Bay to Breakers
Encyclopedia
The Bay to Breakers is an annual footrace
which takes place in San Francisco, California on the third Sunday of May. The name 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 km) long. The event is well-known for many participants wearing costumes, and a few engaging in varying degrees of public nudity
. The event was officially the world's largest footrace from 1986 (with 110,000 participants) until it was surpassed in 2010.
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). 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. 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. Race organizers estimated a field of 60,000 participants in 2008, 33,000 of whom were registered. The San Francisco Examiner publishes a list of the first 10,000 finishers the day after the race each year.
Large numbers of participants walk the route behind the runners. Some participants dress in elaborate costumes or wear nothing at all
(except footwear), thus lending a party atmosphere to the event. 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).
.jpg)
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. Every year, some runners dressed as salmon
run "upstream" from the breakers to the Bay.
The route is typically dotted with various local bands performing. At the end of the race is "Footstock," 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. 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. 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. On February 27, 2009, city officials and race organizers announced that they were lifting many of the restrictions. In particular, floats will now be allowed as long as they are registered, and nudity is not mentioned anywhere in the new restrictions. Although the bans on alcohol and drunkenness technically remain in effect, all "zero tolerance" language has been removed.
-owned Anschutz Entertainment Group
.
Anschutz also owns The San Francisco Examiner
, which assumed sponsorship of the race in 1966. From 2003 to 2005, Albertsons was the event's main sponsor. The ING Group
was the primary sponsor for the Bay to Breakers from 2006 to 2010. On May 26, 2010, spokesmen for the Bay to Breakers and ING confirmed that ING chose not to renew their sponsorship for the 100th edition of the race in 2011.
On March 18, 2011, race organizers announced Zazzle
, a Bay Area-based e-commerce company manufacturing custom user-generated products, as the title sponsor for the event's 2011 centennial running, as well as for the 101st running in 2012.
, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors
, reported that over half of the 60,000 participants in the 2010 Bay to Breakers were unregistered. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom
was among the runners in 2010 who did not pay the registration fee to obtain a race number.
course. 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.
The initial course started at the Ferry Building
along Market Street
to Golden Gate Avenue before turning onto Divisadero Street. In 1968, the start was moved from Market Street to Howard Street
and the ascension to Divisadero moved to Hayes Street. In 1983, the course was shortened from 7.51 miles to an official 12K (7.46 miles). 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 Great Highway
and Ocean Beach.
in 2009 and Lineth Chepkurui
in 2010 are also world records at the 12 km distance; 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. 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. 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. 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
.
Road running
Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...
which takes place in San Francisco, California on the third Sunday of May. The name 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
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
) and runs west through the city to finish at the Great Highway
Great Highway
The Great Highway is a road in San Francisco that forms the city's western edge along the Pacific coast. It runs for approximately next to Ocean Beach...
(adjacent to the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
coast, where breakers
Breaking wave
In fluid dynamics, a breaking wave is a wave whose amplitude reaches a critical level at which some process can suddenly start to occur that causes large amounts of wave energy to be transformed into turbulent kinetic energy...
crash onto Ocean Beach). The complete course is 7.46 miles (12 km) long. The event is well-known for many participants wearing costumes, and a few engaging in varying degrees of public nudity
Public nudity
Public nudity or nude in public refers to nudity not in an entirely private context. It refers to a person appearing nude in a public place or to be seen from a public place. It also includes nudity in a semi-public place, where the general public is free to enter, such as a shopping mall...
. The event was officially the world's largest footrace from 1986 (with 110,000 participants) until it was surpassed in 2010.
History
Robert J. Vlught, a student at St. Mary's College and newspaper copy-boy, won the first annual Cross-City Race on January 1, 1912 in a time of 44:10. In 1965, the name of the race was changed to Bay to Breakers.Started as a way to lift the city's spirits after the disastrous 1906 San Francisco earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco, California, and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude of 7.9; however, other...
, it is the longest consecutively run footrace in the world (other races' courses and lengths have changed over time). During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
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. That record number was partly the product of the running boom
Running boom of the 1970s
At the 1972 Summer Olympics, American long distance runner Frank Shorter won the 1972 Olympic Marathon. He was the third American to win the Olympic marathon, but the first event since 1908. The victory was covered by ABC, including dramatic coverage of the finish, when a German imposter ran into...
of the 1980s; currently the average participation is between 70,000 and 80,000. Race organizers estimated a field of 60,000 participants in 2008, 33,000 of whom were registered. The San Francisco Examiner publishes a list of the first 10,000 finishers the day after the race each year.
