. Perez, 44, of San Juan de Requena, Spain, went 39 minutes and 3 seconds inside the 21:44:35 that Ashley Paulson ran in 2023. Her time is the second-fastest finish by any runner in the event, which began as Al Arnold's solo crossing in 1977.
Decided on the Final Climb
Perez led through most of Death Valley. She reached Furnace Creek at mile 17.7 in 2:18, two minutes ahead of Jolliffe, and still held a five-minute edge at Keeler, mile 108.4. At Lone Pine, mile 122.8, Tamás Bódis of Hungary came through first in 18:07, with Jolliffe six minutes back and Perez one minute behind him.
The order changed on the climb to Whitney Portal, which gains 4,750 feet over the final 12.2 miles. Jolliffe covered the section in 2:40:41. Perez needed 2:51:32 and Bódis 3:27:47.
Bódis finished third overall in 21:34:47, less than two minutes off the old course record. Ivan Penalba Lopez of Spain took fourth in 21:57:44 and Francesco Perini of Italy fifth in 23:14:47. Four runners broke 22 hours.
Behind the Winners
Paulson, wearing bib 1 as the former record holder, was second woman in 24:59:36. Micah Morgan of the United States placed third woman in 26:32:45. Pete Kostelnick, the 2016 champion and one of the returning winners noted in RuntimeRacing's race preview, was sixth overall in 23:50:12.
Harvey Lewis finished 11th in 25:55:41 in his first year in the 50 to 59 age group. The time broke the division record of 26:15:35 that Charlie Engel set in 2013 by more than 14 minutes.
A Shorter Window, a Faster Race
Race organizer AdventureCORPS cut the overall time limit from 48 hours to 45 this year. The change came with temperatures above 40 C that held into the night, and the front of the field still ran faster than it ever has. The start list counted 98 athletes from 21 countries, 65 of them first-time entrants.
The winners started in the last of three waves at 10 p.m. on Monday. Runners had until Wednesday evening to reach the finish line at 8,360 feet.