Bay to Breakers explained

Bgcolour:orange
Date:Third Sunday in May
Location:San Francisco
Type:Road
Distance:12 km
Est:1912
Record:Men: 33:31 (2009)
Sammy Kitwara
Women: 38:07 (2010)
Lineth Chepkurui
Owner:Clarity Media Group San Francisco Examiner
Homepage:http://baytobreakers.com/

Bay to Breakers is an annual footrace in San Francisco, California typically on the third Sunday of May. 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 km) long.[1]

Bay to Breakers is well known for many participants wearing costumes.[2] [3] The 1986 edition set a Guinness Word Record for being world's largest footrace with 110,000 participants, until that was surpassed by the 2010 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. As of 2017 the title sponsor of the race is Alaska Airlines.

History

Started as a way to lift the city's spirits after the disastrous 1906 San Francisco earthquake, it has been run for more consecutive years over a given course and length than has any other footrace in the world; although other footraces are older and have been run for more consecutive years, their 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 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 much that has made the race a national treasure for most of the last century.

2020 and 2021 saw a virtual race run for the first time as a live human race wasn't held. Officials cite the COVID-19 pandemic as grounds for moving the race to online. Entrants for the 2020 race were also given the option to defer their entry to 2021 or get refunded. The race returned as an in-person event on May 15, 2022.

As a race from city to beach, the race emulated the Dipsea Race, an annual race begun in 1905, which goes from downtown Mill Valley to Stinson Beach.[11]

Organization and sponsors

Bay to Breakers is owned and operated by Wasserman. In 2010, ING completed 5 years of sponsorship.[12] In 2011, online retailer Zazzle signed a deal to sponsor Bay to Breakers for 2 years.[13] After Zazzle dropped out as a title sponsor in 2013, the race was picked up by Craigslist.[14] In 2014, ZOZI, the B2B2C platform for the $125B global tours and activities market, signed a deal to sponsor Bay to Breakers.[15]

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.[16] All registered participants receive perks like the Under Armour T, as well as an 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".[17]

On March 30, 2017 Alaska Airlines became the title sponsor of the race in an effort to connect with the Bay Area community and events.[18] Zappos.com resumed title sponsorship of the race in 2022.[19]

Course

The Bay to Breakers is held on a USA Track & Field certified point-to-point course.[20] 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.[21]

The initial course started at the Ferry Building along Market Street to Golden Gate Avenue before turning onto Divisadero Street.[22] In 1968, the start was moved from Market Street to Howard Street and the ascension to Divisadero moved to Hayes Street.[23] In 1983, the course was shortened from 7.51 miles to an official 12 km (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, while others wear nothing but shoes, thus lending a party atmosphere to the event. Participants have developed a number of unique, festive practices for the race. 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.[24] Every year, some runners dressed as salmon run "upstream" from the breakers to the Bay.[25] [26]

Centipedes

Bay to Breakers features a special team division called "centipedes". Teams of 13 or more runners will travel the full 12k course together linked by a bungee cord, or any other safe mechanism. 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. Bay to Breakers is the official site of the World Centipede Running Championships.[4]

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.[27]

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;[28] 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.[29] 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.[30] [31] 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.[31] 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.[30]