Large numbers of participants walk the route behind the runners. Some participants dress in elaborate costumes or wear nothing at all
Nudity
Nudity is the state of wearing no clothing. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic. The amount of clothing worn depends on functional considerations and social considerations...
(except footwear), thus lending a party atmosphere to the event. 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
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
, Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
, Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
, and Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
, as well as other unique characters spawned for the race. At least 40 pairs of Blues Brothers participated in the 1985 edition. Every year, some runners dressed as salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
run "upstream" from the breakers to the Bay.
The route is typically dotted with various local bands performing. At the end of the race is "Footstock," 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. 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. 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. On February 27, 2009, city officials and race organizers announced that they were lifting many of the restrictions. In particular, floats will now be allowed as long as they are registered, and nudity is not mentioned anywhere in the new restrictions. Although the bans on alcohol and drunkenness technically remain in effect, all "zero tolerance" language has been removed.
Organization and sponsorship
The Bay to Breakers is organized by the Philip AnschutzPhilip Anschutz
Philip Frederick Anschutz is an American entrepreneur. Anschutz bought out his father's drilling company in 1961 and earned large returns in Wyoming. He has invested in stocks, real estate and railroads...
-owned Anschutz Entertainment Group
Anschutz Entertainment Group
The Anschutz Entertainment Group is a sporting and music entertainment presenter and a subsidiary of The Anschutz Corporation. It is the world's largest owner of sports teams and sports events, the owner of the world’s most profitable sports and entertainment venues, and under AEG Live the world's...
.
Anschutz also owns The San Francisco Examiner
The San Francisco Examiner
The San Francisco Examiner is a U.S. daily newspaper. It has been published continuously in San Francisco, California, since the late 19th century.-19th century:...
, which assumed sponsorship of the race in 1966. From 2003 to 2005, Albertsons was the event's main sponsor. The ING Group
ING Group
The ING Group is a global financial institution offering retail banking, direct banking, commercial banking, investment banking, asset management, and insurance services. ING is the Dutch member of the Inter-Alpha Group of Banks, a cooperative consortium of 11 prominent European banks...
was the primary sponsor for the Bay to Breakers from 2006 to 2010. On May 26, 2010, spokesmen for the Bay to Breakers and ING confirmed that ING chose not to renew their sponsorship for the 100th edition of the race in 2011.
On March 18, 2011, race organizers announced Zazzle
Zazzle
Zazzle is an online retailer that allows users to upload images and create their own merchandise , or buy merchandise created by other users, as well as use images from participating companies...
, a Bay Area-based e-commerce company manufacturing custom user-generated products, as the title sponsor for the event's 2011 centennial running, as well as for the 101st running in 2012.
Bandits
The Bay to Breakers is known for the large number of unregistered runners, or "bandits", who participate in the race. Ross MirkarimiRoss Mirkarimi
Ross Mirkarimi is a member of the Board of Supervisors of San Francisco, California, a marijuana legalization advocate, and co-founder of the Green Party of California. He was elected in 2004 to represent District 5...
, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors
San Francisco Board of Supervisors
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is the legislative body within the government of the City and County of San Francisco, California, United States.-Government and politics:...
, reported that over half of the 60,000 participants in the 2010 Bay to Breakers were unregistered. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom
Gavin Newsom
Gavin Christopher Newsom is an American politician who is the 49th and current Lieutenant Governor of California. Previously, he was the 42nd Mayor of San Francisco, and was elected in 2003 to succeed Willie Brown, becoming San Francisco's youngest mayor in 100 years. Newsom was re-elected in 2007...
was among the runners in 2010 who did not pay the registration fee to obtain a race number.
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"), in 1978, Douglas L. Peck, also an Aggie runner, founded a special division of the race in which 13 runners are connected as a unit entitled "centipedes". Peck also ran as "Head Pede," i.e., he was the leader of the centipede. 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.Course
The Bay to Breakers is held on a USA Track & Field certified point-to-pointPoint-to-point
Point-to-point or point to point may refer to:Computing* Point-to-point construction, an electronics assembly technique* Point-to-point * Point-to-Point Protocol , part of the Internet protocol suite...
course. 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.
