The 2001 Dipsea

The 91st running of the Annual Dipsea Race was a classic mix of everything that makes the event so unique: a blind man was among the top half of all finishers, a svelte female in her mature years crossed the finish line first, a speedy young man was the fastest by the clock, but managed only third place, and 94 year old Jack Kirk ran the entire race, his 66th amazing consecutive Dipsea.

Sunday, June 10th , 2001, was the kind of day in Mill Valley, on Mount Tamalpais, and at Stinson that seemed designed to fit the needs of all the volunteers, spectators, and runners. It was warm enough for tee shirts at the beach, but cool enough on the trail to permit full effort and prevent heat-related injuries. The footing along the trail was good and there were, in fact, not many smash-ups.

The top 35 runners included most of the elite from last year’s race, including top finishers Shirley Matson (her second consecutive victory and third time she has won the Dipsea), Russ Kiernan (who almost always finishes in the top tier), and Christopher Phipps, who blazed the fastest actual time with a speedy 49 minutes and 27 seconds. But, in addition to the regulars, there were a handful of newcomers among those awarded the coveted black tee shirts. That means that new runners are continuing to enter, providing a base of enthusiasts that should keep the race vital for another century.

Besides eager new racers, the longevity of the Dipsea depends on the almost four hundred volunteers who set up, supervise, and clean up year after year. They did another great job in 2001 and deserve the appreciation that the runners and spectators have bestowed upon them.

Official Results by Order of Finish

Official Results Listed Alphabetically



The 2001 Awards
Winner:Shirley Matson1:08:25(22 Minutes Headstart)
Second Place:Russ Kiernan1:01:53(14 Minutes Headstart)
Third Place:Christopher Phipps49:27(1 Minute Headstart)
Fourth Place:Bruce Mace51:44(3 Minutes Headstart)
Fifth Place:Steve Stephens58:51(10 Minutes Headstart)


Fastest Time Male:
Christopher Phipps3rd Place49:27(1 Minute Headstart)


Fastest Time Female:
Rosemarie Lagunas6th Place56:52(8 Minutes Headstart)


First High School Finisher:
Matt Marks46th Place56:16(2 Minutes Headstart)


Winning Team: Tamalpa Runners
1.Shirley MatsonWinner1:08:25(22 Minutes Headstart)
2.Russ Kiernan2nd Place1:01:53(14 Minutes Headstart)
3.Bruce Mace4th Place51:44(3 Minutes Headstart)
4.Steve Stephens5th Place58:51(10 Minutes Headstart)
5.Mike Repp10th Place1:02:23(12 Minutes Headstart)


Alan Beardall Award: Winning Family
1.Bernie Hollander48th Place1:10:21(16 Minutes Headstart)
2.Edda Stickle59th Place1:17:12(22 Minutes Headstart)


Jerry Hauke Perpetual Award (The Red Tailed Hawk)
“Leadership, Dedication & Sportsmanship”
Bob Anderson - Volunteer, Start Chair


First Finisher-Dipsea Section
Michelle Hannaford583rd Place1:01:09(8 Minutes Headstart)


Norman Bright Award
“Extraordinary Effort in the Dipsea”
Harry Cordellos766th Place1:59:20(23 Minutes Headstart)


Dipsea Foundation: $2,000 Scholarship Recipients
Eva Gut - Novato High School, Novato
Chris Johnson - Tamalpais High School, Mill Valley