Toni McCann Triumphs at UTMB CCC 100km race 2024

Toni McCann has continued her winning streak, powering to victory in the 101km CCC (Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix), following up on her triumph at the OCC last year.

According to RUN247, the South African athlete, originally from Kloof in KwaZulu-Natal, ventured into uncharted territory with the CCC distance—nearly double that of the OCC she conquered just 12 months ago—but managed it with remarkable ease.

The race saw McCann locked in a thrilling battle with Poland’s Martyna Mlynarczyk for the first two-thirds of the course. However, she eventually pulled away, dispelling any concerns about her ability to handle the step up in distance.

A year earlier, McCann had overcome American Katie Schide, who has since gone on to win Western States, and China’s Miao Yao, the recent winner of the OCC, to claim the women’s title.

How the Race Unfolded

The competition was fierce from the outset, with less than two minutes separating the top five women at the first checkpoint. At that stage, Jazmine Lowther and McCann were running neck and neck, with Mlynarczyk just 10 seconds behind in third place, closely followed by Hau Ha Thi and Heather Jackson in fourth and fifth, respectively.

McCann had stated before the race that she intended to push hard during the runnable section between the first checkpoint and Arnouvaz (at 26km), and she stayed true to her word, moving into the lead.

For the next few hours, it was a closely contested duel between McCann and Mlynarczyk, with their paths nearly crossing at several aid stations. However, it was at La Giète, two-thirds of the way through the race, that McCann began to pull ahead.

With no late drama, McCann crossed the finish line in 11:57:59, securing a decisive victory.

Could the UTMB itself be on the horizon for 2025? Time will tell!

Mlynarczyk put in a strong performance to finish second, just over 13 minutes behind, with Rosanna Buchauer rounding out the podium in third.