Individual winners

= Course record

DateMen's WinnerCountryTimeWomen's WinnerCountryTime
January 1, 1912Bobby Vlught44:10
January 1, 1913Bobby Vlught40:59
January 1, 1914Oliver Millard40:46.6
January 1, 1915Oliver Millard41:39
January 1, 1916George Wyckoff42:33
January 1, 1917Oliver Millard41:29.6
January 1, 1918Edgar Stout42:41
January 1, 1919Harry Ludwig42:45.4
January 1, 1920William Churchill40:56.6
January 1, 1921Charles Hunter40:27.6
January 1, 1922William Churchill42:56
January 1, 1923William Churchill41:56
January 1, 1924William Churchill41:52
January 1, 1925Vincenzo Goso42:59.6
January 1, 1926Frank Eames42:13
January 1, 1927Frank Eames42:55.8
January 29, 1928Pietro Giordanengo43:05
January 27, 1929Pietro Giodanengo43:05
February 2, 1930Manuel John43:10
February 1, 1931Jack Keegan44:28
February 7, 1932Ray Cocking43:19
February 5, 1933Jack Keegan43:31
January 28, 1934John Nehi42:12
March 3, 1935Leo Karlhofer43:50.6
March 1, 1936Joe McCluskey40:37.2
March 14, 1937Norm Bright39:52
March 6, 1938Ed Preston41:15
March 12, 1939Ed Preston41:14
March 10, 1940Ed Preston42:12
March 2, 1941Frank Lawrence42:39
March 15, 1942James Haran43:53
October 10, 1943Joseph Wehrly45:01
April 30, 1944Fred Kline43:15
May 6, 1945Fred Kline43:25.1
April 7, 1946Fred Kline44:28
March 23, 1947Merle Knox43:52
April 18, 1948Fred Kline44:27
May 1, 1949Merle Knox42:58
May 7, 1950Elwyn Stribling42:57
May 6, 1951John Holden46:09
May 4, 1952Jim Shettler45:34
May 3, 1953Jesse Van Zant42:05
May 9, 1954Jesse Van Zant42:15
April 24, 1955Jesse Van Zant43:32
April 29, 1956Walt Berger44:56
May 12, 1957Jesse Van Zant44:02
May 11, 1958Wilford King41:17
May 24, 1959Wilford King41:30
May 22, 1960Don Kelley41:59.8
May 21, 1961Jack Marden41:30
May 20, 1962Jim Shettler41:25.3
May 19, 1963Herman Gene Gurule40:15.7
May 17, 1964Jeff Fishback38:32
May 23, 1965William Morgan38:02
May 22, 1966Eric Brenner41:10.6Frances K. Conleydata-sort-value="60:07"1:00:07
May 21, 1967Tom Laris38:42
May 26, 1968Kenny Moore38:15
May 25, 1969Kenny Moore38:40Mary Etta Boitanodata-sort-value="61:12"1:01:12
May 24, 1970 Kenny Moore39:29Joyce Swannack-Gibbs58:08
May 23, 1971Kenny Moore36:5750:45
May 21, 1972Kenny Moore36:39Cheryl Flanagan44:47
May 20, 1973Kenny Moore37:15Cheryl Flanagan45:20
May 19, 1974Gary Tuttle37:07Mary Etta Boitano43:22
May 18, 1975Ric Rojas37:18Mary Etta Boitano46:04
