The Steep Stuff Podcast
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The Steep Stuff Podcast
Broken Arrow 23K Race Preview
The trail running universe's spotlight turns to Squaw Valley as the Broken Arrow Sky Race earns its rightful place on the prestigious Golden Trail World Series. James Lauriello and Nick Tusa dive deep into this watershed moment for American mountain running, breaking down why this recognition has been long overdue and what makes this race so special.
The hosts explore the fascinating dynamics of the 23K course with its 4,500 feet of vertical gain over roughly 14.5 miles. They analyze the thoughtful race format that gives elite women their own separate start time—a progressive move that ensures clearer race dynamics and better visibility for women competitors.
Joyce Njeru enters with an unblemished record on American soil as defending champion in the women's field, while Anna Gibson, Allie McLaughlin, and Lauren Gregory lead a formidable American contingent fresh off impressive performances at recent races. The conversation highlights exciting up-and-comers like Courtney Coppinger, who's been turning heads with remarkable back-to-back victories.
On the men's side, Patrick Kipngeno returns to defend his title against El Hazine and Swiss mountain running legend Remy Bonet, who recently demonstrated exceptional uphill fitness in European competition. The hosts make compelling cases for American hopefuls Mason Coppi and Andy Wacker, both arriving in career-best form and poised to challenge the international stars.
The episode wraps with detailed predictions for both races, analyzing not just who might win, but the strategic battles likely to unfold across the challenging Broken Arrow terrain. Whether you're heading to Squaw Valley or following from afar, this preview provides everything you need to appreciate what promises to be one of the most competitive American trail races ever assembled.
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What's up, boys and girls, welcome back to the Steep Stuff Podcast. I'm your host, james Lauriello, joined today by frequent co-host and friend of the podcast, mr Nick Tusa, to preview the Broken Arrow Sky Race 23K happening this upcoming Sunday. It's going to be bonkers, it's going to be bananas. We're so excited for this race, one of the many stops on the Golden Trail World Series in 2025. It's so special that we finally got one of a Golden Trail race at Broken Arrow. So, without further ado, I hope you guys enjoy this one. It's a special one. The Broken Arrow 23K course race preview not course praise preview with co-host Nick Tusa. It's time. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. We are live.
Speaker 1:Nick Tussauds welcome back to the Steep Stuff Podcast. How's?
Speaker 2:it going bud. All live to be out of this golden trail. I mean, this is our kind of pinnacle sky race in the United States. It's about time that it's had its shine and it's going to be on a global scale now and you're probably going to have golden trail here putting on really great coverage. I imagine that there's going to be. We will have a live stream, but I imagine afterwards they're going to have a phenomenal video afterwards highlighting everything and it's going to.
Speaker 1:I'm excited for it, for sure, for sure. No, I can't speak that enough. Like you know, it's just, it's very exciting that we finally got like the most premier one here I know in previous years. You know, pikes Peak has always been one more or less for the marathon, and then we had the ascent, and then they made up a race last year for headlands.
Speaker 1:Like it just never aligned, I think, on the calendar and finally, because of worlds, we get one uh, broken arrow and it just it makes so much sense, you know, have everybody out of palisades this year. Um and dude, it's what, what a crazy thing that, like it lines up with that. And then the vk, or the ascent, I should say, and the 46k, or selection races like all eyes are on broken arrow this year. The most competitive races in America at this point in the mountain running scene. It's just so exciting, I can't say it enough. I feel like the 23K is interesting because we're getting a lot of Euros but not that many, dude, not that many people are coming over, unless we're missing something.
Speaker 2:And I'm surprised because Mexico is, I believe, either next week.
Speaker 2:I think it's next week, yes it's coming in yeah, so it's like you're not coming over here, for I know it's a long ways from Europe to California. I get that versus maybe coming to Colorado. But yeah, it's two races in North America. I'm really surprised that they're not sending people over here. Maybe the budget's tight and they sent people over to asia for the two races and they said you got to pick either or I can see that. Um, because this is becoming more of a more of a global, worldwide thing. Now this isn't just, you know, european golden trail races. This is, this is everywhere.
