In the rolling hills of Tuscany this past weekend, Jim Walmsley delivered a thunderous reminder: he’s still the man to beat.
At the 2025 Chianti Ultra Trail 120K, Walmsley didn’t just win—he dominated. On a wet and wild day that brought out some of the biggest names in ultrarunning, he cruised through the course’s technical climbs and slick descents to finish in 9:59:48, more than 30 minutes ahead of a stacked field.
And yes, that field included Kilian Jornet and Vincent Bouillard—two UTMB champions and among the most respected names in the sport.
So, after months of speculation—Has Jim peaked? Can he still crush when it counts?—the answer is loud and clear: Walmsley isn’t going anywhere.
Walmsley’s Statement Run
On paper, this win doesn’t change much.
Walmsley had already punched his ticket to the 2025 Western States 100 with last year’s victory, his fourth at the iconic California race.
But Chianti was more than a formality. It was his first big test of the season, and it sent a message.
Even more impressive? He claims he hasn’t started his Western States-specific training block yet.
“I was just running what felt comfortable,” Walmsley said at the finish—modest words considering he averaged under eight-minute miles on a course with over 17,000 feet of climbing.
He also flashed a hand signal—“14”—after crossing the line, hinting that he’s gunning not just to win at States this summer, but to better his own 2019 course record of 14:09:28. Maybe even shatter it.
Not Peak Kilian—But Still Pretty Dang Good
Let’s be clear: Kilian Jornet is still Kilian Jornet.
But the legendary Spaniard came into this race far from his best.
A week before Chianti, he and partner Emelie Forsberg welcomed their third daughter. Jornet reportedly averaged two hours of sleep per night in the days leading up to the race and left for the airport an hour after finishing.
Oh—and he was nursing a lingering injury, which noticeably hampered his descending, usually his superpower.
Still, he went toe-to-toe with Vincent Bouillard in the final kilometers, using his climbing strength to pull away and claim second place. Bouillard, the defending UTMB champ, finished just 30 seconds behind him in third.
The fact that these three—Walmsley, Jornet, and Bouillard—lined up together was historic in itself. It’s the first time since 2017 that three UTMB champs went head-to-head.
We’ll get a sequel in June at Western States.
Fiona Pascall Take The Women’s Race
The women’s race saw a dominant win from Great Britain’s Fiona Pascall, who took the lead after 70K and never looked back. She finished in 12:34:59, snagging her first Golden Ticket to Western States and continuing the Pascall family legacy—her sister Beth won there in 2021.
“It was harder than I thought it would be,” Fiona admitted afterward, citing the course’s surprising technicality. She’s more than just a runner—she’s also a strength coach, Pilates instructor, and running retreat organizer. It turns out, those things translate pretty well to ultrarunning success.
Johanna Antila of Finland, age 44, hung tough for second, and Spain’s Azara García rounded out the podium.
All Eyes on Western States
With Chianti in the rearview, the focus shifts to the Western States 100 on June 28.
And make no mistake: Walmsley is now the odds-on favorite. This version of him—calm, confident, not even fully dialed in yet—is a scary sight for his competitors.
Still, Western States is no guarantee.
Bouillard’s descending skills are well-suited to the course’s net-downhill profile. Jornet, assuming full health and full sleep, remains one of the greatest ever. And the field keeps getting deeper every year.
But if Chianti showed us anything, it’s that Walmsley isn’t slipping. In fact, he might be better than ever.