The initial course started at the Ferry Building
Ferry Building
The San Francisco Ferry Building is a terminal for ferries that travel across the San Francisco Bay and a shopping center located on The Embarcadero in San Francisco, California. On top of the building is a large clock tower, which can be seen from Market Street, a main thoroughfare of the city...
along Market Street
Market Street (San Francisco)
Market Street is an important thoroughfare in San Francisco, California. It begins at The Embarcadero in front of the Ferry Building at the northeastern edge of the city and runs southwest through downtown, passing the Civic Center and the Castro District, to the intersection with Corbett Avenue in...
to Golden Gate Avenue before turning onto Divisadero Street. In 1968, the start was moved from Market Street to Howard Street
Howard Street
Howard Street may refer to:*Howard Street , a major street in Downtown Baltimore, Maryland**Howard Street Tunnel fire, a disaster that struck the freight railroad tunnel under Baltimore's Howard Street in 2001...
and the ascension to Divisadero moved to Hayes Street. In 1983, the course was shortened from 7.51 miles to an official 12K (7.46 miles). The current course turns west along Hayes Street and up Hayes Street Hill near Alamo Square
Alamo Square
Alamo Square is a residential neighborhood and park in San Francisco, California, in the Western Addition, a district of the city's fifth Supervisorial district, and are served by several Muni bus lines including the 5, 21, 22, and 24...
. This is the only major incline in the race. After the hill, the race runs along the panhandle
Panhandle (San Francisco)
The Panhandle is a park in San Francisco, California that forms a panhandle with Golden Gate Park. It is long and narrow, being three-quarters of a mile long and one block wide. Fell Street borders it to the north, Oak Street to the south, and Baker Street to the east. The Haight-Ashbury District...
and then west through Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park, located in San Francisco, California, is a large urban park consisting of of public grounds. Configured as a rectangle, it is similar in shape but 20% larger than Central Park in New York, to which it is often compared. It is over three miles long east to west, and about half a...
, past the Conservatory of Flowers
Conservatory of Flowers
The Conservatory of Flowers is a greenhouse and botanical garden that houses a collection of rare and exotic plants in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California. With construction completed in 1878, it remains the oldest building in the park, and the oldest municipal wooden conservatory remaining...
, all the way to Great Highway
Great Highway
The Great Highway is a road in San Francisco that forms the city's western edge along the Pacific coast. It runs for approximately next to Ocean Beach...
and Ocean Beach.
"World records"
Race organizers and media have reported that the course records set by Sammy KitwaraSammy Kitwara
Sammy Kirop Kitwara is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specialises in road running events. He is coached by Moses Kiptanui....
in 2009 and Lineth Chepkurui
Lineth Chepkurui
Lineth Chepkurui is a Kenyan long distance runner.At the 2008 World Cross Country Championships she finished eleventh in the individual race, however this was not enough to be a part of the Kenyan team, who won silver medals in the team competition...
in 2010 are also world records at the 12 km distance; however, the International Association of Athletics Federations
International Association of Athletics Federations
The International Association of Athletics Federations is the international governing body for the sport of athletics. It was founded in 1912 at its first congress in Stockholm, Sweden by representatives from 17 national athletics federations as the International Amateur Athletics Federation...
, the international governing body
Sport governing body
A sport governing body is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function. Sport governing bodies come in various forms, and have a variety of regulatory functions. Examples of this can include disciplinary action for rule infractions and deciding on rule changes in the sport...
for the sport of athletics/track and field, does not recognize world records or world bests in either an indoor or outdoor 12 km. 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. In order to rule-out the possibility of wind assistance
Wind assistance
Wind assistance is a term in track and field, which refers to the wind level during a race or event as registered by a wind gauge. Wind is one of many forms of weather which can affect sport....
in point-to-point
Point-to-point
Point-to-point or point to point may refer to:Computing* Point-to-point construction, an electronics assembly technique* Point-to-point * Point-to-Point Protocol , part of the Internet protocol suite...
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. 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
Lilac Bloomsday Run
The Lilac Bloomsday Run, also known as Bloomsday, is an annual timed road race in Spokane, Washington, held on the first Sunday of every May since 1977. The course is 12 km long. The course starts in Downtown Spokane and heads northwest along the far west end of town, passes by Mukogowa Ft...
.
