Aurelian Sanchez, the surprise winner of Barkley 2023, will not repeat his feat this year. The Frenchman had to leave the race this Thursday morning, during what is undoubtedly the world’s craziest ultra-trail night, which takes place in the rugged, wild and often foggy Frozen Head Park in Tennessee. The native of Aude started the third loop (out of 5) after 21h50’45” racing (a total of 20,000 meters of positive elevation difference).
But, according to Keith Dunn, a friend of creator Lazarus Lake who himself describes the race’s progress through tweets as informative as he is laconic, Sanchez was forced to drop out. “ I don’t know how I did last year (to win) »Sanchez responded.
Three Frenchmen are still in the race
Three runners have finished Barkley more than once: Brett Maune, in 2011 and 2012, the only runner to finish the race in two consecutive years; Jared Campbell in 2012, 2014 and 2016; and John Kelly, in 2017 and 2023. Last year, Aurelian Sanchez completed it in 58h32’12”.
According to Keith Dunn, all the French are still in the race, Sébastien Raichon, Maxime Gauduin and Guillaume Calmettes. The latter, who is in his 5th partnership (2018, 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2024), has become close to Sanchez. He helped Barkley in his quest last year, especially by showing him part of the way and giving him good and valuable advice.
