The Superior 100 Mile Trail Race is an annual ultramarathon in Minnesota. The race starts at Gooseberry Falls State Park and runs along the Superior Hiking Trail until it finishes at Caribou Highlands Lodge on Lutsen Mountains. It is run on the first Friday and Saturday in September.
Harry Sloan founded the race in 1991, who served as race director from 1991 until 1997. The current race director is John Storkamp, and the race is organized by RockSteady Running.
Having started in 1991, the Superior 100 Mile Trail Race is the ninth oldest 100 mile trail race in the United States. It has a reputation for being among the most difficult races of its kind, owing to grueling climbs and unpredictable weather conditions.
The race has of vertical climbs and in 2013 the average finish time was 34 hours. The Superior 100 has a time limit of 38 hours.
History and Records The course records after the 2023 race are held by Neal Collick (18:56:02) for men and Gretchen Metsa (21:54:10) for women.
The current course has been run since 2006, which was originally measured twice via a surveying wheel by Donald Clark and Bonnie Riley. The original course ran from the junior high school in Silver Bay, Minnesota to the Cook County football field in Grand Marais, Minnesota on the Superior Hiking Trail. Harry Sloan, race director from 1991 to 1997 along with Tami Tanski-Sherman, believes the current course is more challenging than the original.
Notable history In 2022, Sophie Tibbetts became the first known member of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa to have completed the Superior 100. In 2017, the Split Rock River Bridge was out and runners had to cross Split Rock River on foot. Beavers also flooded part of the course with knee-high water. As of 2016, Eugene Curnow was the first person to have completed the Superior 100 ten times and remains one of only three people to have done so. Courtney Dauwalter ran the Superior 100 in 2013 and finished second.
Women's Winners Year Winner Time Age Country 2024 Cheryl Matson 27:41:54 41 2023 Gretchen Metsa 21:54:10 40 2022 Gretchen Metsa 24:06:19 39 2021 Katie Kubont 27:14:10 37 2020 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2019 Kelly Teeselink 25:23:19 32 2018 Mallory Richard 22:36:39 33 2017 Gretchen Metsa 25:23:03 34 2016 Mallory Richard 23:51:01 31 2015 Mallory Richard 25:36:47 30 2014 Mallory Richard 27:32:27 29 2013 April Anselmo 26:03:14 28 2012 Kristina Folcik 24:49:06 34 2011 Sheryl Wheeler 27:19:17 48 2010 Sheryl Wheeler 27:42:03 47 2009 Eva Pastalkova 30:59:32 33 2008 Helen Lavin 26:49:22 unknown 2007 Susan Donnelly 32:35:58 44 2006 Kerry Owens 29:37:26 43 2005 Event not held 2004 Jenny Hoffman 28:31:51 unknown unknown 2003 Susan Donnelly 32:03:38 40 2002 Diana Finkel 26:39:24 30 2001 Karen Libsch 28:52:16 unknown 2000 Susan Donnelly 28:43:30 37 1999 Sue Johnston 23:52:40 33 1998 No female finishers 1997 Mary Bystedt 26:02:53 44 1996 Mary Bystedt 28:07:49 43 1995 Peggy Stafford 28:39:56 47 1994 Mary Bystedt 24:17:59 41 1993 Mary Bystedt 25:30:28 40 1992 Susan Gimbel 26:45:02 45 1991 Susan Gimbel 26:49:49 44
Men's Winners Year Winner Time Age Country 2024 Scott Wopata 20:54:03 40 2023 Kyle Moss 19:40:16 32 2022 Jake Hegge 20:45:02 31 2021 Thomas Carr 21:09:32 29 2020 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2019 Mick Jurynec 20:15:55 42 2018 Neal Collick 18:56:02 38 2017 Neal Collick 19:31:40 37 2016 Frank Pipp 20:23:15 39 2015 Jake Hegge 19:30:37 24 2014 Adam Schwartz-Lowe 21:58:32 41 2013 John Horns 23:21:36 51 2012 Steven Moore 21:02:41 45 2011 John Horns 24:13:53 49 2010 Brian Peterson 22:35:28 26 2009 Angus Repper 26:31:47 37 2008 Chris Gardner 21:57:53 unknown 2007 Wynn Davis 23:17:26 26 2006 Sean Andrish 21:42:11 36 2005 Event not held 2004 Christopher Hanson 28:04:56 33 2003 Doug Hansel 26:42:43 43 2002 Steve Schuder 24:05:11 38 2001 Andy Holak 23:27:06 unknown 2000 Ian Torrence 18:59:58 27 1999 Jeff Simpkins 20:40:05 37 unknown 1998 Frederick Brooks 22:55:10 45 unknown 1997 Mark Marcelli 19:50:45 38 1996 Larry Ochsendorf 20:40:24 51 1995 David Atlas 20:30:12 unknown 1994 David Wrolstad 21:15:29 35 1993 Joe Franko 20:46:03 unknown unknown 1992 Eric Clifton 17:21:42 unknown unknown 1991 Bob Stavig 23:08:57 42
References
External links Superior 100 Mile Trail Race's website