Images : Mikkel Beisner / Beyond The Ultimate , Muderspack / Beyond The Ultimate & courtesy Cordi van Niekerk

This is the race report ( slightly edited ) that was published on the Beyond The Ultimate website a few days after the race in February .

What an incredible spectacle the 2024 Ice Ultra was ! From white-outs to reindeer-spotting , freezing summits , foggy forests , and of course , tired legs , our runners experienced it all . The 39 runners stepped onto the trail at the Stora Sjöfallet Mountain Lodge , and in the 230km that followed , each one had to overcome near insurmountable mental and physical challenges . It ’ s not hyperbole to suggest that inside the Arctic Circle is one of the most unforgiving environments that a human being could find themselves in , and for our brave runners to overcome this challenge is an immense accomplishment .

Starting along the Kungsleden Trail , the runners danced along the edge of the mountains , crossing a frozen lake and experiencing the bitter wind ’ s icy embrace as they took on their first exposed climb . For 50km they travelled towards their evening rest at the remote Atske Cabins , with the sinister Mt Kabla looming in the distance , foreshadowing what was to come .

The runners then departed for possibly the most physically challenging stage , Kabla , where they climbed 700m over 6.5km in variable snow conditions , experiencing temperatures as low as minus-26 before dropping back into the forests around Arrenjarka , the night ’ s camp .

Men ’ s winner Alex O ’ Shea .

What followed next was a climb through icicle-draped trees and deep powder out onto The Lakes . Here the group experienced a true realm of silence , with poor visibility and groaning ice that made even the toughest experience an intense feeling of unease . Winding their way between compression ridges and dotted islands , the runners eventually found sanctuary on the enchanting Laxholmen Island , experiencing a night on solid ground at the heart of a frozen lake .

The penultimate stage , Sámi , was the longest . Coming in at a brutal 65km , this stage was designed to test the mettle of the group , proving once again that the best ultra runners are not only physically tough , but mentally robust too . The runners faced a cut-off at CP5 , but for those that made it the raw arctic night closed in , with those at the back of the pack spending around 20 hours running in icy conditions .

Women ’ s winner Tarryn Gordon-Bennett with ‘ wingman Andre Erasmus

On day five , the runners embarked on The Sprint , a 15km dash to the finish line . That may sound easy , but after 200km it is anything but ! The exhausted runners stumbled along the red carpet and across the line , where they could finally celebrate their achievement as the BTU crew , medics , and Sámi guides welcomed them with smiles and cheers .

Two of the athletes tackling the Ice Ultra .

An icy medal for an icy experience .

TOP PLACINGS

In the men ’ s race , it was Alex O ’ Shea ’ s race to lose after James Izzard ’ s time penalty at the end of Stage One . Alex didn ’ t put a foot wrong in this race and , despite fierce competition from second-placed George Bath , took victory in most of the stages .

Tarryn Gordon-Bennett raced to victory in the women ’ s race , coming across the line a whopping 12 hours ahead of second-placed Emma Roper . The hotly contested final step on the podium was filled by Sia Kindberg , who fended off Olivia Keating and Rosie Burnham . Olivia , who short-coursed in her previous attempt at the Ice Ultra , had come back to face her demons , and completed the full race with a 58-hour effort .

SPECIAL MENTIONS

Last finisher , Tian Watson , who dodged the checkpoint cut-off time on Stage One by just 23 seconds , completed the ultimate underdog story , battling through subzero conditions , long Arctic nights , and immeasurable mental stress , eventually completing the course with an overall time of 66:17 . Alongside him was another runner who fought back from the brink , Dan-Emilian Croitoru , who ran until 2:46am on Stage Four , battling pitch darkness and creeping fatigue , and was our final runner across the line on Stage Five , closing out the stage with a first-class example of grit and determination .

Every single runner gave it their all to get to the finish line , showcasing incredible resilience in such remote wilderness . We ’ d also like to extend a huge thank you to our medical team , volunteers and the local Sámi guides for their contributions to the race – without their valued time , experience , and hard work , none of this would be possible .

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