With construction on the Murray Street Bridge continuing, the annual Wharf to Wharf road race will again start in Live Oak instead of its customary spot along the Santa Cruz waterfront, organizers announced Wednesday.
The July 26 running of the Wharf to Wharf Race – which traditionally takes its thousands of runners 6 miles from the foot of the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf to the foot of the Capitola Wharf – will start on Portola Drive in Live Oak, then head west toward the Santa Cruz Harbor before turning left at the Eaton Street-Lake Avenue intersection to rejoin its tradition course along East Cliff Drive toward Capitola Village.
Instead of the starting corrals along Beach Street leading up to the traditional starting line in front of The Grove (formerly the Cocoanut Grove), runners will now line up on Portola Drive between 30th Avenue and 36th Avenue. The course continues along Portola through where it joins East Cliff, around Schwan Lagoon to the edge of the harbor, turning before the Murray Street Bridge to reconnect with the traditional route.
The final 4 miles will remain the same, organizers said in an email sent to past and prospective race participants, with live bands enlivening the course throughout as in previous years.
“Loyalty” registration – those who’ve registered for six of the past 10 races or who ran the 2025 Little Wharf 3-Miler – for this year’s Wharf to Wharf opens March 25, with locals registration – open to Santa Cruz County residents only – on March 31. General registration begins April 1.
The Wharf to Wharf Race – which was first run in 1973 and now features 16,000 entrants – donates around $250,000 each year to local schools and organizations, per the email.
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