After a timed practice session, the Elite runners are now in a race against time to determine who will advance to the semi-finals. In the first race of 2024, Tahnee Seagrave showed strong off-season form by taking first place in the elite women’s qualifying round. She crossed the finish line with a time almost two seconds faster than the next rider, showing her determination to secure a second elite victory in Fort William.
Nina Hoffman finished the session in second place with a consistent run that kept her in touch with the leader until the fourth leg, where she lost about a second to the top qualifier. Anna Newkirk put in an impressive performance, making gains in the lowest sectors and finishing her qualifying run in third place.
Despite being the overall winner in 2023 and the reigning world champion, Wally Hall could not match the best time and dropped to fifth in the standings. Although she briefly took the lead during the second sector, she lost about 5.4 seconds in the three-way through