One of the most popular races in California, with a strong international field of runners to match, the Wharf to Wharf 6-Mile from Santa Cruz to Capitola along the Pacific Ocean was won Sun., July 27, by Kenyans Simon Ndirangu and Caroline Rotich.

Ndirangu, 26, ran 27:34 to win the men’s race, but this time two Americans, Scott Bauhs, 28, of San Luis Obispo, Calif., and Ben Bruce, 30, of Flagstaff, Ariz., took the next two places as they ran 27:59 and 28:08 respectively.

Nelson Oyugi, 20, of Kenya was the fourth-place finisher in 28:23.

The men’s course record in the Wharf to Wharf 6-Mile is 26:42, set way back in 1992.

In the women’s race Caroline Rotich, 30, led a 1-2-3 Kenyan sweep as she ran 30:18, a women’s course record, to finish ahead of Risper Gesabwa, 24, who was second in 30:29, and Aliphine Tuliamuk-Bolton, 23, third in 30:42.

The first American finisher was Emily Infeld, 24, of University Heights, Ohio, who was fourth in 31:16.

There were 15,943 finishers in this year’s race (8,515 men, 5,127 women). This proves beyond any shadow of a doubt that this scenic race which has been widely acclaimed as “The biggest little road race in California” isn’t so little – at least not anymore.

Held each year on the fourth Sunday in July, this year’s race was the 42^nd annual Wharf to Wharf 6-Mile. 

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