Speaker 1:So yeah, yeah, yeah, it's interesting. I don't know it's in, I don't know, man, it's kind of crazy. You know one thing we didn't say on the vk that I completely missed. I didn't want to give away too much inside baseball, but this is this could be a whole like thing for the weekend is that, you know, these might have some course reroutes, man. Like we've got substantial winds supposed to be blowing in on friday and possibly hanging out through the weekend, so we might see course reroutes uh, both on, you know, the vk, 46k and 23k. Uh, depending on how things go down, like I know specifically they are, there is worry of a reroute for the ascent, so I don't know how it's going to impact for the 23k if it rolls to the weekend, but yeah, it's going to be. Um, I know it's going to be interesting.
Speaker 1:I had been in there on a year it was 2023 uh when rose right and I were out there and they had to do a reroute on the um, the 23k course, to make it two loops instead of one. It was kind of fun. It was the year Eli just destroyed people. There are very few words for what was witnessed on that day, but yeah, it was insane Eli crushed it so yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't know. I think it's kind of cool. I think it's exciting that we finally have a 23k here. So let me talk about the course a little bit.
Speaker 1:This race itself it's going to happen Sunday, june 22nd. So this upcoming Sunday, it is broken up for men and women, which I really like. So there's a separate race for the women and a separate race for the men, taking place 20 minutes apart. So the women's race starts at 8.40 in the morning and the men's place 20 minutes apart. So the women's race starts at 8 40 in the morning and the men's race, um, and apparently all runners, so all the the normies, all the normal people running it are going to be starting at nine as well. So the elite women just get a nice 20 minute padding uh to get started, which is great.
Speaker 1:I like that because it's easier to follow the women's race, um, you don't have to worry about moves, you know, trying to pass men and shit like that, like it's just I don't know. I've been a big proponent of this for a long time. Like, I think, for a lot of these races, it should be a separate men's and women's race in my opinion. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The race itself too, of course doesn't look too different 22k, so 14 and a half miles ish uh, with about 4500 feet of vertical is yeah, so not too different from what we've seen in previous years.
Speaker 1:Nothing too crazy. I think there's some interesting discussions. Less on the women's side, I think the women in my opinion it's going to be some of the usual suspects. In fact it might be kind of a redo of Sonopy with Allie, anna and Lauren racing. And then on the men's side we're gonna see patrick, we'll see remy bonet returns to north america where he's had, you know, a lot of success, and then al huzzine, who I used to think couldn't handle altitude and then goes and wins mammoth last year. So I don't know, man, like what are you? What are you seeing in this?
Speaker 2:yeah, I'm happy to be seeing some of the Golden Trail staple athletes up there. I'm excited. I'm always excited for Patrick and Philemon. I think this is like Philemon's type of course. He does really really well at these more runnable courses with a lot of downhill. Super excited for Mason to be out here. He did so well a couple of weekends ago and I think this is his time to kind of put himself. Like you know, he showed that he is a top American. Now I'm excited. Is he going to show him that he's top in the world Like he's man? Hell, it's going to be fun, um and then Remy Bonet.
Speaker 1:Mason is him yes.
Speaker 2:And yes, and then remy bonet, roberto de lorenzi, um, yeah, just a lot of, and then just your staple guys that were all here last year, like everybody's returning for the most part. So it's like nobody doesn't have experience here, I would say, other than maybe el hazine. Otherwise everybody else is pretty much ran this, maybe that lucas earl as well, um, but everyone's either done the 46k or the 23k. They've done, they've done a loop of um. And then, as for, like, the women's side, I'm just super excited to just see everyone that threw down a couple weekends ago throw down again and then sprinkle in a couple international athletes.
Speaker 2:It's makes it all, all the better.
Speaker 1:Um, yeah, excited yeah, it's gonna be interesting, like, and I like I said, I think there's a lot of opportunities here for the Americans to get some serious points, just like with the lack thereof Europeans.
