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A month after Canfranc, the dust has settled but the stories still sting—sometimes literally. We sat down with Team USA leaders Paul Kirsch and Tom Hooper to unpack a world championship defined by raw terrain, tight logistics, and athletes who found another gear when it mattered most. If you watched the medals, you saw the headlines. If you listen here, you’ll hear the blueprint.

We start where results are made: planning. Paul and Tom pull back the curtain on selection debates, athlete travel, hotel puzzles, kit approvals, and an aid station operation designed for seconds, not comfort. Imagine three staff crewing a dozen athletes off a single table while frost slicks the rocks, ground wasps erupt near the trail, and two bulls jog past a sunrise checkpoint. That’s the reality of world-level trail—messy, improvised, and relentlessly precise.

From there we dig into racing. The long and short trail routes tilted skyward and technical, but champions like Jim Walmsley and Katie Schide still rose, proving that range and resilience travel across terrain. Hillary Gerardi stepped from VK to 80K to keep the team whole. Short trail newcomers like Jane and Ruby showed composure well beyond their caps. The vertical and classic squads highlighted rising stars—Anna Gibson, Cam Smith—and real team tactics, with athletes working together late to lock in points, cross-country style. Meanwhile, U20 athletes arrived with true mountain chops, signaling a pipeline ready to meet a deeper, more global field that now includes full squads from Uganda and Kenya and breakthrough team medals from nations like Canada.

We also talk about the gap that still holds the sport back: brand buy-in. Many athletes earn no bonuses for worlds and must choose between country and paycheck. With more sponsor support—following models we already see in track and the Olympics—world championships could become the premier stage they deserve to be. South Africa is next, and with the right mix of citizen races, media, and partners, the scene could match the spectacle.

Hit play for a candid, inside look at how Team USA turned chaos into podiums and why the future of mountain and trail running has never looked brighter. If this conversation resonates, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a quick review to help more fans find the show.

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Follow Tom Hooper on IG - @tomhooper603

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Check out Six03 Races - @six03endurance

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Follow James on IG - @jameslauriello

Follow the Steep Stuff Podcast on IG - @steepstuff_pod

Use code steepstuffpod for 25% off your cart at UltimateDirection.com!