Bay to Breakers
Bay to Breakers | |
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File:2010 05 16 Bay 2 Breakers pink gorilla.jpg
Participants in the 2010 race
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Date | Third Sunday in May |
Location | San Francisco |
Event type | Road |
Distance | 12 km |
Established | 1912 |
Course records | Men: 33:31 (2009) Sammy Kitwara Women: 38:07 (2010) Lineth Chepkurui |
Official site | http://www.zapposbaytobreakers.com/ |
Bay to Breakers is an annual footrace in San Francisco, California on the third Sunday of May. It is the longest consecutively run footrace in the world. The phrase "Bay to Breakers" reflects the fact that the race starts at the northeast end of the downtown area a few blocks from The Embarcadero (adjacent to San Francisco Bay) and runs west through the city to finish at the Great Highway (adjacent to the Pacific coast, where breakers crash onto Ocean Beach). The complete course is 7.46 miles (12.01 km) long.[1]
Bay to Breakers is well known for many participants wearing costumes, and a few engaging in varying degrees of public nudity.[2][3] From 1986 to 2010, it was officially the world's largest footrace with 110,000 participants, until it was surpassed by City2Surf event in Sydney.[4][5] Attendance in 2015 was reported at roughly 50,000.[6] That year, Zappos.com signed on as the multi-year title sponsor of "Bay to Breakers"; the name of the race became "Zappos.com Bay to Breakers".
Contents
History
Started as a way to lift the city's spirits after the disastrous 1906 San Francisco earthquake, it is the longest consecutively run footrace in the world (other races' courses and lengths have changed over time).[7] During World War II participation sometimes slipped below 50 registrants, but the tradition carried on. With 110,000 participants, the Bay to Breakers race held on May 18, 1986 was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest footrace.[4] That record number was partly the product of the running boom of the 1980s; currently the average participation is between 70,000 and 80,000. Many participants do not register, of the estimated 60,000 participants in 2008, 33,000 were registered.[8] The San Francisco Examiner, a former sponsor of the race, published a list of the first 10,000 finishers the day after the race each year.
The route is typically dotted with various local bands performing. At the end of the race is a Finish Line Festival, a gathering where participants and spectators can enjoy musical performances by various musical acts.
In February 2009, city officials and race sponsors announced major changes to the race regulations. The regulations included an official ban on floats, alcohol, drunkenness and nudity.[9] The changes were made to assuage the concerns of San Francisco residents along the parade route, who say the race has gotten out of hand in recent years.[10] The news sparked outrage amongst many Bay Area residents who said the changes would destroy everything that has made the race a national treasure for most of the last century.[9]
Organization and sponsors
Bay to Breakers is owned and operated by Wasserman. In 2010, ING completed 5 years of sponsorship.[11] In 2011, online retailer Zazzle signed a deal to sponsor Bay to Breakers for 2 years.[12] After Zazzle dropped out as a title sponsor in 2013, the race was picked up by Craigslist.[13] In 2014, ZOZI, the B2B2C platform for the $125B global tours and activities market, signed a deal to sponsor Bay to Breakers.[14]
On February 12, 2014 Bay to Breakers announced a partnership with athletic apparel company Under Armour to provide race participants with hi-tech runner’s shirts.[15] All registered participants receive perks like the Under Armour T, as well as a MVP membership to Map My Fitness, Finisher Medals, Race Bib with Timing Tag, on course entertainment and access to the Finish Line Festival. On February 18, 2015 Zappos.com became the multi-year title sponsor of the event. As such, the event was renamed "Zappos.com Bay to Breakers".[16]
Course
The Bay to Breakers is held on a USA Track & Field certified point-to-point course.[17] USATF notes that the course is "wind dependent", therefore, a USA Track & Field record can only be set when it can be shown that there is no significant tailwind.[18]
The initial course started at the Ferry Building along Market Street to Golden Gate Avenue before turning onto Divisadero Street.[19] In 1968, the start was moved from Market Street to Howard Street and the ascension to Divisadero moved to Hayes Street.[20] In 1983, the course was shortened from 7.51 miles to an official 12K (7.46 miles).[4] The current course turns west along Hayes Street and up Hayes Street Hill near Alamo Square. This is the only major incline in the race. After the hill, the race runs along the panhandle and then west through Golden Gate Park, past the Conservatory of Flowers, all the way to the Great Highway and Ocean Beach. The Great Highway will also host a Finish Line Festival, a postrace recovery and reunion area.
