Canadian ultrarunner Victor Larocque of Shawinigan, Que., etched his name into trail running history on Friday by winning the inaugural Rarámuri 100-mile race at Chihuahua by UTMB, held in Mexico’s legendary Copper Canyon. The 35-year-old completed the 157-km course with 7,756 metres of elevation gain in 21 hours, 21 minutes and 19 seconds, capturing victory in his debut attempt at the distance. Larocque is the first Canadian runner to win a 100-mile UTMB World Series race.
The race began in Batopilas, one of Chihuahua state’s famed Magical Towns (Pueblos Magicos), and traversed rugged canyon terrain marked by punishing climbs, high technicality, and wide temperature swings. At the finish line, Larocque described the course as “absolutely brutal,” saying it lived up to his expectations, which had been partly shaped by Christopher McDougall’s bestselling book Born to Run, which brought the Rarámuri’s extraordinary running ability on the trails to a wider audience.
Despite his commanding finish, Larocque’s path to victory was anything but straightforward. In an interview with Distances+, Larocque shared that with only three kilometres to go, he suffered what appeared to be heatstroke, collapsing on the trail and briefly deciding to abandon the race. Lacking cell reception to contact organizers, he was forced to rest for nearly an hour before deciding to continue. He pushed on to the finish line to claim the win.
“I thought it was over,” Larocque said in a post-race interview. “My body shut down. But somehow I found enough to get back on my feet.”
Mexico’s Mauro Martin Quimare finished second, an hour and 14 minutes later, followed by Reyes Giltro Satevo Sarabeachi in third. The women’s race was dominated by the U.S.’s Elena Ormon, who delivered a stunning performance to take the women’s win, finishing fourth overall in 24 hours, 21 minutes.
The Rarámuri: the heart of trail running
A defining feature of the race was the participation of more than 130 Rarámuri athletes, selected through community calls. The Rarámuri, renowned for their endurance and running traditions, are widely considered to embody the origins of trail running. Beyond competing for podium spots, several athletes aimed to earn qualification for the 2026 UTMB World Series Finals in Chamonix.
“Twenty-two years ago, we could never have imagined that this family would grow to include Chihuahua, the land of the Rarámuri,” said UTMB co-founder Michel Poletti. “Trail running is more than running—it is a way of life. We come here to learn from this community, to show respect, and to invite runners from all over the world to discover this culture. It is an honour that Chihuahua now becomes part of our story.”
The inaugural edition of Chihuahua by UTMB welcomed 2,000 runners from 38 countries across five continents, cementing its place on the global ultra calendar. For Larocque, who won Ultra-Trail Harricana in 2024, the triumph also secures him a coveted direct entry to the UTMB Mont-Blanc final next summer.
Whether he’ll return to another 100-mile start line remains uncertain. “Right now, I don’t know if I’ll ever run this distance again,” he admitted.
Full results for all the races can be found here.