Speaker 1:I think it and the fact that it's also at altitude which the Europeans don't normally race at 8000 feet isn't that bad, but I mean it definitely eats some people alive, like I know people have had problems with the altitude before, so maybe that's a slight, slight, slight issue for some folks. Yeah, you know, I just want a second, something like I think Andy, I think there's opportunities for on this course, like Andy's a former winner like yeah, he was champion in 2020. No, that was eli, so andy must have won in 2022, because andy was 22 21 yep, yep.
Speaker 1:So andy was a champion in 2022. Dude, don't be surprised if andy, andy, no, I, I would not be surprised to see andy mix it up in there. Um, has a good opportunity on the podium when there is and mason obviously I do. I think mason has just achieved a new level and um has shown that like he really is world class, so it's going to be another statement day for Mason, in my opinion.
Speaker 2:Do very well going back to Andy, I think I mean this is probably the most fit.
Speaker 1:Andy has been going into a golden trail race like he's done a bunch of golden trail before, but I think again, I think he's better than he's ever been, so it's yeah and this is like more his course, like we saw what he got to do at big Alta, because it's more of a I mean, if I remember Broken Arrow correctly like there's a lot of fire road and there's some single track and it's some techie in some places. But I wouldn't describe Broken Arrow as a particularly like technical, like course. I would describe it as more just fast, like very runnable, steep sections. Nonetheless, it's like.
Speaker 1:I think you can get an incredibly fit for this race, like on the front range, in my opinion you know um what people stand out to you like. What do you think about remy? Did you see, remy, what he? Remy bonet specifically not remy, but remy bonet, you know ran this like really cool race in switzerland, I think it was like last week, yeah a couple days ago it was like it was dude.
Speaker 1:He ran like 10k with like 4 000. You know it might have been like 6 000 feet in like under an hour or something like that. It was bananas what he was able to do and it just goes to show like remy actually I maybe just coming back from schemo season like remy isn't like stupid uphill fitness shape right now. Uh, let me know if you come across it on strava I I saw like the euro stats it was all in metro I think it was only three days ago, actually.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, so yeah, but a little over 10k with a little over 4 000 feet of gain with a thought, with a five flat gap, I mean that's special right there, that's yeah, and that was only. That was pretty much an uphill race. It looked like it was basically broken arrow with an additional thousand foot climb. So or broken, uh broken or ascent with another thousand foot climb. So yeah, throwing down a 428 gap, 441 gap, 435 like that is that's disgusting so let me is in crazy shape you can't count him out.
Speaker 2:You can't count him out. He might not be you know what he used to. He might not be that world beater like he was, you know, a couple years ago when he was winning Golden Trail, right. But he's going to be up there and I don't know, maybe he's planning his season differently because he's slowly getting into trail now. Maybe he's trying to peak for for later in the year, for for worlds. Maybe I had imagined he's going to be on the, the Swiss world team, right.
Speaker 1:I mean, I don't think so. No, he doesn't. He doesn't run worlds.
Speaker 2:Like he's never gone.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he's never done it. I don't know why, like what the dealio is there? I don't know if Solomon was holding him no, I'm kidding if he I mean, I got jokes for this one too, but no, I think, um, no, remy, yeah, he's never. He didn't go to world's last year, he didn't go to 2022 or 2023. I can just push it.
Speaker 2:Speaking of solomon, too, another name that I'm not seeing here, which I don't know why I didn't notice it before, so feel lucky who's training in boulder now? Yeah, what's going on? She's putting in work in boulder. I've seen her. It's don't know what's going on, I have no idea. Interesting Because this is, I don't know. If you know. I believe she has the 23K course record for women's. Yeah, so sad to not see her here. That's a bummer, but yeah.
Speaker 1:Dude, she was one that like really came onto the scene and like so fast yeah, so fast fast came onto the scene, like has been a little quiet. The last few maybe coming, I don't know, maybe dealing with some injuries, maybe just dealing with. I mean, dude, it can't be easy being a dual sport athlete at the highest.
Speaker 2:no, no, you know that's the life of an athlete. It's. It's ups and downs. You can't always be at the top for that long it's.
