The Spanish ultrarunning legend has withdrawn from this year’s race at Dusty Corners, ending a comeback bid that was hampered by injury before it even began. His splits tell the full story.
Kilian Jornet has withdrawn from the 2026 Western States 100, according to the official race tracker at ultralive.net. The three-time Skyrunning world champion and 2011 Western States winner pulled out at the Dusty Corners aid station, mile 38, with an elapsed time of 5:36:13. He is the only official DNF in this year’s race so far.
The news is not entirely surprising. In the days before the race, Jornet had been open about a lingering knee injury that had severely limited his training. He revealed he had just two weeks of running in his legs following the Zegama skyrace, and many observers had speculated that his appearance on the start line was more of a tribute run than a genuine title bid.
The Splits Tell The Story
What makes Jornet’s DNF all the more striking is how it unfolded. He didn’t start cautiously — he started like a man with something to prove.
At Emigrant Pass (mile 4), Jornet was running in 2nd place overall, clocking a blistering 8:27/mile pace across the high alpine opening. He was still in the top 5 through Red Star Ridge at mile 15.8, running controlled and competitive splits.
Then the canyon country hit. As the course dropped into the exposed, brutal terrain between Robinson Flat and Dusty Corners, Jornet’s position began sliding — from 8th at Robinson Flat (mile 30) to 13th at Miller’s Defeat (mile 34.4) to 19th by the time he reached Dusty Corners. Critically, his section pace for that final stretch cratered to 12:08/mile — nearly four minutes per mile slower than his early mountain running.
He reached Dusty Corners at 10:36 a.m. and did not continue.
| Aid Station | Mile | Overall Position | Time In | Elapsed | Pace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emigrant Pass | 4 | 2nd | 5:33 am | 0:33:50 | 8:27/mi |
| Lyon Ridge | 10.3 | 4th | 6:32 am | 1:32:49 | 9:00/mi |
| Red Star Ridge | 15.8 | 5th | 7:17 am | 2:17:38 | 8:42/mi |
| Duncan Canyon | 24.4 | 7th | 8:21 am | 3:21:51 | 8:16/mi |
| Robinson Flat | 30.3 | 8th | 9:16 am | 4:16:33 | 8:28/mi |
| Miller’s Defeat | 34.4 | 13th | 9:52 am | 4:52:29 | 8:30/mi |
| Dusty Corners | 38 | 19th | 10:36 am | 5:36:13 | 12:08/mi (section) |
| Last Chance+ | 43.3+ | DNF | — | — | — |
A Brave Start, An Honest Finish
The 38-year-old won Western States back in 2011 and returned to the podium last year with a third-place finish. That he toed the line at all — given the state of his preparation — speaks to his love of the race. That he pulled out when his body gave out rather than risk further damage is equally characteristic of the man.
There was no miracle comeback today. But there was a reminder of what makes Jornet compelling: he ran 2nd through the High Sierra on a broken-down knee, then knew exactly when to stop.
The race continues for the remaining field. Follow live at ultralive.net/ws100 and on the free YouTube livestream.
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