Individual winners
= Course record| Date | Men's Winner | Country | Time | Women's Winner | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 1912 | Bobby Vlught | USA | 44:10 | |||
| January 1, 1913 | Bobby Vlught | USA | 40:59 | |||
| January 1, 1914 | Oliver Millard | USA | 40:46.6 | |||
| January 1, 1915 | Oliver Millard | USA | 41:39 | |||
| January 1, 1916 | George Wyckoff | USA | 42:33 | |||
| January 1, 1917 | Oliver Millard | USA | 41:29.6 | |||
| January 1, 1918 | Edgar Stout | USA | 42:41 | |||
| January 1, 1919 | Harry Ludwig | USA | 42:45.4 | |||
| January 1, 1920 | William Churchill | USA | 40:56.6 | |||
| January 1, 1921 | Charles Hunter | USA | 40:27.6 | |||
| January 1, 1922 | William Churchill | USA | 42:56 | |||
| January 1, 1923 | William Churchill | USA | 41:56 | |||
| January 1, 1924 | William Churchill | USA | 41:52 | |||
| January 1, 1925 | Vincenzo Goso | USA | 42:59.6 | |||
| January 1, 1926 | Frank Eames | USA | 42:13 | |||
| January 1, 1927 | Frank Eames | USA | 42:55.8 | |||
| January 29, 1928 | Pietro Giordanengo | USA | 43:05 | |||
| January 27, 1929 | Pietro Giodanengo | USA | 43:05 | |||
| February 2, 1930 | Manuel John | USA | 43:10 | |||
| February 1, 1931 | Jack Keegan | USA | 44:28 | |||
| February 7, 1932 | Ray Cocking | USA | 43:19 | |||
| February 5, 1933 | Jack Keegan | USA | 43:31 | |||
| January 28, 1934 | John Nehi | USA | 42:12 | |||
| March 3, 1935 | Leo Karlhofer | USA | 43:50.6 | |||
| March 1, 1936 | Joe McCluskey | USA | 40:37.2 | |||
| March 14, 1937 | Norm Bright | USA | 39:52 | |||
| March 6, 1938 | Ed Preston | USA | 41:15 | |||
| March 12, 1939 | Ed Preston | USA | 41:14 | |||
| March 10, 1940 | Ed Preston | USA | 42:12 | |||
| March 2, 1941 | Frank Lawrence | USA | 42:39 | |||
| March 15, 1942 | James Haran | USA | 43:53 | |||
| October 10, 1943 | Joseph Wehrly | USA | 45:01 | |||
| April 30, 1944 | Fred Kline | USA | 43:15 | |||
| May 6, 1945 | Fred Kline | USA | 43:25.1 | |||
| April 7, 1946 | Fred Kline | USA | 44:28 | |||
| March 23, 1947 | Merle Knox | USA | 43:52 | |||
| April 18, 1948 | Fred Kline | USA | 44:27 | |||
| May 1, 1949 | Merle Knox | USA | 42:58 | |||
| May 7, 1950 | Elwyn Stribling | USA | 42:57 | |||
| May 6, 1951 | John Holden | USA | 46:09 | |||
| May 4, 1952 | Jim Shettler | USA | 45:34 | |||
| May 3, 1953 | Jesse Van Zant | USA | 42:05 | |||
| May 9, 1954 | Jesse Van Zant | USA | 42:15 | |||
| April 24, 1955 | Jesse Van Zant | USA | 43:32 | |||
| April 29, 1956 | Walt Berger | USA | 44:56 | |||
| May 12, 1957 | Jesse Van Zant | USA | 44:02 | |||
| May 11, 1958 | Wilford King | USA | 41:17 | |||
| May 24, 1959 | Wilford King | USA | 41:30 | |||
| May 22, 1960 | Don Kelley | USA | 41:59.8 | |||
| May 21, 1961 | Jack Marden | USA | 41:30 | |||
| May 20, 1962 | Jim Shettler | USA | 41:25.3 | |||
| May 19, 1963 | Herman Gene Gurule | USA | 40:15.7 | |||
| May 17, 1964 | Jeff Fishback Jeff Fishback Jeffrey Mason Fishback is a retired middle- and long-distance runner from the United States. He won the gold medal in the men's 3000 metres steeplechase event at the 1963 Pan American Games in Brazil.... |
USA | 38:32 | |||
| May 23, 1965 | William Morgan William Morgan -Australia:* William Morgan , Premier of South Australia, 1878–1881-England:* William Morgan , town clerk in Birmingham, England... |
USA | 38:02 | |||
| May 22, 1966 | Eric Brenner | USA | 41:10.6 | Frances Conley Frances K. Conley Frances "Fran" Krauskopf Conley is a professor of neurosurgery at Stanford University. She is the author of Walking Out on the Boys , the story of her protest of misogyny at the University hospital.Conley was born in 1940 to Konrad Bates Krauskopf and Kathryn McCune Krauskopf... |
USA | 1:00:7 |
| May 11, 1967 | Tom Laris | USA | 38:42 | |||
| May 26, 1968 | Kenny Moore Kenny Moore Kenneth Clark "Kenny" Moore is an American athlete and journalist. At the University of Oregon, Moore was one of Bill Bowerman's finest distance runners. After college, Moore ran in the Olympic marathon at both Mexico City and Munich, finishing fourth in 1972... |