Participants
Bay to Breakers is one of the most popular footraces in the United States. Large numbers of participants walk the route behind the runners, and many dress in costumes, thus lending a party atmosphere to the event. Participants have developed a number of unique, festive practices for the reace. One festive tradition is the tortilla toss, during which crowds of runners waiting to cross the start line throw tortillas at one another to pass time (similar to balloon-batting at rock concerts).
Other oddities are always on the scene, including traditional characters such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Spider-Man, as well as other unique characters spawned for the race. At least 40 pairs of Blues Brothers participated in the 1985 edition.[21] Every year, some runners dressed as salmon run "upstream" from the breakers to the Bay.[22][23]
Centipedes
Bay to Breakers features a special team division called "centipedes". While the founding of the "centipede" is commonly attributed to Dwayne "Peanut" Harms, who was an original member of the first-ever "Pede" and a member of the UC Davis men's track team, ("Aggies"),[4] in 1978, Douglas L. Peck, also a UC Davis runner, founded a special division of the race in which 13 runners are connected as a unit. Peck also ran as "Head Pede," i.e., he was the leader of the centipede.[24] An additional runner, a floater, usually the team captain, is allowed to run along untethered to pace the team or substitute for a drop out runner. Despite the novelty, the centipede race is very competitive. The Men's Centipede winner's time in 2008 was faster than the Women's course record. Bay to Breakers is the official site of the World Centipede Running Championships.[4]
Course records
Race organizers and media have reported that the course records set by Sammy Kitwara in 2009 and Lineth Chepkurui in 2010 are also world records at the 12 km distance;[25] however, the International Association of Athletics Federations, the international governing body for the sport of athletics/track and field, does not recognize world records or world bests in either an indoor or outdoor 12 km.[26] The Association of Road Racing Statisticians, a non-regulatory group that collects road running data, does recognize world records in the outdoor 12 km provided that the race course meets certain criteria.[27][28] In order to rule-out the possibility of wind assistance in point-to-point courses, the ARRS stipulates that the course must have "not more than 30% of the race distance separation between that start and finish", or 3.6 km for a 12 km race.[28] Given that the Bay to Breakers is run on a point-to-point course in which the start and finish of the event are approximately 10.5 linear kilometers apart, the ARRS recognizes two other marks as 12 km world records: Kenyan Simon Kigen's 33:46 in Portland, Oregon on May 19, 1985 and Chepkurui's 38:10 at the 2010 Lilac Bloomsday Run.[27][nb 1]
Individual winners
= Course record
Date | Men's Winner | Country | Time | Women's Winner | Country | Time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
