The 2026 Dipsea
Chris Lundy right after her fourth Dipsea win
CHRIS LUNDY CAPTURES HER FOURTH WIN AT THE 2026 DIPSEA RACE
Mill Valley resident and Dipsea legend Chris Lundy ran to a resounding victory at the 2026 Dipsea Race. This was her fourth Dipsea title, following wins in 2017, 2018, and 2024. Lundy's actual time was 1:00:42. With her 15-minute head start, she crossed the finish line with a clock time of 45:42.
"I'm shocked, really," Lundy told the Marin Independent Journal. "I was training so hard. I thought I overtrained. I have a little training group we made for the Dipsea, and we push each other so hard on every section of the course. We've been on it about 15 times this season with really hard workouts, and today I felt like I could float through the whole thing."
Two-time race winner Diana Fitzpatrick, who was inducted into the Dipsea Hall of Fame on Friday evening, led the race until the rain forest, where she was caught by Sissel Berntsen-Herber, who finished in 14th place overall.
Less than two minutes behind Lundy in second place overall was former winner and now five-time Black Shirt recipient Eddie Owens, who recorded the fastest time of the day with an actual time of 48:29.
Third place went to former Branson and Stanford standout Julia Maxwell. Maxwell, who took last year's race off after the birth of her second child, posted the fastest female time of the day with an actual time of 57:02. Maxwell and her brother Christopher, who finished 47th overall in an actual time of 55:37, won the highly competitive Allan and Darryl Beardall Award.
Rounding out the top ten were defending champion Audrey MacLean, Laura Hansen, former top-five finisher Rickey Gates—who returned to the Dipsea after nearly a decade away—newcomer Anna Dalton of Alaska, Branson High School rising senior Farah Allen, and Nolan Hosbein.
The 35th and final Black Shirt was awarded to race legend Alex Varner. It was Varner's 19th Black Shirt, adding to his record nine consecutive Fastest Time awards.
One of the major stories of the day, beyond Lundy's victory, was the race debut of nationally acclaimed runner Max King of Bend, Oregon. Competing in his first Dipsea, King was the top finisher from the runners' section and posted the second-fastest actual time of the day at 48:59. His impressive debut makes him a runner to watch in future editions of the race. The fastest female in the runner’s section was Ruby Lindquist, with an actual time of 59:05.
Another major storyline unfolded in the highly competitive Team Trophy competition. A newly formed all-female team, the Swoop Sisters, ran away with the title. The team featured Lundy, Maxwell Bailey, high school standout and 4:47 miler Farah Allen (8th overall), Heidi Reifenstein (9th overall), and Amy Cameron (11th overall).
Farah Allen captured the inaugural Wes Hildreth Fastest High School Girls Award with an actual time of 1:00:09 while Tam High's Lucas Ruark won the Wes Hildreth Fastest High School Boys Award with an actual time of 56:30, good for 46th place overall.
This year's race also featured a large contingent of Alaskan runners, with 17 competitors completing the course. The highest-finishing Alaskan male was Matias Saari, a multiple-time Black Shirt winner who has previously finished as high as second overall. The top Alaskan female finisher was Anna Dalton, who placed seventh with an actual time of 58:02.
The Red Tail Hawk Award, presented each year for “Leadership, Dedication and Sportsmanship. Named in honor of Jerry Hauke the Dipsea race director for 37 years, this year’s recipient is Kelly Beardall who has been doing the Finish Sound for the last 10 years! The Dipsea Demon Award was created in honor of Jack "The Dipsea Demon" Kirk, a two-time champion who completed a record 67 Dipseas, the last at the age of 95. This award is given for dedication, perseverance and performance over time. This year’s award winner is Lou Encalada. Lou has 42 consecutive Dipsea Races and was instrumental in forming the Dipsea Foundation scholarship program awarding $5,000 scholarships to college bound students who show leadership, academic excellence, and participate or volunteer in Dipsea Race events. The Norman Bright Award is named for the legendary Dipsea champion who won this race at the age of 60 with a time under 60 minutes despite the fact that he was nearly legally blind. It is given to the runner who demonstrates exemplary courage and resilience. This year’s award winner is Allen Scott. Allen ran his first Dipsea in 1986 and since 1997 has run consecutively. That’s 29 consecutive Dipsea races since 1997 and 32 total finishes.
