AUBURN, Calif., June 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Crossing the finish line in a new course record time of 15:28:05, Suunto athlete, Jennifer Lichter, 30, is the women’s champion of the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run™.
The Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run™ is one of ultra running’s most prestigious events, following a historic 100-mile route from Olympic Valley to Auburn, California. It is widely recognized as the world’s oldest 100-mile trail race, making it a bucket-list event for elite and amateur trail runners alike.
Lichter ran to a decisive victory in her first attempt at the race and 100-mile distance, leading from the Devil’s Thumb aid station at mile 47.8 to the finish line in Auburn, California. She also becomes the third woman to finish the race in under 16 hours, improving on the course record set by fellow Suunto athlete, Courtney Dauwalter by one minute and 28 seconds.
“Western States has a way of bringing out the very best in people. From Jenn and Ryan to the rest of our incredible team, what makes me most proud is not just what they accomplished on race day, but the resilience, belief, and character they demonstrated throughout the entire journey,” said Jeffrey Stern, Head of Sports Marketing at Suunto in North America. “They represent not just themselves, but their communities and our sport, and we’re honored to support them as they chase what’s possible. This is an incredible moment for Suunto and we know we’re only getting started.”
Immediately following the race, Lichter said, “I just kept telling myself ‘trust yourself, trust the process, and what will be will be.’ I did cry a little bit, but that’s running Western States. If you want to win you have to have a winner’s mindset, that’s what it takes. Believing that I worked really hard to get here and to give myself a chance.”
Fellow Suunto athlete, Ryan Montgomery, 32, also finished on the podium in third place in a time of 13:53:55. In his fourth time racing the event, Montgomery becomes the third person to finish in under 14 hours, improving on the previous course record and earning a nearly two-hour PR. In total, nine Suunto athletes completed the race, with eight crossing the finish line in the top 10.
Women
- 1st | Jennifer Lichter – 15:28:05
- 6th | Tara Dower – 16:13:07
- 8th | Fiona Pascall – 16:32:05
- 9th | Hau Ha – 16:40:38
Men
- 3rd | Ryan Montgomery – 13:53:55
- 5th | Zach Miller – 14:20:09
- 7th | Jeff Mogavero – 14:38:36
- 9th | Will Murray – 15:23:12
- 20th | Jeshurun Small – 16:27:25
Suunto’s continued watch and timing partnership with Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run™ is rooted in supporting adventurers, explorers, and endurance athletes — a commitment that has guided the brand since 1936. Suunto watches are built for the demands of this legendary event with award-winning design, industry- leading battery life, reliability, and purpose-built features for training and racing.
Lichter wore the Race 2 sports watch and Montgomery the Vertical 2 adventure watch throughout the race. For more information on Suunto sport and adventure watches, click HERE.
To download high-resolution images of Suunto athletes from the 2026 Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run™ for publication, please credit Nick Presniakov and view selects HERE.
To learn more about Suunto, please visit us.suunto.com.
- Suunto Athlete, Jennifer Lichter, Wins Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run