Thirty-nine of the top off-road runners in the United States have been named to the 2022 U.S. Mountain & Trail Running Team scheduled to compete at the inaugural World Mountain & Trail Running Championships November 4-6 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Hailing from twelve U.S. states, these talented athletes will travel to Thailand with five USA Trail & Field (USATF) team staff members for this World Athletics sanctioned competition.
More than 900 elite athletes from 46 Member Federations are set to race during the four-day festival, which features 80km and 40km trail races plus uphill mountain races for senior athletes, and classic up and down mountain races for both senior and U20 (under 20 years old) athletes.
Based on automatic spots earned at highly competitive selection races and resume submissions for at-large spots, the following athletes have been named to the 2022 U.S. Mountain & Trail Running Team.
Vertical Mountain Running Team
Friday, November 4 (10:15 AM) – Racing in the 8.5 km Uphill Mountain Race with 1000 meters of ascent will be:
Lauren Gregory (Fayetteville, AR) – A student at University of Arkansas, Lauren won the inaugural USATF Vertical Mountain Running Championships, has a career best of 15:48.38 at 5,000m on the track, is an NCAA silver medalist in 3,000m (9:01.67) to earn first-team All-America and won a bronze medal in the junior race at the 2017 World Mountain Running Championships.
Joseph Gray (Colorado Springs, CO) – A world class uphill runner, Joseph won the inaugural USATF Vertical Mountain Running Championship, Italy’s historic Challenge Stellina mountain race last month and the 2021 Pikes Peak Ascent just to name a few. Joseph will also be racing the up/down mountain race on Sunday, November 6.
Allie McLaughlin (Colorado Springs, CO) – Allie won the 2021 and 2022 Broken Arrow Skyrace VK, took first at the 2014 and 2021 Pikes Peak Ascent and was the 2014 and 2018 USATF Mountain Running Champion. Allie won a bronze medal at the 2014 World Mountain Running Championships helping the U.S. women’s team take the bronze medal. She set the course record at the prestigious Mount Marathon during her victory this past July.
Cameron Smith (Crested Butte, CO) – Cameron won the 2022 Broken Arrow Skyrace VK and finished 3rd at the Broken Arrow Skyrace 26K just two days later. Cameron has also taken wins at the 2022 Run the Rut 28K, 2022 Imogene Pass Run and 2021 Kendall Mountain Run.
Grayson Murphy (Bozeman, MT) – An accomplished uphill runner, Grayson won Italy’s 2022 Challenge Stellina by over 2 minutes and finished 2nd to multi-time world mountain running champion Andrea Mayr (Austria) at the 2021 Vertical Nasego. Grayson also holds a 5000 meter PR of 15:25.84 and ran a 9:25.37 in the 3000 meter steeplechase at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials. Grayson will also be racing the up/down mountain race on Sunday, November 6.
Dan Curts (Norwich, VT) – A relative newcomer to mountain and trail running, Dan finished 2nd to Joseph Gray at the 2022 USATF Vertical Mountain Running Championships, took 6th place at the 2022 Trofeo Nasego Mountain Running World Cup race in Italy. Dan also has a 3:59.2 mile personal best, 13:38 5000m personal best and is a Division 1 All-American on the track.
40K Trail Running Team
Saturday, November 5th (7:30 AM) – Racing in the 40 km trail race with 2777 meters of climbing will be:
Michelle Merlis (Albany, NY) – Michelle won the 2022 Breakneck Point 42K to earn her spot on the team. This year she also won New York’s famous Escarpment Trail Run and just finished 2nd at the Flagstaff Sky Peaks 10K.
Kristina Mascarenas (Colorado Springs, CO) – This year Kristina has won the Pikes Peak Marathon, Collegiate Peaks 25 Mile Trail run and Rattler Trail Race 25K on her way to qualifying for the team.
Stevie Kremer (Crested Butte, CO) – Among her many accomplishments on the trails, Stevie is the 2012 World Long Distance Mountain Running Champion. Just in the last 6 months Stevie won and set course records at the Westminster Trail Half Marathon, Mountain Ridge Trail Race and Emerald Mountain Epic Marathon.
Kimber Mattox (Bend, OR) – Kimber stormed onto the trail scene back in 2015 when she finished 6th at the World Mountain Running Championships leading the U.S. women’s team to a silver medal. That same year she won the XTERRA Trail Run World Championships. In the past 18 months Kimber won the 2021 USATF 50K Trail Championships, finished 2nd at the Chuckanut 50K and 4th at the JFK 50 Mile.
Ashley Brasovan (Golden, CO) – Ashley has twice raced the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships finishing 8th in 2018. She is also the 2017 USATF ½ Marathon Trail Champion and 2018 USATF 30K Trail Champion. In past 18 months Ashley has won the Speedgoat 50K, finished 2nd at the Way Too Cool 50K and 3rd at the Broken Arrow Skyrace 26K.