The 2026 Dipsea Race once again showcased the unique blend of history, competition, and community that has made it one of the nation's most celebrated trail races. From Chris Lundy's remarkable fourth victory to standout performances by newcomers, veterans, and rising young stars, this year's event delivered memorable moments across the field. As we look ahead to next year, the future of the Dipsea appears as strong and competitive as ever.
CLICK HERE FOR THE PRELIMINARY DIPSEA RESULTS IN ORDER OF FINISH
(*note, results may not be complete)
| The 2026 Awards | |||
| Champion: | Chris Lundy | 1:00:42 | (45:43, 15 Minutes Head Start) |
| 2nd Place: | Edward R Owens | 48:29 | (47:30, 1 Minute Head Start) |
| 3rd Place: | Julia R Maxwell Bailey | 57:02 | (48:03, 9 Minutes Head Start) |
| 4th Place: | Audrey R MacLean | 58:30 | (48:31, 10 Minutes Head Start) |
| 5th Place: | Laura K Hansen | 57:47 | (48:48, 9 Minutes Head Start) |
| Fastest Time Female: | |||
| Julia R Maxwell Bailey | 3rd Place | 57:02 | (9 Minutes Headstart) |
| Fastest Time Male: | |||
| Edward R Owens | 2nd Place | 48:29 | (1 Minute Head Start) |
| Wes Hildreth Fastest High High School Finisher - Girl: | |||
| Farah Allen | 8th Place | 1:00:09 | (11 Minutes Headstart) |
| Branson School | |||
| Wes Hildreth Fastest High School Finisher - Boy: | |||
| Lucas B Ruark | 46th Place | 56:30 | (2 Minutes Headstart) |
| Redwood High School | |||
| Fastest Time Dipsea Kidz - Girl: | |||
| Kaylyn Dominique | 286th Place | 1:17:05 | (12 Minutes Headstart) |
| Fastest Time Dipsea Kidz - Boy: | |||
| Oliver O Bush | 60th Place | 58:47 | (3 Minutes Headstart) |
| Winning Team: Swoop Sirens | |||
| 1. | Chris Lundy | 1st Place | 1:00:42 |
| 2. | Julia R Maxwell Bailey | 3rd Place | 57:02 |
| 3. | Farah S Allen | 8th Place | 1:00:09 |
| 4. | Heidi Reifenstein | 9th Place | 1:01:51 |
| 5. | Amy K Cameron | 11th Place | :01:59 |
| The complete team scores | |||
| Alan & Darryl Beardall Award: Winning Family | ||||
| Julia R Maxwell Bailey | 3rd Place | 57:02 | (9 Minutes Headstart) | |
| Christopher D Maxwell | 47th Place | 55:37 | (1 Minute Headstart) | |
| The complete family scores | ||||
| First Finisher-Dipsea Runners Section | |||
| Max King | 472th Place | 48:59 | (2 Minutes Headstart) |
| Fastest Time Female-Dipsea Runners Section | |||
| Ruby R Lindquist | 509th Place | 59:05 | (9 Minutes Headstart) |
| Fastest Time Male-Dipsea Runners Section | |||
| Max King | 472th Place | 48:59 | (2 Minutes Headstart) |
| Jerry Hauke Perpetual Award (The Red Tailed Hawk) |
| "Leadership, Dedication and Sportsmanship" |
| Kelly Beardall, Dipsea volunteer |
| Norman Bright Award | |||
| "Extraordinary Effort in the Dipsea" | |||
| Allen Scott |
| Jack Kirk "Dipsea Demon" Award | |||
| "Dedication, Perseverance and Performance" | |||
| Lou Encalada | 1385th Place | 3:12:10 | (25 Minutes Headstart) |
Check back for more news about Dipsea Race events!