The winner of today’s 37th Annual Palm Springs Aerial Tram Road Challenge was Conner Blalock, who ran the “World’s Toughest 6K” in 29 minutes, 56 seconds. The first female to cross the finish line was D’Arcy Hlavin in 39 minutes, 33 seconds. Demetrius Bribiesca 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 | Demetrius Bribiesca | Joshua Tree, CA | 00:35:15 |
19 and under F | Iona Hutton | Palm Desert, CA | 00:52:28 |
20-24 M | Ricardo Franco | Cathedral City, CA | 00:50:06 |
20-24 F | Biannca Guintu | Rancho Mirage, CA | 00:42:11 |
25-29 M | Ethan Waters | Los Angeles, CA | 00:34:41 |
25-29 F | Chanel Dupont | Cathedral City, CA | 00:50:06 |
30-34 M | Dennis Roth | San Diego, CA | 00:35:30 |
30-34 F | Adriana Marquez | Rancho Mirage, CA | 00:45:00 |
35-39 M | Eric Ogle | Hemet, CA | 00:38:55 |
35-39 F | Lacey Orson | Palm Desert, CA | 00:48:31 |
40-44 M | Sean Long | South Pasadena, CA | 00:35:02 |
40-44 F | Janice Ng | Honolulu, HI | 00:42:12 |
45-49 M | Jose Soto | Palm Springs, CA | 00:40:41 |
45-49 F | Kimberly Mileti | Palm Desert, CA | 00:41:51 |
50-54 M | Troy Fritzel | Anchorage, AK | 00:37:49 |
50-54 F | Catalina Stevenson | Phoenix, AZ | 00:41:51 |
55-59 M | Ricardo Rodriguez | Palm Springs, CA | 00:37:28 |
55-59 F | Tania McCormick | Rancho Mirage, CA | 00:43:58 |
60-64 M | Rich Suddock | Anchorage, AK | 00:38:20 |
60-64 F | Ellen Trecha | Charlevoix, MI | 00:47:15 |
65-69 M | John Groeneveld | Canmore | 00:43:09 |
65-69 F | Cynthia Marriott | Torrance, CA | 00:47:54 |
70-74 M | James Maxwell | San Diego, CA | 00:48:45 |
70-74 F | Sandy Robbins-Sydner | Apple Valley, CA | 00:54:16 |
75-79 M | Paul Beer | Palm Springs, CA | 00:52:55 |
75-79 F | Jeanne Maxwell | San Diego, CA | 01:04:40 |
80-99 F | Cherie Gruenfeld | Cathedral City, CA | 01:06:45 |
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.
841 runners and walkers entered the 2024 Tram Road Challenge.