Grayson Leads From the Gun to Take XTERRA Trail Run Worlds Title

Press Release / 06.12.2021

In the women’s XTERRA Trail Run Worlds race it was Grayson Murphy from Salt Lake City who took the title, and led from the gun.

“I wanted to get out good and get the first loop strong and push the second one, because on this course you could sell out to the top and then kind of just roll down,” said Murphy, who ran at a 6:52 clip and finished more than seven minutes ahead of Kowalczyk in second.

“I like this course, but the last stretch of sand on the beach is so hard because you’re tired and it feels like it lasts forever,” said Murphy.

That last stretch of D.T. Fleming Beach was where the race for second place was won.

Katherine Short caught Kowalczyk with 400-meters to go and took the lead on the beach.

“I cramped up around 10-miles, so the last downhill wasn’t what I was hoping for so that made it really exciting at the end there,” said Kowalczyk. “She caught me right at the creek crossing before the beach and I had it in my mind where I can either let this happen or I can fight for 400-meters. So I just pushed as hard as I could and got past her.”

It came down to a sprint finish in the chute, with Kowalczyk edging Short by just one-second.

“It was awesome, had a super smooth race,” said Short, who has been in Maui for two weeks enjoying the island life. “At the end I was going 120% and gave everything, but I was truly third.”

Megan Lacy came in fourth with Sam Lewis in 5th.

Top 5 Women

1              GRAYSON MURPHY        Salt Lake City, UT              1:31:18  6:52

2              BAILEY KOWALCZYK        Nederland, CO  1:38:35  7:25

3              KATHERINE SHORT          Halfmoon Bay, Canada  1:38:36  7:25

4              MEGAN LACY     Boise, ID              1:41:05  7:36

5              SAM LEWIS         Moscow, ID        1:42:31  7:43