May 16, 1976Chris Wardlaw37:28Mary Etta Boitano49:20
May 15, 1977Paul Geis37:28Judy Leydig47:28
May 14, 1978Gerard Barrett35:17.4Joyce Swannack-Gibbs47:02
May 20, 1979Bob Hodge36:50Laurie Binder43:07
May 18, 1980Craig Virgin35:11Laurie Binder42:20
May 17, 1981Craig Virgin35:07Janice Oehm41:47
May 16, 1982Rod Dixon35:08Laurie Binder42:28
May 15, 1983Rod Dixon35:01.3Laurie Binder41:24.7
May 20, 1984Ibrahim Hussein35:11Nancy Ditz42:32
May 19, 1985Ibrahim Hussein34:53Joan Samuelson39:55
May 18, 1986Ed Eyestone34:33Grete Waitz38:45
May 17, 1987Arturo Barrios34:45Rosa Mota39:16
May 15, 1988Arturo Barrios34:58Lisa Ondieki39:17
May 21, 1989Arturo Barrios34:40Ingrid Kristiansen39:14
May 20, 1990Arturo Barrios34:42Jill Boltz39:19.5
May 19, 1991Thomas Osano33:55Susan Sirma38:27
May 17, 1992Thomas Osano33:57Lisa Ondieki38:36
May 16, 1993Ismael Kirui33:42Lynn Jennings39:14
May 15, 1994Ismael Kirui34:03Tegla Loroupe39:10
May 21, 1995Ismael Kirui33:58Delilah Asiago38:23
May 19, 1996Thomas Osano34:35Elana Meyer38:56
May 18, 1997Joseph Kimani33:51Jane Omoro39:56
May 17, 1998Simon Rono33:58Jane Omoro38:57
May 16, 1999Lazarus Nyakeraka34:11Catherine Ndereba38:37
May 21, 2000Reuben Cheruiyot34:54Colleen De Reuck38:42
May 20, 2001James Koskei34:19Jane Ngotho40:35
May 19, 2002James Koskei34:03Luminiţa Talpoş39:15
May 18, 2003James Koskei35:11Lyudmila Biktasheva39:22
May 16, 2004Benjamin Maiyo34:50Albina Ivanova39:56
May 15, 2005Gilbert Okari34:20Asmae Leghzaoui38:22
May 21, 2006Gilbert Okari34:20Tatyana Hladyr39:09
May 20, 2007John Korir34:44Edna Kiplagat38:55
May 18, 2008John Korir34:24Lineth Chepkurui39:22
May 17, 2009Sammy Kitwara33:31Teyba Erkesso38:29
May 16, 2010Sammy Kitwara34:15Lineth Chepkurui38:07
May 15, 2011Ridouane Harroufi34:26Lineth Chepkurui39:12
May 20, 2012Sammy Kitwara34:41Mamitu Daska39:03
May 19, 2013Tolossa Gedefa35:01Diane Nukuri-Johnson40:12
May 18, 2014Geoffrey Kenisi35:06Diane Nukuri-Johnson40:15
May 17, 2015Isaac Mukundi Mwangi35:25Jane Kibii40:04
May 15, 2016Isaac Mukundi Mwangi35:23Caroline Chepkoech40:36
May 21, 2017Philemon Cheboi34:48Buze Diriba39:48
May 20, 2018Philemon Cheboi35:41Jane Kibii40:27
May 19, 2019Gabriel Geay35:01Caroline Rotich39:28
20202020 Bay to Breakers cancelled due to COVID-19[32]
20212021 Bay to Breakers cancelled due to COVID-19[33]
May 15, 2022Reid Buchanan36:09Julia Vasquez42:03
May 21, 2023Colin Bennie35:48Sarah Anderson43:02

