Road Challenge Winners
PALM SPRINGS, CA (October 18, 2025) The winner of today’s 38th Annual Palm Springs Aerial Tram Road Challenge was Blake Dignes, who ran the “World’s Toughest 6K” in 31 minutes, 2 seconds. The first female to cross the finish line was D’Arcy Hlavin in 38 minutes, 16 seconds. Nathan Casimiro finished first in the youngest category (19 and under) and Cherie Gruenfeld finished first in the oldest category (80-99).
This year’s Male and Female Challenge Division Winners are:
|
Age Groups |
Name |
City |
Time |
|
19 and under M |
Nathan Casimiro |
Cathedral City, CA |
00:36:59 |
|
19 and under F |
Emma Ayeni |
Palm Desert, CA |
00:52:10 |
|
20-24 M |
Jaime Gonzalez |
Rancho Mirage, CA |
00:40:42 |
|
20-24 F |
Airlen Franco |
Cathedral City, CA |
00:53:58 |
|
25-29 M |
Sander K |
Cathedral City, CA |
00:35:01 |
|
25-29 F |
Alice Rodriguez |
Cathedral City, CA |
00:53:23 |
|
30-34 M |
Jose Vieyra |
Cathedral City, CA |
00:33:53 |
|
30-34 F |
Norma Barbee |
Indio, CA |
00:49:21 |
|
35-39 M |
Joshua Acosta |
Prescott, AZ |
00:34:13 |
|
35-39 F |
Alexandria Silvestrin |
Palm Springs, CA |
00:50:04 |
|
40-44 M |
Russell Baughman |
Cathedral City, CA |
00:34:31 |
|
40-44 F |
Rebecca Vellios |
Palm Desert, CA |
00:52:30 |
|
45-49 M |
James Graff-Radford |
Indio, CA |
00:39:56 |
|
45-49 F |
Letiwe Patton |
Indio, CA |
00:46:15 |
|
50-54 M |
Eric Jannon |
Santa Monica, CA |
00:41:22 |
|
50-54 F |
Kristen Trubee |
Palm Desert, CA |
00:45:34 |
|
55-59 M |
Anthony Tanner |
Rancho Cucamonga, CA |
00:35:46 |
|
55-59 F |
Mamiko Berger |
Sedona, AZ |
00:43:13 |
|
60-64 M |
Clifford Grant |
Palm Springs, CA |
00:43:34 |
|
60-64 F |
Christina Christina |
Portland, OR |
00:53:13 |
|
65-69 M |
Rob Erlich |
Manteca, CA |
00:48:05 |
|
65-69 F |
Jelka Jonker |
Palm Springs, CA |
00:49:51 |
|
70-74 M |
David Byrnes |
Terrigal, AUS |
00:49:48 |
|
70-74 F |
Sandy Robbins-Sydner |
Apple Valley, CA |
00:58:33 |
|
75-79 M |
Paul Beer |
Palm Springs, CA |
00:50:13 |
|
75-79 F |
Jeanne Leslie |
Idyllwild, CA |
01:00:20 |
|
80-99 M |
Patrick Bivona |
Cypress, CA |
01:21:14 |
|
80-99 F |
Cherie Gruenfeld |
Cathedral City, CA |
01:01:03 |
The first Tram Road Challenge was held in 1983, and was won by Rob Slick in 27 minutes, 35 seconds and Nancy Baird in 35 minutes, 25 seconds. The fastest men’s time was set by Rubin Garcia of Mexico—26 minutes, 5 seconds—in 1987. Lubov Kremleva of Russia set the fastest women’s time—28 minutes, 56 seconds in 1998.
953 runners and walkers entered the 2025 Tram Road Challenge.