Speaker 1:You're gonna burn yourself yeah let me ask you this what do you think about hawk call being on the start line for this? I, I think he's hungry dude. I think he's ready. He might be ready to crack one off. I know he's he kind of. He was very uh open on uh instagram about posting about some of his struggles. I think he was kind of just out of it when it came to, um, uh son up. He like didn't have the race that he wanted and then also didn't have a great uh, what was the golden trail series race that was in italy? Um, but you know, dude, you can't, can't count, count out no, he was six last last year.
Speaker 2:This was kind of his breakout. I think that's when you and I kind of first caught wind of him, and since then he's just been a staple.
Speaker 1:Fucking kicked my ass at. What was it? Cirque Series Targhee, dude, Targhee. It was disgusting. He's a very talented downhill runner. I think this is his type. Of course these guys tend to do very well in some of the more Mountain West stuff and I think this is more Mountain West course. It kind of favors those guys.
Speaker 2:And then another one who came onto our radar last year during this time too where nobody knew who he was Taylor Stack. And now everybody knows who he is. So, yeah, Brooks has put a lot of investment behind him and super excited what he can do. I mean fourth, last year was in that field. Last year's field was stacked as well.
Speaker 1:I mean, this year is a different story, but still, you know, he reminds me. He reminds me of a young eli, even though eli's young eli yeah, he does. He just gives me eli vibes, like even talking, like it gives me eli vibes for some reason, I don't know. It's something about him that, just like I don't know, reminds me of eli. But yeah, and just what a stupid talented kid. Like crazy. You know it's funny. Cade told me a story one time.
Speaker 1:I had Cade on the pod and he was talking about just like the level of like seriousness, and like just not just dedication, but like competitiveness, like he was saying like Taylor's the type of human that like, if you beat him at a board game, like he'll lock himself in the room and learn how to crush you at it and then come out when he's ready to destroy you Kind of competitive, which is interesting. He's another one dude. It's funny. He's another one that had issues with his eyes at Sunapee.
Speaker 2:So it wasn't just.
Speaker 1:Tyler yeah, I don't know what it is.
Speaker 2:I don't know if it's an East Coast thing, maybe more humid, I don't know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, interesting, interesting. Yeah, interesting, interesting, yeah, and particularly on the descents, like on the dude which he almost won the race, man, if it wasn't for his eye situation like he would have probably won, which is crazy. Probably won, that is yeah. But yeah, he's another one that like just man like talk about, made made a name for himself. Like you know, everybody knows who he is now, so another one too.
Speaker 2:Um, was kind of surprised to see him on here. Is Cam racing the 23K. Cam's racing the 23K. Yeah, Really I wonder what's the story behind that. Do you have any details?
Speaker 1:Wants to throw down, wants to keep the weekend rolling dude.
Speaker 2:I like that. He's just that kind of competitor. If he's going to a race weekend where there's multiple races, he's always signing up for it. He did the Triple crown last year. He goes to you know the rut and does the, does the vk and then the 28k and I think he did the 50k. He, he loves that. That's so I guess.
Speaker 1:Yeah, not not surprised to see him yeah, cam's got the dog in him, man, we all know cam is, you know, a voracious competitor and has always, didn't. Well, man, like always top 10. Like it would not be surprised to see him somewhere in the top 10 when it comes to this race, for sure. On the women's side, one notable one was Taylor Noland. Yes, dude, she kind of came onto the scene. I think she either won or had a very good result at Speed Goat years ago and then signed with Adidas Terrax and then went the whole ultra route. Yep, had a few years at Western States and then I of, like you know, signed with adidas terex and then, like, went the whole ultra route. A couple had a few years at western states and then, um, I think, just just gave birth uh, not so long ago, maybe last summer, just had children. Now kind of like back on the short stuff which I like, it's, it's, it's really cool.
Speaker 1:So yeah, big fan of hers, christina mascarinas, want to give a big shout out to uh local legend of the springs like three or four time pikes peak marathon champion, christina mascarilla, and has had success at broken arrow, like she's been on the podium of the 46k, so don't be surprised to see christina. Uh, do extremely well here. Um. Another one, rachel smycheck, is here racing. May cook um, oh yeah, yeah, may cooks out um.