USA | 38:15 | |||
| May 25, 1969 | Kenny Moore | USA | 38:40 | Mary Etta Boitano Mary Etta Boitano Mary Etta Boitano was a child road running star who achieved some spectacular results in the 1970s, chasing world age group marathon records in the late 60s and early 70s with her brother, Mike... |
USA | 1:01:12 |
| May 24, 1970 | Kenny Moore | USA | 39:29 | Joyce Swannack-Gibbs | USA | 58:08 |
| May 23, 1971 | Kenny Moore | USA | 36:57 | Frances Conley Frances K. Conley Frances "Fran" Krauskopf Conley is a professor of neurosurgery at Stanford University. She is the author of Walking Out on the Boys , the story of her protest of misogyny at the University hospital.Conley was born in 1940 to Konrad Bates Krauskopf and Kathryn McCune Krauskopf... |
USA | 50:45 |
| May 21, 1972 | Kenny Moore | USA | 36:39 | Cheryl Flanagan | USA | 44:47 |
| May 20, 1973 | Kenny Moore | USA | 37:15 | Cheryl Flanagan | USA | 45:20 |
| May 19, 1974 | Gary Tuttle Gary Tuttle Gary Tuttle is an American long distance runner and local politician from Ventura, California. Over a lengthy career, he won two NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships, set three American records, ran for the USA team at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, won the Bay to... |
USA | 37:07 | Mary Etta Boitano | USA | 43:22 |
| May 18, 1975 | Ric Rojas | USA | 37:18 | Mary Etta Boitano | USA | 46:04 |
| May 16, 1976 | Chris Wardlaw | 37:28 | Mary Etta Boitano | USA | 49:20 | |
| May 15, 1977 | Paul Geis | USA | 37:28 | Judy Leydig | USA | 47:28 |
| May 14, 1978 | Gerard Barrett | 35:17.4 | Joyce Swannack-Gibbs | USA | 47:02 | |
| May 20, 1979 | Bob Hodge | USA | 36:50 | Laurie Binder Laurie Binder Laurie Binder is an American long distance runner. She is a former American record holder in the Marathon, 2:35:08 set in 1982... |
USA | 43:07 |
| May 18, 1980 | Craig Virgin Craig Virgin Craig Steven Virgin is an American distance runner. He was born in Belleville, Illinois and grew up near Lebanon, Illinois... |
USA | 35:11 | Laurie Binder | USA | 42:20 |
| May 17, 1981 | Craig Virgin Craig Virgin Craig Steven Virgin is an American distance runner. He was born in Belleville, Illinois and grew up near Lebanon, Illinois... |
USA | 35:07 | Janice Oehm | USA | 41:47 |
| May 16, 1982 | Rod Dixon Rod Dixon Rodney Phillip "Rod" Dixon is a former New Zealand middle distance runner. He won the bronze medal over 1500 metres at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, and in 1983 won the prestigious New York City Marathon.-Biography:... |
35:08 | Laurie Binder | USA | 42:28 | |
| May 15, 1983 | Rod Dixon Rod Dixon Rodney Phillip "Rod" Dixon is a former New Zealand middle distance runner. He won the bronze medal over 1500 metres at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, and in 1983 won the prestigious New York City Marathon.-Biography:... |
35:01.3 | Laurie Binder | USA | 41:24.7 | |
| May 20, 1984 | Ibrahim Hussein Ibrahim Hussein Ibrahim Kipkemboi Hussein is a retired long-distance runner from Kenya, who was a three time winner of the Boston Marathon in 1988, 1991, and 1992. He was also the winner of the New York City Marathon in 1987.... |
35:11 | Nancy Ditz Nancy Ditz Nancy Jane Ditz-Mosbacher is a former American long-distance runner who is a United States national champion in the marathon. Ditz competed in the marathon at the 1988 Summer Olympics.... |
USA | 42:32 | |
| May 19, 1985 | Ibrahim Hussein Ibrahim Hussein Ibrahim Kipkemboi Hussein is a retired long-distance runner from Kenya, who was a three time winner of the Boston Marathon in 1988, 1991, and 1992. He was also the winner of the New York City Marathon in 1987.... |
34:53 | Joan Samuelson | USA | 39:55 | |
