Svenja Betz just became the first woman to finish the Badlands 2025 event in Spain, completing the 816-kilometer mixed-terrain route in just under 52 hours. Find a recap and photos from the finish line courtesy of the event organizers here…

Words by Chris Tonge, photos by Badlands.cc

What an incredible feat for Svenja Betz, who not only conquered Badlands after a strategic push but also cemented her legacy with wins at Traka 560 and Unbound XL! After admitting to a slower start at Badlands this year, Svenja dug deep, finding strength in the nights to close the gap on Anuchi Gago.

Her determination paid off, leading her to go for the win when she caught up. This victory is especially sweet after her previous experience at Badlands, where she “was a bit afraid to come here and to not win like last year and then be sad again.” Now, she’s super happy to have achieved “perfection” by securing all three major races. What an inspiring display of grit and triumph! Svenja was the first woman and 15th overall to finish Badlands 2025 with a time of 2 days, 3 hours, and 54 minutes. Congrats!

Check out the Badlands 2025 Tracker page for updates, where you can follow along on the live tracking map and stay tuned in for more event coverage. Find it here.

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