robert

Gary Marvin (UK)

Plenty of swearing. Stiff determination. And a pulk suspiciously full of brand-new kit following a Zoom call with Jessie as part of her training course. A solid head start, by anyone’s measure.

There was a burnt pair of shoes at Evelyn Creek. Some classic checkpoint kit faff. Only one genuinely good night’s sleep.
And yet… not a single blister. The tape job? Flawless. Textbook. (See the photos – we checked.)

Gary crossed the line without issue, save for the very convincing faux collapse over the finish, which deserves its own quiet round of applause. Beneath the grit and the grumbling was a race run with care, attention, and just enough stubbornness to keep everything moving in the right direction.

Thank you, Gary, for a brilliant race and for being an absolute pleasure to follow along the trail. We can already hear the cogs turning as we gently work on persuading you to come back next year… tattoo or no tattoo.

Hervé Acosta (SUI) greeted at the finish line by fellow Out’Cha team member Michaela Senft

If there were such a thing as the soul of a race, Hervé Acosta would be carrying a large part of it. Arguably the most expressive member of Team Out’Cha, a YAU without Hervé would be missing something essential – and we’re very glad that wasn’t the case this year.

A veteran of the Lapland Arctic Ultra and a returning YAU athlete, Hervé brings more than just experience to the trail. Smiles and grins. Cheeky glances. Practical jokes. The unmistakable signs of someone who works hard, plays hard, and lives fully in between. Someone who works to live, not the other way around.

The final stretch of the Dena Cho demanded a little extra fight this time, but Hervé dug in and crossed the 350km finish line at 12:14, safely ahead of the cut-off. Waiting for him were Michaela Senft and Patrick Sumi – arms open, smiles wide. Having your people there at the finish line means more than words ever quite manage to capture.

Well done Hervé. Enjoy the time in Dawson, soak it all in, and we’ll see you again at the end of the race to carry on the celebrations.

Now, the race turns its full attention south. The 600km athletes begin the long mental battle of retracing their steps, heading back the way they came toward the finish at Johnson’s Crossing.

All eyes on them!

Some races are measured in kilometres. Others are measured in what it takes to keep going. Alexander Davydov’s journey this year was firmly the latter.

After completing the 185km race in Sweden in 2023, Alex set his sights on the Yukon Arctic Ultra. He studied it, prepared for it, even came to observe in 2025 as crew and media. This race mattered to him long before the start line ever appeared.

From the very beginning, the course tested him. At Brooks Brook he was unwell, struggling with stomach issues that made keeping food and water down difficult. Later came a painful ear, then an injured knee toward the end of the trail. Each setback arrived with its own question attached. Each time, Alex answered by managing himself, adapting, and moving forward anyway.

If there is an image of a lone soldier pushing on despite repeated hits, this was it.

When Alex finally reached the finish, all of that effort, frustration, fear, and determination surfaced at once. Raw, emotional, unfiltered.

The kind of moment that only comes when something has been held onto for a very long time. Supported by fellow 350km athletes and crew cheering him home, the weight of it all was finally allowed to fall away.

In the days to come, that release will no doubt give way to a calm catharsis. For now, it stands as a powerful reminder of what it means to commit to something fully, and to see it through.

Well done Alex. And yes, we did hear you saying you’ll be back for the 600km. We look forward to seeing you again, whether here or in Sweden, before long.

From the outside, it looked like Matt Smith spent the entire race smiling. We’re realistic enough to know that isn’t quite true, but at times, it genuinely felt that way.

Filled with good humour, an award-winning smile that stretches from ear to ear, and an optimism most of us would happily borrow, Matt carried himself through the race with a lightness that belied the effort beneath it.

At the finish in Faro, he was greeted by family – a welcome that stands among the greatest honours an athlete can receive at the end of something this physically and emotionally demanding. Applause followed him in, his son in his arms, as he crossed the line damp, tired, sore… and unmistakably happy.

He even found time to sled down one of the final hills… because of course he did.

Safe, surrounded by loved ones, and with the race now behind him, we can only say: well done Matt. It was an honour to have you out on the trail.

Finishing just behind Daniel, Victor Hugo Barros do Carmo arrived into Faro to complete his 350km race, welcomed in the very best way – by fellow Swiss athlete and close friend Patrick Sumi, who was forced to retire earlier this year at Brooks Brook.

As with Michaela before him, Victor Hugo was greeted with a silver 350 balloon, cheers, applause, and a crowd that knew exactly how much this moment mattered.