| May 18, 1986 | Ed Eyestone Ed Eyestone Edward D. Eyestone is a two-time Olympic marathoner and long distance runner. Eyestone graduated from Bonneville High School in Washington Terrace, Utah and was the Utah State High School State Champion in cross-country and track and field.- Collegiate career :Eyestone attended Brigham Young... |
USA | 34:33 | Grete Waitz Grete Waitz Grete Waitz was a Norwegian marathon runner and former world record holder. Waitz won nine New York City Marathons between 1978 and 1988, more than any other runner in history... |
38:45 | |
| May 17, 1987 | Arturo Barrios Arturo Barrios Arturo Barrios Flores is a Mexican long-distance runner. He was born in Ciudad de México, Distrito Federal. Barrios finished in fifth place in the 10000 metres at the 1988 Summer Olympics. He is a former world record holder at 10000 m... |
34:45 | Rosa Mota Rosa Mota Rosa Maria Correia dos Santos Mota, GCIH, GCM is a Portuguese former marathon runner, one of her country's foremost athletes. She is also considered to have been one of the best marathon runners of the 20th century.... |
39:16 | ||
| May 15, 1988 | Arturo Barrios | 34:58 | Lisa Ondieki | 39:17 | ||
| May 21, 1989 | Arturo Barrios | 34:40 | Ingrid Kristiansen Ingrid Kristiansen Ingrid Kristiansen née Christensen , was one of the best female long distance runners in the second half of the 1980s. She finished in fourth place in the first women's Olympic marathon race, at the 1984 Summer Olympics.-Career:Kristiansen started her career quite unremarkably, running 2:30 - 2:40... |
39:14 | ||
| May 20, 1990 | Arturo Barrios | 34:42 | Jill Boltz | 39:19.5 | ||
| May 19, 1991 | Thomas Osano | 33:55 | Susan Sirma Susan Sirma Susan Sirma is a retired Kenyan middle distance runner best known for winning a bronze medal over 3000 metres at the 1991 World Championships, becoming the first black African woman to win a track and field medal at World Championship or Olympic level.Sirma also won two gold medals over this... |
38:27 | ||
| May 17, 1992 | Thomas Osano | 33:57 | Lisa Ondieki | USA | 38:36 | |
| May 16, 1993 | Ismael Kirui Ismael Kirui Ismael Kirui is a former Kenyan long distance runner who won gold medals over 5000 metres at the 1993 and 1995 World Championships in Athletics.... |
33:42 | Lynn Jennings Lynn Jennings Lynn Jennings is a retired American athlete who competed mainly in the long distances. She is one of the best female American runners of all time, with a range from 1500 meters to the marathon. She excelled at all three of the sport's major disciplines--track, road, and cross country... |
USA | 39:14 | |
| May 15, 1994 | Ismael Kirui | 34:03 | Tegla Loroupe Tegla Loroupe Tegla Chepkite Loroupe is a long-distance track and road runner, and a global spokeswoman for peace, women's rights, and education.... |
39:10 | ||
| May 21, 1995 | Ismael Kirui | 33:58 | Delilah Asiago Delilah Asiago Delilah Asiago is a retired female athlete from Kenya. She specialized in long-distance running, including marathons.She was banned for two years after she tested positive for doping during the 1999 Saint Silvester Race. Nevertheless, she was still active in 2006 when she won the Dubai... |
38:23 | ||
| May 19, 1996 | Thomas Osano | 34:35 | Elana Meyer Elana Meyer Elana Meyer is a former long-distance runner from South Africa, who won the silver medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in the 10,000 metre event.... |
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 Catherine Ndereba Wincatherine Nyambura Ndereba is a Kenyan marathon runner. She has twice won the marathon at the World Championships in Athletics and won silver medals in the Olympics in 2004 and 2008. She is also a four-time winner of the Boston Marathon... |
38:37 | ||
| May 21, 2000 | Reuben Cheruiyot | 34:54 | Colleen De Reuck Colleen De Reuck Colleen S. De Reuck is a long-distance runner from South Africa, who became an American citizen on December 11, 2000... |
38:42 | ||