January 1, 1912 | Bobby Vlught | ![]() |
44:10 | |||
January 1, 1913 | Bobby Vlught | ![]() |
40:59 | |||
January 1, 1914 | Oliver Millard | ![]() |
40:46.6 | |||
January 1, 1915 | Oliver Millard | ![]() |
41:39 | |||
January 1, 1916 | George Wyckoff | ![]() |
42:33 | |||
January 1, 1917 | Oliver Millard | ![]() |
41:29.6 | |||
January 1, 1918 | Edgar Stout | ![]() |
42:41 | |||
January 1, 1919 | Harry Ludwig | ![]() |
42:45.4 | |||
January 1, 1920 | William Churchill | ![]() |
40:56.6 | |||
January 1, 1921 | Charles Hunter | ![]() |
40:27.6 | |||
January 1, 1922 | William Churchill | ![]() |
42:56 | |||
January 1, 1923 | William Churchill | ![]() |
41:56 | |||
January 1, 1924 | William Churchill | ![]() |
41:52 | |||
January 1, 1925 | Vincenzo Goso | ![]() |
42:59.6 | |||
January 1, 1926 | Frank Eames | ![]() |
42:13 | |||
January 1, 1927 | Frank Eames | ![]() |
42:55.8 | |||
January 29, 1928 | Pietro Giordanengo | ![]() |
43:05 | |||
January 27, 1929 | Pietro Giodanengo | ![]() |
43:05 | |||
February 2, 1930 | Manuel John | ![]() |
43:10 | |||
February 1, 1931 | Jack Keegan | ![]() |
44:28 | |||
February 7, 1932 | Ray Cocking | ![]() |
43:19 | |||
February 5, 1933 | Jack Keegan | ![]() |
43:31 | |||
January 28, 1934 | John Nehi | ![]() |
42:12 | |||
March 3, 1935 | Leo Karlhofer | ![]() |
43:50.6 | |||
March 1, 1936 | Joe McCluskey | ![]() |
40:37.2 | |||
March 14, 1937 | Norm Bright | ![]() |
39:52 | |||
March 6, 1938 | Ed Preston | ![]() |
41:15 | |||
March 12, 1939 | Ed Preston | ![]() |
41:14 | |||
March 10, 1940 | Ed Preston | ![]() |
42:12 | |||
March 2, 1941 | Frank Lawrence | ![]() |
42:39 | |||
March 15, 1942 | James Haran | ![]() |
43:53 | |||
October 10, 1943 | Joseph Wehrly | ![]() |
45:01 | |||
April 30, 1944 | Fred Kline | ![]() |
43:15 | |||
May 6, 1945 | Fred Kline | ![]() |
43:25.1 | |||
April 7, 1946 | Fred Kline | ![]() |
44:28 | |||
March 23, 1947 | Merle Knox | ![]() |
43:52 | |||
April 18, 1948 | Fred Kline | ![]() |
44:27 | |||
May 1, 1949 | Merle Knox | ![]() |
42:58 | |||
May 7, 1950 | Elwyn Stribling | ![]() |
42:57 | |||
May 6, 1951 | John Holden | ![]() |
46:09 | |||
May 4, 1952 | Jim Shettler | ![]() |
45:34 | |||
May 3, 1953 | Jesse Van Zant | ![]() |
42:05 | |||
May 9, 1954 | Jesse Van Zant | ![]() |
42:15 | |||
April 24, 1955 | Jesse Van Zant | ![]() |
43:32 | |||
April 29, 1956 | Walt Berger | ![]() |
44:56 | |||
May 12, 1957 | Jesse Van Zant | ![]() |
44:02 | |||
May 11, 1958 | Wilford King | ![]() |
41:17 | |||
May 24, 1959 | Wilford King | ![]() |
41:30 | |||
May 22, 1960 | Don Kelley | ![]() |
41:59.8 | |||
May 21, 1961 | Jack Marden | ![]() |
41:30 | |||
May 20, 1962 | Jim Shettler | ![]() |
41:25.3 | |||
May 19, 1963 | Herman Gene Gurule | ![]() |
40:15.7 | |||
May 17, 1964 | Jeff Fishback | ![]() |
38:32 | |||
May 23, 1965 | William Morgan | ![]() |
38:02 | |||
May 22, 1966 | Eric Brenner | ![]() |
41:10.6 | Frances Conley | ![]() |
1:00:7 |
May 11, 1967 | Tom Laris | ![]() |
38:42 | |||
May 26, 1968 | Kenny Moore | ![]() |
38:15 | |||
May 25, 1969 | Kenny Moore | ![]() |
38:40 | Mary Etta Boitano | ![]() |
1:01:12 |
