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Race weekend included a Friday book-signing reunion of Humboldt State University’s “legendary Old Boys,” runners featured in Vince Engel’s recent book, “Running Behind the Redwood Curtain” (subtitled “A collection of Humboldt State old boys’ memories told by those who were there”) at The Jogg’n Shoppe in Arcata. -
HSU alumnus Mike Williams (right), owner of The Jogg’n Shoppe in Arcata, helped organized a party on Thursday afternoon for the HSU alumni runners including a surprise for Gary Tuttle, of Ventura, a six-time Trinidad to Clam Beach race winner (the first race in 1966, ’67, ’69, ’79, ’80 and ’81). When Tuttle arrived at the event, he discovered everyone was wearing these “Who the Hell is Gary Tuttle” t-shirts. -
Race organizers from the Trinidad Chamber of Commerce were present Friday afternoon to hand out race t-shirts and numbers and take late registrations (933 total) for Saturday’s 59th annual race. The big questions on everyone’s mind were about Saturday’s cold-weather forecast and the depth of the water crossing of Little River at the planned 11 a.m. race start. -
Saturday dawned with clear skies, light wind and at 10:30 a.m. still deep water in Little River as illustrated by these riders from McKinleyville (Trinidad Head in the far background). By the delayed-start race time of noon it was 50 degrees F. and the dropping water levels at Little River at the new crossing site proved to safe for the dash-and-splash runners. -
The overall men’s winner of the 5.75-mile race and first to cross Little River was Nicholas Brichta (age 25) with a time of 28:25 (he’s a local graduate of Arcata High School). -
Erin Ponte was the first woman runner to cross Little River but finished second overall in a time of 36:39. -
The overall women’s winner of the 5.75-mile race was Riley Martel-Phillips (age 23 in the U.C.S.C. Banana Slugs shirt) in a time of 36:05 (she’s a local graduate of Arcata High School). -
The chilly river crossing at Little River featured the usual entertaining dash-and-splash (interntional or otherwise) methods by runners. -
Walkers and runners headed for the home stretch of the 59th annual Trinidad to Clam Beach Run – Honoring Ford Hess passed this large driftwood tree stump with the finish line visible in the far distance on Saturday. -
More than a few of the walkers and runners (including Jodi Hammond (left) and Sara Starr) stopped for photos with this large driftwood tree stump on the home stretch of the 59th annual Trinidad to Clam Beach Run – Honoring Ford Hess on Saturday. -
Eureka High School runners (Ryder Bullman (left), William Powers, Summer Morales, Everett Docherty and Chase Jimenez) showed up for the race in Hawaiian shirts and still had some energy left after the race by the warming fire. Bullman finished fourth overall with a time of 33:19. -
Larissa Gooden, a member of the Cal Poly Humboldt Marching Lumberjacks, took a short break from the band’s performance to warm up her hands by the warming fire. Heat waves in the air from the fire distorted the appearance of Gooden and the ocean in the background in the photo. -
Two of Humboldt State University’s “legendary Old Boys,” Alex Zygaczenko (left, of Eureka) and honorary race starter Gary Tuttle (known as the “King Clam” for his six wins in the race), paused for a photo near the finish line on Clam Beach at the end of the 59th Trinidad to Clam Beach Run – Honoring Ford Hess on Saturday. -
The Cal Poly Humboldt Marching Lumberjacks wrapped up their live music performance at the race finish line and axe major Jessica Fleming led their traditional march into the ocean surf to the tune of “Rubber Ducky…” -
Jessica Fleming, axe major of the Cal Poly Humboldt Marching Lumberjacks, challenged her bandmates with a “Follow me!” yell as they approached the surf line. -
Members of the Cal Poly Humboldt Marching Lumberjacks ended the day with their traditional splashing into the ocean surf and still making music.
Trinidad to Clam Beach Run 2025
