At the conclusion of the Annual Dipsea Race each year, competitors gather in Stinson Beach, lick their wounds, toast the winner and celebrate their achievements while the top 35 finishers don their Black Shirts.
Given the coronavirus-induced complexities of the past nearly three years, which saw the Dipsea hold a virtual race in 2020 and postpone the 2021 race – its first postponement since 1939 – from its June 13th launch to Nov. 7. So it comes as no surprise that, despite our improving metrics under the omicron variant, that this year’s post-race ceremony will be virtual. It’ll be on March 5 at 5pm via Zoom. Organizers expect it to last approximately 30 minutes.
Organizers have asked runners who earned awards to send a photo to sam@dipsea.org by Feb. 21 so the Dipsea can include them in the Zoom call when their name is read, whether they attend the virtual ceremony or not.
Individual timed awards recipients should send a separate photo of themselves from the top of of their head to their torso. Groups should submit photos of their entire teams.
This year’s race was won by Mark Tatum, 61 of Colorado Springs, making him the first non-Californian to win the Dipsea since Gail Scott of Durango, Colorado in 1986. Tatum is the first male from outside the state to win the historic trail race since Joe Patterson of Queensland, Australia in 1975.
Tatum outran an impressive field that included the runner-up, Dan King, a 62-year-old Boulder, Colorado man, and four-time and defending race champion Brian Pilcher, 65, of Kentfield.