Australian woman beats all the men at Antarctic Ice Marathon
On Sunday, Catherine Drysdale became the first female winner in the race's 20-year history, and a Canadian runner made the women's podium
Antarctic Marathon/Storyful
Sunday marked the 20th edition of the Antarctic Ice Marathon, and it was notable for more than just its long history: for the first time ever, a woman claimed the outright race title.
Australia’s Catherine Drysdale dominated freezing conditions (-8 C, “feels like” -18 C) and a very snowy course in Union Glacier, Antartica, finishing in three hours, 48 minutes and 43 seconds. Her performance beat the entire field–men and women–by more than six minutes.
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Russia’s Denis Nazarov claimed the men’s title and overall runner-up spot (3:54:49), while Poland’s Joanna Drewnicka-Ogrodnik was the third athlete to cross the line (4:18:05), meaning women occupied two of the three podium positions. Victoria Grahn of British Columbia placed fifth overall and was the third woman to cross the line (4:25:22).
Guinness World Records recognizes the event as the “Southernmost Marathon on Earth.” This year’s 42.2K race featured 23 women and 30 men competitors, including Portugal’s Domitilia Dos Santos, who, at 70, became the oldest woman to complete the Antarctic Ice Marathon, clocking 7:43:14.
The women’s marathon course record stands at 3:29:16, set last year by U.S. runner Liesl Muehlhauser, who placed third overall. The men’s course record of 2:53:33 was set by Irish runner Sean Tobin in 2022. (That time also stood as the Antarctic continental record until it was broken last year by Ireland’s William Maunsell, coached by Tobin, at the first leg of the Great World Race in Wolf Fang, Antarctica.)
Across the event’s marathon, half-marathon and 50K races, 14 Canadians participated, including women’s half-marathon winner Gillian Evans.
See here for full results from the 2025 Antarctic Ice Marathon.
