Historic route change marks 53rd Wharf to Wharf race as 16,000 runners navigate altered course

The 53rd annual Wharf to Wharf race went off without a hitch, bringing 16,000 runners and throngs of onlookers to the streets of Santa Cruz County, despite a last minute change to the course that moved the starting line from the Boardwalk to Portola Drive in Pleasure Point. 

Crowds descended on the village of Capitola to celebrate what has been described as the “best little road race in California.” The course may have changed but the small town vibes did not.

Participants and organizers were very aware of the change but said it was not a problem. “Even though the course was different, people still showed up,” said Jamie Cline, a runner and employee at Brewtopia, who started her shift after finishing the race. “There were a lot of bands and good energy. It was a really great community thing.”

Six weeks ago, the City of Santa Cruz announced the full closure of the Murray Street Bridge, throwing the race’s future into doubt. Organizers scrambled to find an alternative route that multiple city agencies in Santa Cruz and Capitola could agree upon, and which the 2,000 volunteers could work around.

The event’s organizers first looked at going through Arana Gulch but that was ruled out because the bikepath was too narrow, according to Dave Murphy, President of Wharf to Wharf. They also considered Soquel Avenue but felt that would have caused too much of an impact on traffic flow. Organizers even briefly considered rerouting the race onto the shoulder of Highway 1, but deemed it unnecessarily dangerous and too far from the ocean, Murphy said. They finally settled on a route that largely hugged the ocean but included a short stretch that circled back on itself. 

“It was extremely hard,” to redo the course on short notice, Murphy said. “Runner safety was paramount and being a first-class event, close to the ocean is what we’re known for.”

Organizers are discussing returning to the old route starting at the Boardwalk next year if the event can be moved up to June to coincide with the one-way opening of the Murray Street Bridge, according to Murphy. 

A defining feature of the old course that was lacking from this year’s event was the initial uphill from the Boardwalk. From start to finish the race was net downhill this year, according to Murphy.

Race-winner Arturs Medveds, 25, said he noticed the change in the course. This year’s route was more downhill, he said, and was “maybe easier” and generally “faster.”

Medveds finished fifth last year but was the first to cross the finish line this year with a time of 27:03. Originally from Latvia, he is now staying in Rancho Cucamonga and took home $1,000 in prize money. Last year’s top male finisher, Evert Silva, 25, of Fresno, finished second with a time of 27:16. Atsede Tesema, 38, of Colorado Springs, was the top female finisher with a time of 31:01.

Prize money was lower this year, going from $4,000 to $1,000 for a first place finish, because of higher costs associated with changing the course’s route, Murphy said. A smaller prize purse brings fewer professional runners and the race did not solicit professional runners, he said. The nonprofit also decided to prioritize its savings and fund its local athletic scholarship program, which gave out $36,000 student athletes last year.

As the fog burned off Sunday morning, runners a few steps from the finish mused on the course’s change.

“It was very narrow compared to years before,” said Ryan Wall, who has competed in the race more than 30 times and finished under 50 minutes this year. “There was a lot of two-way traffic for the first three miles. It made the first three miles pretty congested.” 

Santa Cruz’s Sean Riedel, 26, claimed the title of fastest local runner, finishing with a time of 29:35. He wasn’t disappointed in the new course route. “They had the road divided so there was plenty of room for the people going back the other way,” he said. “It was kind of cool, you got cheered on.”

For Kelly Pulizzi, an amateur runner who runs with in clubs in San Jose, Wharf to Wharf gave her a sense of accomplishment. She became a “top 100” finisher with a 37:69 time in her 10th time running this year. Last year she placed 101st, so she was extra motivated to improve her time this year, she said. 

As for the route change, she was just happy that the race was able to go on again this year despite the bridge closure. “I didn’t mind it,” she said. “I do like the original course though.”

Wharf to Wharf 2025 in photos and videos

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FOR THE RECORD: An earlier version of this story misidentified the third-place finisher. It was Robert Miranda, 24, of Los Angeles, with a time of 27:23.

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