Centipede winners

= Course record

DateMen's Centipede WinnerCountryTimeWomen's Centipede WinnerCountryTime
May 20, 1990Reebok Aggies USA37:39Reebok Aggies USA47:36
May 18, 2008ASICS Aggies MenUSA38:05ASICS Aggies WomenUSA47:47
May 17, 2009ASICS Aggies MenUSA40:27ASICS Aggies WomenUSA50:51
May 16, 2010LinkedIn CentipedeUSA37:58ASICS Aggies WomenUSA48:44
May 15, 2011LinkedIn CentipedeUSA37:00ASICS Aggies WomenUSA49:06
May 20, 2012Team LinkedInUSA36:44Impala Racing TeamUSA46:37
May 19, 2013ASICS Aggies Centipede MenUSA40:03ASICS Aggies Centipede WomenUSA48:17
May 18, 2014ASICS Aggies Centipede MenUSA40:19ASICS Aggies Centipede WomenUSA47:59
May 15, 2022PENINSULA DISTANCE CLUBUSA39:11IMPALA ONEUSA51:09

See also

Notes

  1. Web site: General Information . ING Bay to Breakers . 2006 . September 9, 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070825130225/http://www.ingbaytobreakers.com/race_information/generalinformation.html . August 25, 2007.
  2. Web site: SF Bay To Breakers Run 'Relatively Peaceful' . cbs5.com . May 17, 2009 . May 17, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100519124417/http://cbs5.com/local/runners.Bay.to.2.1696973.html . May 19, 2010 . dead . mdy .
  3. Web site: The Naked Fun of the 2012 Bay to Breakers . A Trail Runner's Blog . May 20, 2012 . October 21, 2012 . Dunlap, Scott.
  4. Web site: Noteworthy Years in Race History . Zazzle Bay to Breakers . October 21, 2012.
  5. Web site: 'Run for Pasig' certified world's largest race . ABS-CBN Interactive . abs-cbnNEWS.com . December 27, 2010 . October 21, 2012.
  6. News: Allday. Erin. Swan. Rachel. Security quickly takes charge at annual Bay to Breakers bedlam. 19 May 2015. SF Gate. May 18, 2015.
  7. Web site: About Zappos.com Bay to Breakers: History. zapposbaytobreakers.com. Zappos.com Bay to Breakers. 12 March 2015.
  8. Web site: Race Results . October 21, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090530025507/http://www.ingbaytobreakers.com/pdfs/Race%20Results%20Release.pdf . May 30, 2009.
  9. Web site: Beer, Nudity Banned in Bay to Breakers . San Francisco Chronicle . SFGate . February 12, 2009 . October 21, 2012 . Knight, Heather.
  10. Web site: SF Examiner: Bay to Breakers Jumps on Wagon . The San Francisco Examiner . February 12, 2009 . October 21, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090318063714/http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/Officials-look-to-put-a-stop-to-Bay-to-Breakers-shenanigans-39453202.html . Sabatini, Joshua . March 18, 2009.
  11. none . National Register of Historic Places Registration: The Dipsea Trail . NARA. D.S. “Dewey" Livingston . March 15, 2010 . August 25, 2022. 52 pages, including 17 photos from 2009.
  12. Web site: Sponsor ING drops Bay to Breakers. SFGate. May 26, 2010. 9 May 2016.
  13. Web site: Zazzle Named Title Sponsor For Bay To Breakers. CBS Bay Area. March 18, 2011. 12 May 2015.
  14. Web site: Dalton. Andrew. Craigslist Announces Bay To Breakers Sponsorship. SFist. 12 May 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160201165442/http://sfist.com/2013/04/03/craigslist_announces_bay_to_breaker.php. February 1, 2016. mdy-all.
  15. Web site: ZOZI Signs On As A Key Sponsor of 2014 Bay to Breakers Race. 11 Nov 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151222081953/http://www.zapposbaytobreakers.com/zozi/. December 22, 2015. dead.
  16. Web site: Under Armour Partners with Bay to Breakers As the Official Performance Apparel and Footwear Provider . PRWeb . February 12, 2014 . March 11, 2014 . Wendell, Erin.
  17. Web site: Cook. Catherine. Zappos.com Signs on as Title Sponsor of San Francisco's Iconic Bay to Breakers Race. Reuters. 11 March 2015. September 24, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924213515/http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/18/ca-zappos-idUSnBw185285a+100+BSW20150218. dead.
  18. Zappos.com Signs on as Title Sponsor of San Francisco's Iconic Bay to Breakers Race. March 30, 2017 . May 14, 2023.
  19. Web site: Zappos.com Returns as Title Sponsor of San Francisco's Bay to Breakers Race. October 28, 2021 . May 14, 2023.
  20. Web site: Certified Course Map . USATF . 2012-10-21.
  21. Web site: Course Number . Usatf.org . 2012-10-21.
  22. Web site: San Francisco History – Cross-City Race 1912 . SFgenealogy . March 5, 2022.
  23. Web site: Timing Tag Centennial Collection . ING Bay To Breakers . October 21, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090425045123/http://www.ingbaytobreakers.com/content.php?section=other&page=chip . April 25, 2009.
  24. News: Bay-to-Breakers race a time for celebrating fun aspect of sports . The Christian Science Monitor . May 22, 1985 . February 2, 2011 . Wason . Tim . Boston . 18.
  25. Friedman . Steve . Strout . Erin . January 2006. King of the Stunt Runners . Runner's World . 41 . 1 . 106 . Rodale . 0897-1706 . January 19, 2011 .
  26. Web site: Spawn! Home of the Breakers Bo Bay "Upstream" Salmon . The San Francisco Cacophony Society . The San Francisco Cacophony Society . San Francisco . January 19, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101028235619/http://sf.cacophony.org/salmon/index.shtml . October 28, 2010 . mdy-all .
  27. News: Grads find success through antennae. . Record-Courier (Gardnerville, Nev.) . 8 Aug 1991 . Supersano, Melanie.
  28. Web site: ING Bay to Breakers: Women's world record broken; Kitwara wins second straight for men . San Francisco Examiner . May 16, 2010 . October 21, 2012 . Aldax, Mike . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121022014926/http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/ing-bay-breakers-women-s-world-record-broken-kitwara-wins-second-straight-men . October 22, 2012 . mdy-all .
  29. Web site: Records . iaaf.org . 2007-08-25 . 2012-10-21.
  30. Web site: Working Group on Road Records . Association of Road Racing Statisticians . June 12, 2012 . October 21, 2012.
  31. Web site: Rules for record-keeping . Association of Road Racing Statisticians . May 17, 2010.
  32. Web site: Rescheduled 2020 Bay to Breakers Race Canceled for Virtual Event Due to COVID-19. June 26, 2020.
  33. Web site: The 2021 Bay to Breakers Race Has Gone Virtual… Again. May 15, 2022.

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