Canada’s trail running scene is stacked with strong women who are crushing everything from short, technical races to leg-crushing 100-milers (and beyond). We have a quick who’s who (in no particular order) to get you up to speed—and these runners are only a small example of the powerhouse performers that Canadian women are in the sport.
In 2024, Canadian women claimed five of the top 15 spots on the Word Trail Majors series rankings, and they’re only looking stronger as we kick off the 2025 season. With Canadian women set to toe the line at many of the most prestigious and challenging races of the year, you need to get ready to cheer.
In 2024, Quebec native Champagne secured victories at both the Quebec Mega Trail (QMT) 100-miler and the Grand Raid des Pyrénées in France (160K), leading to a second-place finish in the World Trail Majors series, just behind ultrarunning legend Courtney Dauwalter. While she hasn’t revealed her race plans for 2025, fans can be certain she won’t disappoint.
Jazmine Lowther
Nelson, B.C.’s Lowther burst onto the scene when she clinched victory at the 2022 Canyons Endurance Runs 100K in California and secured a fourth-place finish at the UTMB CCC 100K (Chamonix, France) the same year. In 2023, she took second place at the 2023 Transgrancanaria 128K (Canary Islands) and followed that with a commanding win at the Ultra-Trail Cape Town 100K (South Africa) in 2024.
Becky Bates
Kimberley, B.C.’s Bates is making a name for herself as a masters runner who is only getting faster. In 2023, then-62-year-old Bates astounded at Hard Rock 100 (Colorado) by capturing seventh place; she followed that with an eighth-place finish at Javelina Jundred 100K in Arizona. In 2024, Bates pulled a repeat performance at Hardrock Hundred, once again claiming seventh; she also took seventh at the Idaho Mountain Trail Ultra Festival 100-miler. Bates will again toe the line at Hardrock Hundred in 2025—and she kicked off her season as the 23rd finisher of Tarawera 100K in New Zealand.
Priscilla Forgie
Edmonton, Alta.’s Forgie continues to build on her reputation as one of the most consistent (and nicest) trail runners around. In 2023, she earned a golden ticket to the 2023 edition of WSER (where she finished eighth) when she won Canyons Endurance Runs 100K, and she wrapped up that season with a 12th-place finish at UTMB CCC 100K. Forgie didn’t slow down in 2024, where she pulled off a third-place finish at Chuckanut 50K (Washington), won Squamish 50K (B.C.), and claimed ninth at WSER (with a faster time than her 2023 race); she took second at Kodiak Ultra Marathons by UTMB 100K (California) in December.
Emilie Mann
Kelowna, B.C.’s Mann has been known as a dynamo in shorter ultramarathons, but she solidified her reputation as a trail runner that can conquer any race in 2024, when she won and set a new course record at the iconic Run Rabbit Run (Colorado), in her debut at the distance. Earlier in the 2024 season, Mann took second at the Puerto Vallarto Mexico by UTMB 33K race, she also ran to second at Wild Horse Traverse 52K (B.C.) and sixth at The Broken Arrow Skyrace 42.2K (California). Mann has already kicked off her 2025 season in style with a 10th-place finish at Black Canyon Ultras 100K.
Arden Young
Young, from Canmore, A.B., had a standout 2024 season, beginning with a second-place overall finish at the San Tan Scramble 50K (Arizona) and an 11th-place finish in a deep field at Black Canyon Ultras 100K. Young was tenth at Canyons Endurance Runs 100K in April of 2024, and followed that with a 12th-place finish at UTMB CCC 100K and first at Puerto Vallarta Mexico by UTMB in November.
Ailsa MacDonald
MacDonald may be best known for her second-place finish at the 2022 edition of WSER, but she’s only gotten stronger since. In 2023, MacDonald pulled off a podium finish in her first four races of the year (including first at Elk Valley Ultra (B.C.) and Lewiston Ultra 100K (B.C.); she wrapped up her season by capturing seventh in UTMB (170K). MacDonald won Mesquite Canyon 50K (Arizona) and Austin Rattler Run 50K (Texas) in 2024 and took second at Gorge Waterfalls 50K (Oregon); she has already won her first race of the 2025 season, the Mesquite Canyon 50K.
Kelsey Hogan
Originally from Newfoundland and now residing in New Brunswick, Hogan dominated the QMT 100-miler by winning back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023 and secured a second-place finish in 2024. Notably, Hogan became the first woman to complete the QMT 100 Miles three times consecutively; she ended her 2024 season with a 25th-place finish at UTMB. Hogan also claimed an impressive fifth-place ranking in the World Trail Majors series in 2024.
