Cow Harbor 10K: Largest finishers count in history, with many first timers adding to the boom
5,012 runners participated in this year’s Great Cow Harbor 10-Kilometer, the largest turnout in the event’s history. Photo by Dylan Novak.
It was a record-breaking turnout at this year’s Great Cow Harbor 10-Kilometer Run, with the largest finishers count in history: 5,012 for the 10K alone.
The 2K “Fun Run” was the largest in history too, with a sold-out crowd of 750 participants.
One-third of this year’s runners, for the second year in a row, were first-time Great Cow Harbor 10K participants, co-race director Will Fodor told the Journal. “It’s a further proof point that we are in another running boom, like in the 1970/80s,” he said. “People love to run for the physical and mental health of it all.”
Next year’s race is September 18, 2027. It will be the 10K’s 50-year anniversary.
Registration for that milestone event will open at noon sharp on March 18. “And the expectation is that it will sell out in a day,” Fodor said. “The race committee is already planning for some extra special ways to commemorate the 50th year anniversary of this event, which is the largest road race on Long island and supported unbelievably by the community on all levels.”
This year, the 10K sold out in just 92 hours.
Chandler Gibbens, who was runner-up in last year’s race, came in first at 28:15. Defending champion Anthony Rotich came in second at 28:19. Merga Gemeda came in third and the course record holder (28:13 in 2022) Biya Simbassa came in fourth.
Biruktayit Degefa, also last year’s runner-up, claimed victory for the women, crossing the finish line at 32:17. She brought in $7,000 for the win, which includes a $500 bonus for leading the race at the 5K mark. The second place winner Kassie Parker took home $4,000 and Eva Jess took third place and $2,500.
The men’s prize money winners took in the same amount for first to third place: $6,500, $4,000 and $2,500, respectively, with Rotich claiming the $500 bonus for leading the race at 5K. Fourth through tenth places in both the men and women’s categories receive from $1,500 to $200 in prize money as well.
For more photos taken by Northport High School Academy of Media Arts students (and our roaming photographers), visit the Northport Journal on Facebook and Instagram. More information on the Great Harbor 10K Run can be found here.
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