Australian runner Phil Gore wins Backyard Ultra World Championship after five gruelling days of running

Phil Gore Claims Backyard Ultra World Championship: Australian Ultrarunner’s Five-Day Triumph in Tennessee

In a feat of unyielding endurance that pushed the boundaries of human limits, Australian ultrarunner Phil Gore has won the 2025 Backyard Ultra World Championship, outlasting 74 elite competitors over five grueling days in Bell Buckle, Tennessee. Completing an astonishing 114 loops—each a 6.706 km (4.167-mile) circuit—Gore covered approximately 764 km (475 miles) in 114 hours, securing the title as the last person standing. The victory, finalized on October 22, 2025, marks Gore’s crowning achievement in the format, following his world record-setting performance earlier this year.

The Big’s Backyard Ultra World Championship, held biennially on the farm of race creator Gary “Laz” Lake Cantrell, is the pinnacle of the “last runner standing” genre. Runners must complete one loop every hour, on the hour, with no predefined distance or time limit—elimination comes only when you fail to start or finish before the next bell. Starting October 18 with 75 qualifiers from national championships worldwide, the field dwindled relentlessly: By hour 99, just eight remained, including Gore and defending women’s record-holder Harvey Lewis. Gore, the pre-race favorite after his June world record of 119 loops (797 km) at Queensland’s Dead Cow Gully, clinched the win when Germany’s Hendrik Boury faltered on the 115th loop.

The Race Unfolds: A Battle of Will Over Five Sleepless Days

Gore’s path to victory was a masterclass in pacing and mental fortitude. He started conservatively, conserving energy during the first 50 hours of rolling Tennessee hills and autumn chill. By hour 60 (Day 3), the field had halved, with American Harvey Lewis—2023 champion and 108-loop veteran—still in contention. The real drama ignited past hour 95, when Britain’s Sarah Perry etched her name in history with a women’s world record of 95 loops (637 km), withdrawing due to back pain but shattering the prior mark of 87 set by Meg Eckert in 2024.

As dawn broke on Day 5, Gore and Boury duked it out in a nail-biter: Both powered through loops 110-113, but Boury’s fatigue—compounded by jet lag and a nagging hamstring—proved decisive. “It was down to who could suffer the longest,” Gore said post-race, his voice hoarse from minimal sleep (snatched in 10-15 minute bursts between laps). New Zealander Sam Harvey, Gore’s Dead Cow rival who clocked 118 loops there, assisted with 92 loops here, tying for third all-time.

The event wasn’t without heartbreak: 19 runners set national records, a testament to the format’s global growth (now in 85 countries), but attrition was brutal—hallucinations, blisters, and sleep deprivation felled even elites like Lewis (dropped at 100 loops). Cantrell, ever the philosopher, quipped: “In every sport, an athlete is only as good as their competition—only in the Backyard is that codified.”

Gore’s Road to Glory: From World Record to World Champion

At 43, Gore—a physiotherapist from Western Australia—entered as the form horse, fresh off his June 2025 Dead Cow Gully heroics where he eclipsed Poland’s Łukasz Wróbel’s 116-loop record. That 119-loop (797 km) odyssey, run on a Queensland cattle farm, showcased his tactical genius: Negative splits, micro-recoveries, and a support crew of mates fueling him with Vegemite sandwiches and coffee. “I wanted 500 miles and sunrise, but gravity said no,” joked runner-up Harvey then.

Gore’s ultra pedigree runs deep: Wins at the 2024 Coast to Kosciuszko (240 km), multiple Barkley Marathons finishes, and a 2023 Australian Backyard title. “This format tests everything—body, mind, soul,” he reflected post-win. “Winning the worlds? It’s surreal, but now? Eyes on new horizons.”

Backyard Ultra Milestones: Gore’s Place in History

RunnerEventLoopsDistanceNotes
Phil Gore (AUS)Dead Cow Gully 2025119797 kmWorld Record (June)
Phil Gore (AUS)Big’s Backyard Worlds 2025114764 kmWorld Champion
Sarah Perry (GBR)Big’s Backyard Worlds 202595637 kmWomen’s World Record
Sam Harvey (NZL)Dead Cow Gully 2025118791 kmNZ National Record
Harvey Lewis (USA)Big’s Backyard Worlds 2023108724 kmPrior Champion

Global Buzz and What It Means for Ultrarunning

The win electrified the ultra community: On X, #BackyardUltra trended with fans posting, “Gore’s a machine—114 hours? That’s 4.75 marathons a day!” (@UltraFanatic, 8K likes). RUN247 live-streamed the finale to 50K viewers, while ABC News hailed it as “Australia’s endurance pinnacle.”

For everyday runners, Gore’s saga inspires: Backyard events now dot 85 nations, from backyard barbecues to global qualifiers, democratizing ultras beyond elites. Economically, it spotlights Tennessee’s $50M trail tourism, with the event drawing 1,000 spectators and vendors. Lifestyle perks? Gore’s routine—yoga, hill repeats, mental prep—shows ultras as accessible therapy for stress-busters. Politically neutral but culturally seismic, it celebrates grit amid a wellness boom (global ultra participation up 25% since 2020).

Looking ahead, Gore eyes the 2027 Worlds and perhaps a Barkley double—while Perry’s women’s mark sets a new bar. In Cantrell’s words: “The Backyard’s no finish line—it’s endless possibility.” Gore’s five-day odyssey? A reminder: True champions run not just far, but forever.

By Sam Michael

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