Speaker 2:So from boulder, um, oakley olsen will be in this race as well and then we've got the usual suspects jade bellsberg, lauren gregory, anna gibson, ellie mack and joyce naru one that I wanted to highlight, who I'm really excited about, because I raced her a couple weekends ago at peppy's. She was right behind me, um, courtney coppinger yes, so she, she's special.
Speaker 2:Uh, she was fourth at Sunapee. Kind of came out of nowhere no one, really she. It turns out she's sponsored by Brooks. I had no idea, but yeah, she came out and she came to the GoPro Games here in Vail, colorado, and won the 10K that morning. A couple hours later, shake out the legs wins Pepe's Like's to win back to back. That's she. Her legs are ready, she's. She's one. Yeah, yeah, she is one that, like I don't have her in my top five but she very, very well could be up there. It's just, the top five is so stacked it's really hard for me to want to put her up there. But definitely my sleeper pick, 100% Courtney.
Speaker 1:Having my sleeper pick, 100%, courtney having an amazing season so far. Yeah, do not be surprised. And you know, dude, it's funny like Sydney Peterson on a Gibson. When I was doing pre-race interviews with them, they both said, watch out for Courtney Coppinger. And I was like love it. I was like, who is this person? Research? I follow her on Instagram and I've been trying to send her DMs to get her on the podcast but I guess, like, if she doesn't follow you back, she doesn't like she can't respond damn it, so I'm gonna put this one out into the world.
Speaker 1:If anyone knows up and sure or can get me connected with her, I want her on the podcast like yeah, I want that podcast.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it would be fun to have a chat with her, so hopefully we can speak that into the universe. But, yes, one to watch out for it nonetheless. Um, yeah, I think it's like what the women I have to watch out for Like there's a good mix of maybe 20, 30 women that could probably throw down here. I think that's going to be? Who do you have? Um, let's start with women. Let's go for yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so top five here. Um, and fifth, I have Allie Allen McLaughlin. She's been here, like we said in the in the ascent episode. She's been here so many times. She's done this race a number of times. I don't know if she's got enough to beat the women that I'm going to name here above her, but she's going to be up there. Wouldn't be surprised to see her take maybe third as well, but yeah, I have her in. Fifth. She took third at Sunapee behind Lauren Gregory and Anna Gibson a couple of weeks ago. So she's fit. She's fit, like you said. You saw her do that stair master workout. She's crushing.
Speaker 2:Fourth, I have Lauren Gregory, second at Centipede a couple of weekends ago. She's here and she's on the rise. I'm excited to see her name up there and racing these big races now. She's never been here before. So that's maybe one little you know, I don't know one little star you could put next to her name, but I mean it it. It was the same thing with the, with the golden trail series last year when she showed up. She's never raced those before and she dominated, so excited to see her up there.
Speaker 2:Third, madalena Floria. She, she's really good here in the U S as well. She's another one. When she comes here she shows up. She was third at mammoth uh in 2023 and then second at mammoth in 2024, so she is no stranger to these high altitude uh american races. And then second um man, I don't want to have her in second because we're such big fans of her.
Speaker 2:But anna gibson okay, I think she's gonna tear it up in the ascent and then she's gonna come here, um and still do well, I mean second is not gonna hang your head about uh. She was second here in in 2023, but I don't believe she raced it in last year. I think she just did the vk last year, um, but yeah, expect her and joyce to go at it. I think that's kind of going to be the story of the weekend seeing America's best and the world's best, in a sense, just going head to head. I got Joyce taking it here. She won last year. She won the VK as well and then she won at Mammoth. Like I said last episode, she's undefeated on American soil. I think that that's going to continue. Don't know about the ascent, but I think the 23 K she's she's ready to uh, to do it.
Speaker 1:So I like it. I like it, Um yeah go for it all right, I'll take it away, sorry my dog distracted me for a second.