May 24, 1970 | Kenny Moore | ![]() |
39:29 | Joyce Swannack-Gibbs | ![]() |
58:08 |
May 23, 1971 | Kenny Moore | ![]() |
36:57 | Frances Conley[nb 2] | ![]() |
50:45 |
May 21, 1972 | Kenny Moore | ![]() |
36:39 | Cheryl Flanagan | ![]() |
44:47 |
May 20, 1973 | Kenny Moore | ![]() |
37:15 | Cheryl Flanagan | ![]() |
45:20 |
May 19, 1974 | Gary Tuttle | ![]() |
37:07 | Mary Etta Boitano | ![]() |
43:22 |
May 18, 1975 | Ric Rojas | ![]() |
37:18 | Mary Etta Boitano | ![]() |
46:04 |
May 16, 1976 | Chris Wardlaw | ![]() |
37:28 | Mary Etta Boitano | ![]() |
49:20 |
May 15, 1977 | Paul Geis | ![]() |
37:28 | Judy Leydig | ![]() |
47:28 |
May 14, 1978 | Gerard Barrett | ![]() |
35:17.4 | Joyce Swannack-Gibbs | ![]() |
47:02 |
May 20, 1979 | Bob Hodge | ![]() |
36:50 | Laurie Binder | ![]() |
43:07 |
May 18, 1980 | Craig Virgin | ![]() |
35:11 | Laurie Binder | ![]() |
42:20 |
May 17, 1981 | Craig Virgin | ![]() |
35:07 | Janice Oehm | ![]() |
41:47 |
May 16, 1982 | Rod Dixon | ![]() |
35:08 | Laurie Binder | ![]() |
42:28 |
May 15, 1983 | Rod Dixon | ![]() |
35:01.3 | Laurie Binder | ![]() |
41:24.7 |
May 20, 1984 | Ibrahim Hussein | ![]() |
35:11 | Nancy Ditz | ![]() |
42:32 |
May 19, 1985 | Ibrahim Hussein | ![]() |
34:53 | Joan Samuelson | ![]() |
39:55 |
May 18, 1986 | Ed Eyestone | ![]() |
34:33 | Grete Waitz | ![]() |
38:45 |
May 17, 1987 | Arturo Barrios | ![]() |
34:45 | Rosa Mota | ![]() |
39:16 |
May 15, 1988 | Arturo Barrios | ![]() |
34:58 | Lisa Ondieki | ![]() |
39:17 |
May 21, 1989 | Arturo Barrios | ![]() |
34:40 | Ingrid Kristiansen | ![]() |
39:14 |
May 20, 1990 | Arturo Barrios | ![]() |
34:42 | Jill Boltz | ![]() |
39:19.5 |
May 19, 1991 | Thomas Osano | ![]() |
33:55 | Susan Sirma | ![]() |
38:27 |
May 17, 1992 | Thomas Osano | ![]() |
33:57 | Lisa Ondieki | ![]() |
38:36 |
May 16, 1993 | Ismael Kirui | ![]() |
33:42 | Lynn Jennings | ![]() |
39:14 |
May 15, 1994 | Ismael Kirui | ![]() |
34:03 | Tegla Loroupe | ![]() |
39:10 |
May 21, 1995 | Ismael Kirui | ![]() |
33:58 | Delilah Asiago | ![]() |
38:23 |
May 19, 1996 | Thomas Osano | ![]() |
34:35 | Elana Meyer | ![]() |
38:56 |
May 18, 1997 | Joseph Kimani | ![]() |
33:51 | Jane Omoro | ![]() |
39:56 |
May 17, 1998 | Simon Rono | ![]() |
33:58 | Jane Omoro | ![]() |
38:57 |
May 16, 1999 | Lazarus Nyakeraka | ![]() |
34:11 | Catherine Ndereba | ![]() |
38:37 |
May 21, 2000 | Reuben Cheruiyot | ![]() |
34:54 | Colleen De Reuck | ![]() |
38:42 |
May 20, 2001 | James Koskei | ![]() |
34:19 | Jane Ngotho | ![]() |
40:35 |
May 19, 2002 | James Koskei | ![]() |
34:03 | Luminiţa Talpoş | ![]() |
39:15 |
May 18, 2003 | James Koskei | ![]() |
35:11 | Lyudmila Biktasheva | ![]() |
39:22 |
May 16, 2004 | Benjamin Maiyo | ![]() |
34:50 | Albina Ivanova | ![]() |
39:56 |
May 15, 2005 | Gilbert Okari | ![]() |
34:20 | Asmae Leghzaoui | ![]() |
38:22 |
May 21, 2006 | Gilbert Okari | ![]() |
34:20 | Tatyana Hladyr | ![]() |
39:09 |
May 20, 2007 | John Korir | ![]() |
34:44 | Edna Kiplagat | ![]() |
38:55 |
May 18, 2008 | John Korir | ![]() |
34:24 | Lineth Chepkurui | ![]() |
39:22 |
May 17, 2009 | Sammy Kitwara | ![]() |
