Australia’s Phil Gore was the winner of the Big’s Backyard Ultra World Championship in Tennessee.
The event, created by Laz Lake of Barkley Marathons fame and hosted in his ‘backyard’ in Bell Buckle, sees the world’s best ultra runners complete a 4.167-mile loop – called a ‘yard’ – every hour on the hour until there is just one person left standing.
And that point came early on Thursday – the event having started at 7am local time on Saturday – when 39-year-old Gore was the only person to complete his 114th yard. That is 475 miles in four days and 18 hours, just five hours short of his own world record of 119 and a new high for the World Championship.
Belgium’s Ivo Steyaert, the fourth oldest competitor in the 72-strong field at 55, was the last person to drop after 113 yards and is credited with an ‘assist’.
The format has become a global phenomenon with races in 85 countries and the individial World Championship is held every two years, with a team competition in the intervening years.
‘We are family’
As Laz himself explained beforehand in his own inimitable style, Gore could only do one more lap once he was the last person standing:
“in every sport an athlete can only be as good as the athletes they compete against.only in the backyard is that codified.no one is coming here with dreams of burying the fieldand setting a world record.because the winner will only win by one lap.in order for that world record to comethe winner must have the help of an able assist.and that assist will ride on the shoulders of others.in order for one to do well,everyone needs to do well.
“when that last athlete,completes that last yard,aloneit will be the cumulation of the efforts of everyone.the other athletesthe crewseven the race staff…everyone will contribute a parteveryone will own a piece of that victory.
“and this is why the backyard has spread like a virus.it is not just the competitionit is because when we play in the backyardwe are all on the same team.we are family.”
Third time a charm
Laz was there at the finish – as he had been throughout the 114 hours – and he called Gore’s achievement “inspiring”.
Gore himself said: “Thanks everyone for the support, it’s been an amazing event. I wanted to come here four years ago but I couldn’t because of COVID.
“And then two years ago I had my chance but it didn’t quite work out for me. I’m happy with the third time.”
Asked what the difference was compared to 2023, he replied: “Well I knew what I was coming to for a start, having been here before, and all the experience I’ve had since then. My training has definitely improved so I think I probably was just better prepared.”
And as to what he’s most looking forward to next: “I’m going to be happy to go and get some proper sleep! I’m just tired. There’s been a lot of time throughout this event where I’ve been really confused but it’s definitely been an adventure.”
The day before had seen the women’s world record broken after Britain’s Sarah Perry ticked off 95 yards before back pain forced her to retire.
That left just nine – all men – remaining but they were gradually whittled down.
It was a slight surprise to see France’s Nicolas Cointepas go after 105 yards as he and Gore had been by far the quickest throughout the event which allows them more rest and is usually a good indicator of who will go furthest.
Harvey Lewis, the winner in 2023 with 108 loops, bowed out after 106 this time and that just left Gore and Steyaert.
Click here for detailed final results.
