Canadian athlete Stephanie Case has become the first woman to complete a 100-mile ultramarathon without stopping in Antarctica. She finished the Antarctic Ice Ultra 2026 in 17 hours, 31 minutes and 39 seconds, placing second overall.
She also set the first women’s record for this distance on the continent, according to published race results from the organizers. The same data shows that Case was the only woman to cross the finish line among the three women who took part in the challenge. Of the eight runners who started the 100-mile race, only four managed to complete it.
The race was held at the Schirmacher Oasis in East Antarctica. Participants had to complete 38 laps of a 4.2-kilometer loop before finishing the 100-mile distance. The challenge was made even harder by extreme weather conditions, with strong winds and temperatures dropping to minus 35 degrees Celsius.
Due to an approaching storm, organizers were forced to postpone the start of the race until 1:00 a.m. on Sunday. Beyond her sporting career, Case is an international human rights advocate and founder of the organization Free to Run. The organization supports women and girls affected by conflict through running programs and leadership development. She also drew international attention in 2025, when she won a 100-kilometer ultramarathon in Wales, just six months after giving birth.