Everlyn Kemboi glanced behind her shoulder once moments just before covering her face as she came storming down Cliff Drive in Capitola to win Sunday morning’s Wharf to Wharf women’s division race.
The 24-year-old American crossed the finish line first in 30 minutes, 29 seconds, which was four seconds faster than 32-year old Dominique Scott (30:33)—a dual citizen of South Africa and the United States.
“I’m so happy to be here. I love racing in California,” Kemboi said.
Kemboi earned $4,000 as the top female finisher and was awarded an extra $1,000 for finishing as the top American runner. She recorded her second professional win after crossing the finish line first at the Philadelphia Dietz & Watson Half-Marathon (1:11:02) in 2013.
Scott earned $3,000 for second, American Kayley Delay (30:53) won $2,000 for third place, and Atsede Baysa (30:56) of Ethiopia earned $1,000 for fourth. American Grace Barnett (31:21) rounded off the top-5.
An anticipated 1-2 finish between Kemboi and Scott was predicted going into the 52nd running of the six-mile race from the Santa Cruz to Capitola wharves.
Kemboi, a Kenyan native, won the 2023 NCAA 10K championship to become the Wolverines’ first Division I national champion in the program’s history.
Scott was a five-time NCAA champion with the University of Arkansas where she was teammates with Aptos native and Olympian Nikki Hiltz. Scott is a two time Oympian with South Africa, and a two-time national champion.
“It’s a hard course, but a fun course and it’s cool how the locals come out to support. It was a great day,” Scott said about her first time racing in the Wharf to Wharf.
In 2023, Kemboi placed fifth in her first trip to Santa Cruz. It also happened to be the start of her professional racing career.
“After I graduated last year, the training was okay. Professional running is different,” Kemboi said. “[It was] having a good mindset and peace of mind.”
Watsonville High alum Daniela Salazar, 24, was this year’s top local female finisher. She placed 15th in 34:42 ahead of Santa Cruz’s Gina Jacobs (35:05; 22nd) and Isabel Sanchez (35:23; 27th).
The goal was to set a personal record and stay under the 36-minute mark. “But I completely crushed it,” Salazar said. “I felt good after the three-mile mark and I just decided to go after it.”
Salazar was named a junior college All-American in both her freshman and sophomore years. She became the third female at Hartnell College to repeat that feat.
In 2019, she won a Coast Conference cross country title as a sophomore, placed second in the NorCal regional meet and fifth in the California Community College Athletic Association state championship meet.
Salazar was ranked No.1 in the state at 1500- (4:48) and 3000-meters (10:30) before the season ended due to the Covid-19 pandemic. She still owns school records in the 800, 1500, 3000, 5000, 10,000 and 4×400 relay.
The former Wildcatz star runner mentioned how Sunday’s top local finish was a testament of all the hard work and the sacrifices she made during a six-month long training period.
After the third mile, Salazar passed up two women to push herself closer to the lead pack. The problem for her was she didn’t see any more women in front of her.
Salazar began picking up runners in the men’s field, using them as a boost all the way to the finish line.
“It’s a special race because it’s such a tradition,” she said. “It’s a reunion for all the local runners, past and present. You get to see old teammates, you get to see newbies come in…I also got to run with [Watsonville High students] that I coach. I think it’s special in that sense where we all come together and we all come to celebrate, and we do it on home turf.”
52nd Wharf to Wharf women’s division results
1. Everlyn Kemboi, USA, 30:29
2. Dominique Scott, South Africa/USA, 30:33
3. Kayley Delay, USA, 30:52
4. Atsede Baysa, Ethiopia, 30:55
5. Grace Barnett, USA, 31:21
Top local: Daniela Salazar, Watsonville, 34:38
