Nearly all sports are championed by dominating athletes who consistently maintain control with a seemingly effortless ease, often referenced as the King or Queen of their sport.
Here on the Big Island we have several queens. Bree Wee has been the dominant force in the sport of triathlon for over a decade. And in swimming, it’s always been Karlyn Pipes who owns countless world records.
But in the sphere of ultra-endurance trail running, there is absolutely no doubt that Waimea’s Sylvia Ravaglia has achieved “Queen” status.
On Saturday, the 39-year-old Waimea resident crushed the women’s field to become the first female champion of the inaugural Mauna to Mauna Ultra.