From the inspiring to the tragic, ‘Adventure News of the Week’ presents a wrap-up of top news in the world of exploration and adventure.
RUN: Ultrarunner Sets American 100K Best at HOKA ONE ONE Race. Arizona ultrarunner Jim Walmsley set a new record on Saturday, running in HOKA’s Project Carbon X 2 100K race.
He ran the 100K in 6:09:26, just 11 seconds short of the world record, setting a new American record in the process. He ran a 3:42-per-km, or 5:57-per-mile, pace. The distance and course were measured by the World Record Association and verified ahead of time. Read the full story here.
SURF: First Women’s-Only Big-Wave Contest Underway in Hawaii. The Red Bull Magnitude, a women’s big-wave video contest, is now taking place across the Hawaiian Islands until Feb. 28, 2021.
To qualify, the surf must show a sustained Hawaiian wave height of at least 15 feet. Twenty-four female surfers from across the world are participating in this inaugural contest.
TRACK: Tracksmith Runner Nick Willis Sets Long-Running Sub-4 Mile Record. Nick Willis — an athlete experience manager at Tracksmith and runner from New Zealand — broke the world record for the most consecutive years of running sub-4-minute miles.
On Jan. 19, he completed his impressive 19th year of sub-4-minute racing in a time of 3:58.7. The previous record of 18 consecutive years, held by John Walker, has stood since 1990.
14ERS: African American Veteran Chases 14er Summit Goal. Evan Gill, 27, is on a mission to become the first African American veteran to summit all 58 Colorado 14ers.
Gill is hiking the peaks to raise awareness for Vibe Tribe Adventures, a Denver-based, minority-women-owned 501c3 nonprofit that encourages black women, men, and youth to explore the great outdoors.
Once completed, Gill will be the first African American veteran to accomplish this feat, following in the footsteps of Michael Richardson, who was the first African American to reach all the summits in 1995.
TRAVEL: AWExpeditions Announces 2021 Mountaineering Scholarship Program. After having to postpone dozens of climbing and trekking expeditions in 2020, AWExpeditions is back.
The 2021 Summit Scholarship Program — a program open to women that aims to help break down barriers in the outdoors — is now accepting applications. The 2021 season will look a little different, with a U.S.-focused program that includes three expedition stipends for clinics and climbs on Mt. Shasta and Mt. Baker.
