The March 17 event asked competitors to run a 7-mile roundtrip on a trail that gains 2,770 feet of elevation over the course of 3.5 miles, only to lose it all again on the way down. 

Canyon Woodward, 25, of Franklin, crossed the finish line first with a time of one hour, 10 minutes and 39 seconds, less than 50 seconds shy of a course record. He was followed by second-place finisher John Pack, 22, of Dobson, with a time of one hour, 14 minutes and 38 seconds, and third-place Jurdan Mossburg, 23, of Spartenburg, South Carolina, whose time was one hour, 18 minutes and 13 seconds. 

On the women’s side, the first-place finisher was Kimzey Ellis, 28, of Asheville, with a time of one hour, 37 minutes and 12 seconds. She was followed by second-place Kit Hayes, 39, of Weaverville, with a time of one hour, 40 minutes and 45 seconds, and third-place Stephanie Wallace, of Asheville, with a time of one hour, 43 minutes and two seconds.