Speaker 1:I was like it's been a long day, um, okay, so I'll start. I'm just gonna do five down, five up. I'm gonna go fifth jade bellsberg. Uh, another one jade has just had. I think last year was the second place finish at this race. Um, I think, just compete with the best of them. Uh, super, super, super, uh talented athlete in. Fourth I'm gonna go lauren gregory. Um, the interesting thing, I don't know why I might like want to rethink this. I'm not going to change the pick now but, like lauren gregory might do better than you think because she's not racing the vk, so won't have that in her legs on, uh, on friday. So don't be surprised if she like podiums or wins. The damn thing.
Speaker 1:I could totally see it um in third place I'm gonna go on a gibson. And in second place I'm gonna go ali mac. Uh, I just think ali just has like such a winning pedigree at this race, um, like I can't remember she's won it two times or maybe three. I think she's won it twice, maybe three, but like just has the dog in her, like has the winning pedigree and I'm hoping things are good on the injury side. I know she'd been kind of like working through some nerve stuff, um, and I think that should be behind her, um, and hopefully she can have a happy, healthy, exciting race on race day. And in first place I'm gonna go joyce naru. Uh, I think I think anna beats her on friday, but I don't think she gets beat on on um, I miss it wednesday. On sunday, um, yeah, I don't know, I don't think so. I mean, maybe I'm wrong. I don't have. Noticeably, I don't have madalina floria in there.
Speaker 1:I just think that, like like one of the things that ali said to me in in the post race interview with sunup, he was like you know, you're racing with your teammates now in a lot of ways, like with Allie, anna and Lauren, and this is world-class competition and a lot of these women are going to be at Worlds. I just see these women competing for medals, particularly gold, the gold kind, at Worlds, and yeah, I just think that those three are going to be very hard to beat. So I've got them kind of fill in the podium in the top five, watching out for, yes, cordy Coppinger, christina Mascarenas, taylor Nolan, sydney Peterson, lara Hamilton, rachel Smycheck will be up there as well. Easily solid top 10 athlete Oakley Olsen could prove herself in a race like this.
Speaker 1:I think maybe because she's a steepler, I think the opportunity there might be more in the vk, but what do I know? Uh, because this isn't much longer. Race like it's not. This isn't a cirque series. Race like this is one where there's no opportunities. Um, it's a bit longer, but yes, there's an opportunity to screw up, like a bit more competitive, and then meg cook as well. Uh, it'd be cool to see where meg's gonna gonna mix it up. Yeah, and that's all I got for the women.
Speaker 2:Awesome. All right, on to the men. On to the men. On to the men. Fifth, doing some home cooking here, I mean Mason Copey. I mean we love him here on the pod. We're excited to see what he can do against world competition like this. He performed so well a couple weekends ago. Yeah, this is this is his time. You know it's this is his year. He's. He's on a crazy trajectory. Um, should be fun to see.
Speaker 2:Fourth, I have lucas earl, who you mentioned, uh, on the assets pod. Uh, he was the winner of utmb, etc. Which is actually now becoming like a super competitive race. I think this year it's probably going to be the most competitive it's ever been. We're going to see a lot of because sub ultra has been growing so much. You've been doing a great job with this podcast growing it. Um, thank you, yeah. And then, third, we have uh, philemon. He was third last year. I think again he's gonna hang on to patrick as long as he can and patrick's probably going to be chasing like el hazine for a while, but I think that they were going to go back and forth.
Speaker 1:So at least in the last few miles, that's the way they race, yup.
Speaker 2:And then El Hazin, in seconds, hasn't raced here before coming over to America. Sometimes that's a little bit of a question mark, who knows? And then I have Patrick win it at all. Last year's winner, he's, he's going to have the best year of probably you look, you're gonna look back this is probably gonna be the best, one of the best years of his career. Um, yeah, he's, he's gonna put together a special year and expect him to to take it here at the 23k really no remy bonet in there.
Speaker 2:No remy bonet um, yeah, he's just he, he, he's. I've been like my sixth spot, I guess, like he's the top of my list of what could be. Yeah, he's very hot and cold. Yeah, he, you know. I just I don't know if that this is like a pure. He's a great climber, right. Um, I don't know if this is like a pure climbers race. I think it's a mix of both, that's.
Speaker 1:I mean, I could throw him in that fifth or fourth spot, but Bro, don't be surprised if Mason I see. Mason and Andy kind of in that area.
