Jo Johansen

About

Jo Johansen (Johanna Johansen) is a New Zealand trail ultrarunner and HOKA-sponsored athlete who rose from near-obscurity to international recognition in one of the most remarkable debut seasons the sport has seen. Always active — playing representative rugby and cricket, competing as a snowboarder in Boardercross — she began running seriously in her early twenties, initially as a coping mechanism through difficult personal circumstances that became an all-consuming passion. She ran her first ultramarathon in January 2014, winning the 60km Hutt River Trail outright against both male and female competitors. Just weeks later, despite that being only her second ultra start, she won the 2014 Vibram Tarawera Ultramarathon — a marquee international 100km race in the Bay of Plenty — against a field of established elites, racing through the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Lusi with controlled confidence and minimal fuelling. Her rapid ascent from beginner to international champion across a matter of months made her one of New Zealand's most compelling ultrarunning stories.

Notable Wins

• — 2014 Vibram Tarawera Ultramarathon
• — Hutt River Trail 60k 2014

Race History