| May 20, 2001 | James Koskei James Koskei James Koskei is a Kenyan runner.At the 1999 World Cross Country Championships he finished fifth in the short race, earning a place on the Kenyan team that won the team competition.... |
34:19 | Jane Ngotho | 40:35 | ||
| May 19, 2002 | James Koskei | 34:03 | Luminiţa Talpoş Luminiţa Talpoş Luminiţa Talpoş is a female long-distance runner from Romania, who specialized in the marathon race during her career. She set her personal best in the women's marathon at the Vienna City Marathon on April 27, 2008.-Achievements:-References:*... |
39:15 | ||
| May 18, 2003 | James Koskei | 35:11 | Lyudmila Biktasheva | 39:22 | ||
| May 16, 2004 | Benjamin Maiyo Benjamin Maiyo Benjamin Maiyo is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in the marathon.He began his career as a track specialist in the 5000 metres and 10,000 metres. He ran in the 10,000 m final at the 1999 World Championships in Athletics and finished in seventh place... |
34:50 | Albina Ivanova | 39:56 | ||
| May 15, 2005 | Gilbert Okari | 34:20 | Asmae Leghzaoui Asmae Leghzaoui Asmae Leghzaoui is a Moroccan athletics middle distance runner. She is a two-time Olympian for Morocco.In 1999, Leghzaoui made a running breakthrough by improving her 3000 metres personal best by a minute and breaking the World record for the 10K road race... |
38:22 | ||
| May 21, 2006 | Gilbert Okari | 34:20 | Tatyana Hladyr | 39:09 | ||
| May 20, 2007 | John Korir | 34:44 | Edna Kiplagat Edna Kiplagat Edna Ngeringwony Kiplagat is a Kenyan long-distance runner. She is the 2011 IAAF World Champion in the marathon. she established herself as an elite marathon runner with wins at the Los Angeles and New York City Marathons in 2010... |
38:55 | ||
| May 18, 2008 | John Korir | 34:24 | Lineth Chepkurui Lineth Chepkurui Lineth Chepkurui is a Kenyan long distance runner.At the 2008 World Cross Country Championships she finished eleventh in the individual race, however this was not enough to be a part of the Kenyan team, who won silver medals in the team competition... |
39:22 | ||
| May 17, 2009 | Sammy Kitwara Sammy Kitwara Sammy Kirop Kitwara is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specialises in road running events. He is coached by Moses Kiptanui.... |
33:31 | Teyba Erkesso Teyba Erkesso Teyba Erkesso Wako is an Ethiopian runner who specializes in road running as well as cross-country running.... |
38:29 | ||
| May 16, 2010 | Sammy Kitwara | 34:15 | Lineth Chepkurui | 38:07 | ||
| May 15, 2011 | Ridouane Harroufi Ridouane Harroufi Ridouane Harroufi is a Moroccan long-distance runner.He won the Parelloop 10K in race in the Netherlands in 2005. On April 6, 2008, he won the Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run in Washington D.C., and successfully defended his title on April 5, 2009.He won the 37th Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run on April... |
34:26 | Lineth Chepkurui | 39:12 |
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 |
External links
- Bay to Breakers website Official Site
- Full list of winners from Association of Road Racing StatisticiansAssociation of Road Racing StatisticiansThe Association of Road Racing Statisticians is an independent, non-profit organization that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics regarding road running races. The primary purpose of the ARRS is to maintain a valid list of world road records for standard race distances and to establish...
- SF Gate Article Bay to Breakers urges us to respect our city
- Citizens for the Preservation of Bay2Breakers (Save Bay to Breakers Official Community)
- 2008 Race Videos & Interviews 2008 Race Videos & Interviews
- Breakers to Bay website The Breakers to Bay salmon run
- Bay to Breakers Mile-O-Pede Bay to Breakers longest centipede attempt of 2006.
- 10 Bay to Breakers Survival Tips Guide to Bay to Breakers
- Bay to Breakers Photo Gallery – 2008
- Video from 2008
- Video from 2009