Speaker 2:Yeah yeah, I mean I think he rises to the occasion with the competition. I mean this is competition higher than he's ever been in, so is he going to rise to it.
Speaker 1:He was top 15 at headlands and top 15. Yeah. If I remember correctly something like to the accord of that and I think he's leveled up dude, like Andy as well, like Andy's coming off that injury and like as fit as he's ever been. Now Don't be surprised, yeah, and don't be surprised if Taylor stacks in there too, man.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, man, oh yeah, no, can't leave him out. Um, yeah, a few others I wanted to highlight too. Uh, coming over from, uh, from europe. Uh, roberto dellorenzi, he's always up there, doesn't matter what kind of race it is, the dude is just mr consistent. Um, I think he's toned back as racing a little bit this year, so maybe he'll come in with a little fresh. Oh my god, it's ridiculous. Every every weekend. Um, and then that henry, uh, amadad, how do you pronounce his last name?
Speaker 2:yeah, yeah, yeah, he was fifth in 2023, um, very well could be up there. Remy larue eighth last year. Talon hall 12th last year. Christian allen I don't think he had the race that he wanted to last year getting 13th. He very well could be up there. I mean, he's he does well in these, in these races. Uh. Grant colligan from golden, 15th last year. Uh. And then the young guns again um. Ali papalan he was 26 last year, only 20 years old. Benjamin town said 21 years old. He was 38 last year. Uh, so it's like those, those, those young kids, are on a, on a crazy trajectory, so we can easily see them pop into the top 15, top 10, um. And then, and then I think out of utah, liam. Liam hammonds was another one, um.
Speaker 1:I got to meet him. Yeah, really nice guy. Yeah, yeah, so cool but, yeah, that's. That's what I got for my picks. I'm right there with you. Same thing, mason fifth. I've got andy fourth, el hussein and third I'm gonna.
Speaker 2:I put I was a little nice to Remy this time.
Speaker 1:I'm not usually very nice to Remy Bonet but, I put Remy Bonet in second this time.
Speaker 1:He won me over from last week's race and then I'm going to go first Patrick, obviously. I just think Patrick's so hard to beat, so complete and more completer than he's ever been, like his ascending and descending has gotten so good. This is not a technical course, so he should rip it up, um, and maybe, maybe. I just don't see like Remy has not gotten the best of him in a long time and I wonder, with L, who's seen having his first race at altitude? Um, like I said, I kind of ate those words.
Speaker 1:Last year I did not think he would win mammoth and he did win um. Maybe it's the same thing this year, maybe, maybe he has a great race again, um, but I do expect big things from andy. I don't know why, andy. Something points to andy, to me, that he's either top five or on the podium and mason is him as well. I think mason is that legit world class and uh is ready to make a statement and um, you know, I think he's gonna have his pick of teams to join uh coming out of 2025.
Speaker 1:Uh, on the watch list, I think, like I said, same thing. Taylor stack, lucas, arl uh, talon hall, christian allen, cam smith, philomon uh, never count out. Remy larue um, I just wonder. With remy, the thing with me is this is at altitude? Um, not that he struggles at altitude, he's. Historically he's done very well. I just he's had a lot of racing under his belt over the last three weeks and I just wonder how tired he is.
Speaker 1:I know he kind of struggled a little bit with something with his foot, I think it was at Centipede, and then he was able to kind of correct it and just went in one Cirque Cannon. So if the Cirque Cannon Remy shows up, then good luck to everybody. And then also, he just got, uh, I think he was fourth at um, right behind joe david, right behind joe alex ricard and david sinclair at mount washington. So yeah, yeah, so that's a cast of characters right there. So yeah, remy is uh like one of the best climbers, like he's world class. So yeah, no doubt about it. Um, that's all, that's all I got. So, oh, and Hawk call, don't forget.
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, I forget about Hawk.
Speaker 1:Yeah, uh, and that's all I got. So cool, that's the 23rd. Awesome, yeah. Wish everybody the best in the 23rd. What's up, guys? Resolution bottle belt, you name it. Guess what Ultimate directions got you covered, guys.
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