Max King (Bend, OR) – Perhaps trail running’s most versatile athlete, Max is the 2011 World Mountain Running Champion, 2014 IAU 100K World Champion and bronze medalist at the 2016 NACAC Cross Country Championships / Pan American Cross Country Cup. Max punched his ticket to Thailand by winning the 2022 Breakneck Point Trail Marathon. Just over 1 year ago, at age 41, Max finished 2nd at the USATF Mountain Running Championship.
Jonathan Aziz (Colorado Springs, CO) – Jonathan earned his spot on the team by winning the 2022 Pikes Peak Marathon. He also ran 2:15:30 at Grandma’s Marathon, won the Power of Four 50K and finished 3rd at the JFK 50 Mile.
Noah Williams (Leadville, CO) – Noah won the Leadville Trail Marathon, Sage Burner 50K, finished 8th at the Silver Rush 50 Mile and 13th at the Leadville Trail 100 Mile Endurance Run. Less than 2 weeks ago Noah finished 2nd at the Pikes Peak Marathon.
Joseph DeMoor (Carbondale, CO) – Joseph recently won the Skyrunning World Championships VK and finished 6th in the Skyrace. He also won the Leadville Haevy Half, America’s Uphill and Dynafit Half Marathon. Joseph also finished 7th at the highly competitive Trofeo Nasego World Cup mountain race in Italy.
Zach Miller (Columbia, PA) – Zach has has won some of the premier ultras in the country and abroad. In his quiver of victories: JFK 50 Mile, Lake Sonoma 50 Mile, CCC® (the little ‘sister’ of the UTMB®), back-to-back wins at the North Face 50 Mile, Madeira Island Ultra Trail. Just last month Zach finished 5th at UTMB.
80K Trail Running Team
Saturday, November 5th (6:30 AM) – Racing in the 80 km Trail Race with 5000 meters of climbing will be:
Jennifer Lichter (Whitefish, MT) Jennifer earned her spot on the team by winning the 2022 Broken Arrow Skyrace 52K. She also won the Lake Sonoma Marathon and the Run the Rut 50K in 2021 and 2022.
Brittany Charboneau (Denver, CO) – Brittany punched her ticket to Thailand by finishing 2nd at the 2022 Broken Arrow Skyrace 52K. She also won the 2022 Lake Sonoma 50 Mile, Run Through Time Marathon and Moab Red Hot Ultra 55K. Less than 2 weeks ago Brittany finished 2nd at the Pikes Peak Marathon.
Addie Bracy (Denver, CO) – Addie was the 2016 and 2017 USATF Mountain Running Champion and 2016 USATF Trail Marathon Champion. She’s been a member of U.S. teams at the World Mountain Running Championships and World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships including 2017 when she helped the U.S. women’s team to a gold medal. More recently she won the 2022 Golden Gate Dirty 50K, 2021 Run Rabbit Run and 2020 Quad Rock 50 Mile.
Kaytlyn Gerbin (Issaquah, WA) – Kaytlyn just finished 3rd at UTMB, won the Yakima Skyline Rim 50K and finished in the top 10 of the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run three times including 2018 when she was 2nd. In 2018 she finished 10th at the Trail World Championships helping the U.S. women to a bronze medal.
Leah Yingling (Salt Lake City, UT) – Leah has been building a solid ultra race resume for a number of years. In 2022, she earned a Western States 100 golden ticket with a runner-up finish at the Canyons 100K Endurance Runs. Leah used her golden ticket to punch a 6th place finish at this year’s Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run. Leah also finished 2nd at the 2022 Gorge Waterfalls 50K, 3rd at the Bandera 100K and finished 2nd at the 2021 Bear 100 Mile.
David Sinclair (Truckee, CA) – David posted a course record at the 2022 Broken Arrow Skyrace 52K, securing a team position with the win. He took wins at the 2022 Run the Rut VK and 50K, plus the 2022 Speedgoat 50K. David returns to the US team after helping both the Classic and Long Distance Mountain teams to Team Silver medal finishes on back to back days at the 2019 World Mountain Running Championships in Argentina, with 12th and 10th place finishes respectively.
Eric LiPuma (Richmond, VT) – Eric earned his team spot with his 2nd place finish at the 2022 Broken Arrow Skyrace 52K. He took the win at the 2021 Vermont 50 Miler and was the 2018 USATF 50km Road Champion. Eric has previously been on USATF teams for 50K and 100K road world championships
Adam Peterman (Missoula, MT) – Adam made a statement by winning his debut attempt at Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run this past June. The Western States win came as no surprise after course record wins at Canyons 100K, Chuckanut 50K and Speedgoat 50K in the past year, plus a JFK 50 Mile win in the second fastest time in the race’s long history.
Adam Merry (Golden, CO) – Adam will be making his first appearance on a USATF team. He grabbed wins at the 2022 Moab Red Hot 33K, the 2022 McKenzie River 50K Trail Run, the Run the Rock 50 Mile and the 2021 Silverton Alpine Marathons in Colorado.