33:31 | Teyba Erkesso | ![]() |
38:29 |
May 16, 2010 | Sammy Kitwara | ![]() |
34:15 | Lineth Chepkurui | ![]() |
38:07 |
May 15, 2011 | Ridouane Harroufi | ![]() |
34:26 | Lineth Chepkurui | ![]() |
39:12 |
May 20, 2012 | Sammy Kitwara | ![]() |
34:41 | Mamitu Daska | ![]() |
39:03 |
May 19, 2013 | Tolossa Gedefa | ![]() |
35:01 | Diane Nukuri-Johnson | ![]() |
40:12 |
May 18, 2014 | Geoffrey Kenisi | ![]() |
35:06 | Diane Nukuri-Johnson | ![]() |
40:15 |
May 17, 2015 | Isaac Mukundi Mwangi | ![]() |
35:25 | Jane Kibii | ![]() |
40:04 |
May 15, 2016 | Isaac Mukundi Mwangi | ![]() |
35:23 | Caroline Chepkoech | ![]() |
40:36 |
Centipede winners
= Course record
Date | Men's Centipede Winner | Country | Time | Women's Centipede Winner | Country | Time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May 20, 1990 | Reebok Aggies | USA | 37:39 | Reebok Aggies | USA | 47:36 |
May 18, 2008 | ASICS Aggies Men | USA | 38:05 | ASICS Aggies Women | USA | 47:47 |
May 17, 2009 | ASICS Aggies Men | USA | 40:27 | ASICS Aggies Women | USA | 50:51 |
May 16, 2010 | LinkedIn Centipede | USA | 37:58 | ASICS Aggies Women | USA | 48:44 |
May 15, 2011 | LinkedIn Centipede | USA | 37:00 | ASICS Aggies Women | USA | 49:06 |
May 20, 2012 | Team LinkedIn | USA | 36:44 | Impala Racing Team | USA | 46:37 |
May 19, 2013 | ASICS Aggies Centipede Men | USA | 40:03 | ASICS Aggies Centipede Women | USA | 48:17 |
May 18, 2014 | ASICS Aggies Centipede Men | USA | 40:19 | ASICS Aggies Centipede Women | USA | 47:59 |
See also
Notes
- ↑ Race records from the Association of Road Racing Statisticians indicate that Joseph Kimani of Kenya also ran a 33:31 at the Arts Fest River Run in Evansville, Indiana in 1997;[29] however, it was also held on a point-to-point course that USATF has noted as "wind dependent" and not "record eligible".[30][31]
- ↑ According to race organizers, Frances Conley was the first official female runner in 1971.[32]
References
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- ↑ http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/search/searchResults.asp?courseStatus=A&courseType=R&state=IN
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
![]() |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bay to Breakers. |
- Bay to Breakers website Official Site
- Bay to Breakers Crowd Photos Thousands of photos taken by the racers
- Full list of winners from Association of Road Racing Statisticians
- Bay to Breakers Mile-O-Pede Bay to Breakers longest centipede attempt of 2006.
- Video from 2008
- Video from 2009
- Articles with dead external links from September 2010
- Use mdy dates from June 2011
- Pages with broken file links
- Commons category link is defined as the pagename
- Clothing-optional events
- Culture of San Francisco, California
- Festivals in the San Francisco Bay Area
- Foot races in California
- Long-distance running competitions
- Sports in San Francisco, California
- Recurring sporting events established in 1912
- 1912 establishments in California
- Road running competitions in the United States
- Annual sporting events in the United States
- Annual events in California