True to form, Victor Hugo brought with him the warmth, humour, and unmistakable energy that surrounds Team Out’Cha and their friends. Tired bodies, smiling faces, laughter cutting through the cold – the whole checkpoint felt it.

Now reunited with Michaela Senft and Patrick Sumi, the Swiss contingent waits together for the arrival of their final compatriot, 309 Hervé Acosta, sharing stories, warmth, and the quiet satisfaction that comes from seeing the job done.

Well done Victor Hugo, a finish filled with grit, good humour, and genuine heart.

There are athletes who race the Yukon Arctic Ultra, and there are those whose presence quietly shapes it. Daniel Benhammou belongs firmly in the latter.

With something like seven YAU finishes to his name, Daniel is a true veteran – calm, mild-mannered, endlessly good-humoured, and always glass-half-full. He has a way of lifting the people around him, crew and athletes alike, simply by being himself. His impact reaches far beyond his own race.

Year after year, Daniel arrives at the finish line looking cool, collected, and unflustered – much like fellow YAU stalwart Jessie Gladish, the only woman ever to complete the long distance in all three disciplines. This time, though, the Dena Cho Trail finally coaxed the first hint of a sweat from him, proving itself a worthy challenge even for the most seasoned.

We’re grateful, as always, to have Daniel as part of this race. We look forward to staying in touch as the year goes on – and, knowing Daniel, to seeing him back out on the trail again before too long.

This afternoon, Gerald Zechner arrived into Faro to complete his 350km race, securing third place and closing out a hard-earned podium alongside Alex Hoerniss and Michaela Senft.

Quiet. Focused. Fuelled by fire. Gerald crossed the line with an Austrian flag scarf, then let out a guttural roar that felt older than the trail itself – the kind that echoes far beyond the finish and wakes a few ancestors along the way.

A composed race, run with intent from start to finish. No fuss. No theatrics. Just deep effort, discipline, and resolve carried all the way to Faro.

We wish Gerald well as he begins the journey back to Whitehorse alongside fellow athletes – race complete, pulk finally down, and time now to let the experience settle.

Congratulations Gerald. A podium place, well earned.

At 07:13 this morning, Michaela Senft arrived into Faro to finish second overall in the 350km race – and first (and only) female finisher. A superb performance, delivered with patience, resolve, and quiet strength.

Michaela is no stranger to Arctic racing. In 2022 she won the 185km Lapland Arctic Ultra, and once again she has shown exactly what disciplined systems, experience, and self-belief can achieve over long distances in unforgiving conditions.
She was welcomed at the finish by scratched athlete 310 Patrick Sumi, balloons in hand and voice fully deployed, helping mark a moment that deserves celebration.

Now, the pulk is down, the boots are off, and Michaela is doing what matters most in the hours after an Arctic finish – resting, recovering, and letting her feet finally dry out.

Congratulations Michaela. A remarkable race, raced beautifully.

After an extraordinary few years at the Yukon Arctic Ultra, 605 Guillaume Grima has made the difficult decision to withdraw from this year’s 645km race.

Guillaume first came to the YAU in 2023 for the 100-mile race, finishing 5th. He returned in 2025 for the 600km, placing second after a closely fought race with Matthieu Blanchard – a rivalry and respect that left a lasting mark on the trail. This year, Guillaume returned once more and dominated the race from the very beginning, holding the lead deep into the course.

After reaching Ross River with discomfort, Guillaume took time to reflect and, following discussions with Race Director Robert Pollhammer, and his family, chose to step away from the race. It was not an easy decision, but it was a sensible one – prioritising long-term health and the ability to return again.

We thank Guillaume for his courage, energy, and relentless determination. His presence shaped this race, and his journey this year deserves great respect.

The race now continues, with 611 Paul Clement and 604 Maxime Bachelot pressing on toward the finish.

At 19:14 on Feb. 6th, 316 Alexander Hoerniss (GER) arrived into Faro – and didn’t just arrive, he ran it in.

After 350km of winter trail, long nights, heavy decisions, and everything the Yukon chooses to throw back at those who enter it, Alexander crossed the line with strength still in his legs and clarity still in his eyes. A rare sight, and a testament to discipline, judgment, and resilience applied day after day.

Welcomed at the finish by Race Director Robert Pollhammer, Alexander took his medal with a smile, then headed inside – food waiting, warmth returning, and finally the chance to stop moving without consequence.
Now to sit, breathe, and reflect on what’s been done, and what’s been endured.

Finishing an Arctic ultra doesn’t always announce itself loudly. Often it arrives quietly, carrying weight that takes time to fully register. Tonight, Alexander has earned that space.

Congratulations, Alexander – a superb race, run with intent from start to finish.