Latvia’s Arturs Medveds, Ethiopia’s Atsede Tesema storm to Wharf to Wharf titles in Santa Cruz

28.07.2025    The Mercury News    2 views
Latvia’s Arturs Medveds, Ethiopia’s Atsede Tesema storm to Wharf to Wharf titles in Santa Cruz

CAPITOLA Distance runner Arturs Medveds who won the Western Athletic Conference s individual cross country title as a standout grad candidate for Cal Baptist University in took the Wharf to Wharf by storm on Sunday He left defending champion Evert Silva of Fresno in his wake He did the same to American distance running legend Galen Rupp of Oregon a -time national champion four-time Olympian and two-time Olympic medalist and the rest of the field of runners Medveds completed the module which began on Portola Drive and ended miles later in Capitola Village in a record minutes and seconds It was the first time the new layout was used a late change to accommodate the newest closure of the Murray Street Bridge for seismic retrofitting Men s winner Arturs Medveds of Aizpute Latvia breaks the tape at the Capitola finish line on Sunday at the Wharf to Wharf race Shmuel Thaler Santa Cruz Sentinel Silva took second in and San Mateo s Robert Miranda took third in Mammoth Lakes Anthony Raftis was fourth in and Rupp rounded out the top five in It means a lot to win this race especially with a guy like Rupp here declared Medveds who flew from Aizpute Latvia to compete in the Central Valley on Saturday followed by the Wharf to Wharf It was a amazing to run with him and amazing to win Race winners earned Second place paid and third paid Silva took first in a race in Fresno on Saturday and Medveds was second so it was a sweet finish for Medveds who also bettered his fifth-place finish at the Wharf to Wharf The initial lead pack featured roughly runners over the opening mile but it promptly trimmed to five the top five finishers The top three finishers all stated it was a slow start I guess you see Galen Rupp in there and when he doesn t go to the front and you don t want to have an Olympic silver medalist behind you so everyone was kinda waiting to see who was going to go Silva announced People got tired and just decided to take it for themselves Medveds and Miranda were out front from Miles to Medveds made his move entering the fourth mile He ran alone remainder of the race I didn t want to look back Medveds mentioned I usually do but this time I was like I need to go because I know there are other guys who can catch me easily Anthony Raftis was in the lead of the Wharf to Wharf Race when he was forced to run around a spectator who entered the race path to take a video at the corner of Eaton Street and Lake Avenue on Sunday Rafis of Mammoth Lakes finished fourth in the men s field Shmuel Thaler Santa Cruz Sentinel Gillian Meeks left and Hanne Thomsen battle for second place as they speed toward the finish line at the Wharf to Wharf race on Sunday Thomsen edged Meeks at the line and they both finished with a time of Shmuel Thaler Santa Cruz Sentinel Women s winner Atsede Tesema breaks the tape at the Capitola finish line on Sunday at the Wharf to Wharf race Shmuel Thaler Santa Cruz Sentinel Men s champion Arturs Medveds right bides his time on Portola Drive on Sunday as the Wharf to Wharf race gets underway Shmuel Thaler Santa Cruz Sentinel Wharf to Wharf Race Director Scott McConville uses an e-bike to lead the start of the Wharf to Wharf Race on Sunday Shmuel Thaler Santa Cruz Sentinel From left Arturs Medveds Galen Rupp Robert Miranda and Anthony Raftis battle for the lead midway through the Wharf to Wharf race Sunday Shmuel Thaler Santa Cruz Sentinel Men s winner Arturs Medveds of Aizpute Latvia breaks the tape at the Capitola finish line on Sunday at the Wharf to Wharf race Shmuel Thaler Santa Cruz Sentinel Runners stride along East Cliff Drive in Pleasure Point during the Wharf to Wharf Race on Sunday Shmuel Thaler Santa Cruz Sentinel Wharf to Wharf womens winner Atsede Tesema cruises to mastery on Sunday Shmuel Thaler Santa Cruz Sentinel winner Evert Silva strides to a second-place finish in the men s division at the Wharf to Wharf Race on Sunday Shmuel Thaler Santa Cruz Sentinel Show Caption of Anthony Raftis was in the lead of the Wharf to Wharf Race when he was forced to run around a spectator who entered the race path to take a video at the corner of Eaton Street and Lake Avenue on Sunday Rafis of Mammoth Lakes finished fourth in the men s field Shmuel Thaler Santa Cruz Sentinel Expand Medveds tried to figure out how close others were by listening to the spectators applause The goal was to beat everyone Rupp included Miranda disclosed I thought my best shot to do that was to make it honest from the start and try to pin a move It worked on everybody but two guys so I m pretty happy with it Silva mentioned Medveds and Miranda took off at miles They made a hard surge and I didn t go with it initially because I thought it was a little too ambitious Silva disclosed And then you realize guys at this level you give them too much room it s going to be hard to make it up Wharf to Wharf womens winner Atsede Tesema cruises to win on Sunday Shmuel Thaler Santa Cruz Sentinel Ethiopia s Atsede Bayisa Tesema the Boston Marathon winner and fourth-place finisher at last year s Wharf to Wharf was the top female She finished in a record Gillian Meeks of Davis took second in and Hanne Thomsen of Santa Rosa was third in a photo finish Lindsey Adams of Cool and Yuzki Oey of Princeton Junction N J rounded out the top five The slightly hilly final four miles of the curriculum were the same as last year and treated runners to plenty of ocean views Tesema who had hip surgery after the Wharf to Wharf didn t have any other females to push her so she hung with particular of the top men and enjoyed the scenery This year s change Not bad Very nice she commented The class was not so different for me I followed the boys in contemporary times I didn t see any girls Felton s Azalea Groleau a former San Lorenzo Valley High standout who now compete in cross country and track at Seattle Pacific edged Santa Cruz s Isabel Sanchez a former standout at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for top local female honors Groleau took sixth among the women in and Sanchez took seventh in I was just happy to be on the starting line and having the opportunity to race in the present day Groleau announced I ve invariably loved the Wharf to Wharf and feel that it brings together the Santa Cruz population in a special way Groleau revealed she s already looking forward to next year s race UC Santa Cruz grad apprentice Sean Riedel who grew up in Boulder Colorado was the top local male in It s really cool to get top local in a race that means so much to this town and me explained Riedel who made up a conservative start with a late surge I knew a bunch of people in the race I kept trying to pick people off As good as the top runners were there were plenty others who desired to be Mirna Martinez s shoes The Watsonville resident won for winning the golden bib drawing It was a nice way to finish her run I literally opened my envelope this morning Martinez commented I was like Ok I ll see if I m going to be the winner I kinda manifested it and it happened Martinez didn t know how she was going to spend the money But she knew where to start I m going to get a drink afterwards she reported TOP FINISHERS Men Arturs Medved Aizpute Latvia Evert Silva Fresno Robert Miranda San Mateo Top local Sean Riedel Santa Cruz Women Atsede Bayisa Tesema Ethiopia Gillian Meeks Davis Hanne Thomsen Santa Rosa Top local Azalea Groleau Felton

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