Jeff Colt (Carbondale, CO) – Jeff is also making his first appearance on a USATF team. He won the 2021 IMTUF 100 Mile, finished 2nd at the 2021 Power of Four 50K and finished 11th at the 2022 Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run. Jeff also posted a 3rd place finish at the 2022 Black Canyon 100K.
U20 Mountain Running Team
Sunday, November 6 (8:00 AM) – Racing in the 6.4 km Up/Down U20 Mountain Race with 225 meters of climbing will be:
Samantha Blair (Eagle, CO) – Samatha finished 8th in the junior women’s race at the 2019 World Mountain Running Championships. She also finished 5th at the 2019 International U18 Mountain Running Cup leading the U.S. women to a team bronze medal.
Oakley Olson (Mountain Green, UT) – Oakley has run 17:50 for 5K cross country, 4:57 for 1600 meters on the track and 2:18 for 800 meters on the track.
Willow Lott (Durango, CO) Willow attends Durango High School (Colorado), ran 11:29 for 3200 meters on the track and 18:33 for 5K cross country.
Christian Groendyk (Fort Collins, CO) – Christian has run 14:48 in a 5K cross country race, has a 4:17 PR for 1600 meters on the track, is a 3-time conference champion, 3-time all-conference, 4 top 10 state finishes and is ranked top 25 nationally for class of 2023 for 3200 meters.
Ignatius Fitzgerald (Missoula, MT) – Ignatius has a 14:55 5K cross country PR, has run 4:12 for 1600 meters, is a 2019 Footlocker Finalist, 2-time state champion and 2021 NASF National Qualifier.
Michael Maiorano (Medford, OR) – Michael attends Gonzaga University and has a 5K cross country PR of 14:48, has run 4:06 for 1600 meters and is a Stumptown Twilight Elite 3200 Meter race winner in 8:51.3.
Dalton Kaines (Fort Collins, CO) – Dalton has run 15:05 in a 5K cross country race and 4:15 at 1600 meters on the track.
Mountain Running Team
Sunday, November 6 (9:45 AM) – Racing in the 11.2 km up/down mountain race with 475 meters of climbing will be:
Grayson Murphy (Bozeman, MT) – Grayson is the defending World Mountain Running Champion, two-time USATF Mountain Running Champion and recent winner of the historic Challenge Stellina mountain race in Italy.
Joseph Gray (Colorado Springs, CO) – Joseph is the defending World Mountain Running Champion, winner of the 2016 World Mountain Running Championship and multiple winner of USATF national championships in mountain, ultra, trail and cross country running.
Tabor Hemming (Kremmling, CO) – Tabor is the 2022 USATF Mountain Running Champion, finished 3rd at the 2022 Broken Arrow Skyrace VK and was a member of the U.S. junior women’s team that won a silver medal at the 2014 World Mountain Running Championships.
Andy Wacker (Boulder, CO) – Andy is the 2022 USATF Mountain Running Champion, winner of multiple USATF trail championships and won the 2022 Broken Arrow Skyrace 26K.
Rachel Tomajczyk (Williams, AZ) – A relative newcomer to mountain running, Rachel stormed onto the scene in 2021 finishing 2nd at the USATF Mountain Running Championships. She also finished 2nd at the 2022 USATF Mountain Running Championships but not before taking the top step of the podium at the 2021 USATF Half Marathon Trail Championships.
Eli Hemming (Kremmling, CO) – A professional triathlete, Eli is no stranger to stepping onto the podium at elite level mountain and trail races. Eli finished 6th at his first USATF Mountain Running Championship in 2021 but has since stormed up the leaderboard with 2nd place finishes at the 2022 USATF Mountain Running Championships, Broken Arrow Skyrace 26K & VK, Way Too Cool 50K and Bobcat 25K Trail Race.
Corey Dowe (North Conway, NH) – A regular top New Englander at mountain races in her backyard – Loon Mountain, Mount Cranmore and Waterville Valley – Corey fought her way to 4th place finish at the 2022 USATF Mountain Running Championships. Earlier this month she won the technical Kismet Cliff Run for the second time.
Morgan Elliott (Salida, CO) – Morgan earned his spot on the U.S. Team by finishing 3rd at the 2022 USATF Mountain Running Championships at Whiteface Mountain in New York. Morgan has also won many high profile mountain races including the Mt Mitchell Challenge, Georgia Death Race, Power of Four 50K and Flagstaff Sky Peaks 55K.
Traveling to Thailand and supporting these athletes will be the following team staff members who have a combined sixty years of experience at world championship events – Richard Bolt (Team Leader), Paul Kirsch (U20 Team), Ellen Miller (Mountain Team) and Jason Bryant (Trail Team). One more team staff member will be added in the coming days.
Also in Thailand for the World Championships will be USATF MUT Council Chairperson and American Trail Running Association Executive Director Nancy Hobbs. Nancy is a member of the World Mountain Running Association Council.
This team is funded by USA Track & Field and the American Trail Running Association. Selection criteria for this team was published on January 27, 2022.
You can follow the team in Thailand by following us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.