Queen and King of the Hill 2025 - It's a wrap!
Queen and King of the Hill 2025 is officially in the books, and over the last four weeks, runners in Canmore and Squamish have been grinding up steep trails, comparing splits, and quietly pushing their limits.
If you’ve never heard of it, here’s the deal: four climbs, one per week. Everyone’s in a bracket, racing head-to-head. Fastest time moves on. You pick your moment, time yourself, and get it done. No bibs, no crowds—just you, the trail, and likely a few familiar faces chasing the same segment.
Some runners crossed paths mid-climb, others caught up at the trailhead after. You’d hear people swapping tips, comparing lines, or just laughing about how rough that one section was. The bracket might’ve said you were opponents, but on the trail, it felt more like a crew. Same route, same struggle, same respect.
Got knocked out of the bracket? No big deal. You were still in the General Classification—racing the clock instead of a name on a spreadsheet. Some chased wins, others chased consistency. A lot of people just wanted to see all four climbs through. It all counted.
The climbs didn’t drag on—they just hit hard and fast. No time to settle in, no room to fake your way through. One week it was smooth and snappy, the next it was loose rock and hands-on quads. Each segment asked something different, and by the end, most runners had emptied the tank in a few different ways. Nothing about it was complicated, but none of it was easy.
It’s done—for now. But if you like your challenges tough, your community strong, and your racing stripped to the essentials, this is one to keep an eye on.
The Challenges.
The Results.
Rarely does something that feels this low-key attract a field this stacked. But that’s the thing with Queen and King of the Hill—it might run on spreadsheets and self-timing, but the talent that shows up is anything but casual. Whether you were pushing for the top or just seeing how you measure up, every week was a chance to line up against some of the best mountain runners on the continent.
In Canmore, Courtney Brohart claimed the Queen of the Hill crown, pulling ahead with consistent efforts on every segment. Frederica Blouin-Comeau and Nicole Gilman weren’t far behind, rounding out a strong women’s field that never let up. The men’s race saw Karl Augsten take the win with a 30-second gap over Mitchell Valic—not exactly a sprint finish, but more than close enough to keep things tense. Michael Ravensbergen secured third with a strong, steady series of climbs. In total, 40 women and 38 men finished all four weeks.
In Squamish, Kalie McCrystal took the Queen of the Hill title after a strong final week push— when the final climb rolled around, she turned it on and sealed the win. Krissie Saba kept things tight all series long to take second, and Kelsey Watts rounded out a stacked podium with four impressive efforts. On the men’s side, Alexandre Ricard ran with control and consistency, earning the top spot with authority. Shaun Stephens-Whale claimed second, and Scott Maguire edged out Philippe Brunet for third in one of the closest finishes we've ever seen—decided on countback after the two tied on Third Peak. A total of 53 women and 56 men completed the full set of challenges.
The Supporters.
Big thanks to our sponsors for backing this thing and hooking up some great prizes along the way. It’s the kind of support that helps keep grassroots events like this rolling—and makes sure the effort gets a little reward at the end. We’re lucky to have brands that get what this community is all about.