Several local people made impressive runs in the Race on the Base, as it returned to the Joint Forces Training Base on April 13. The 5K, Gabriel Rojas, 17, of Lakewood was the top finisher with a time of 16 minutes and 34 seconds. Second place was Evan Weitzman, 13, of Newport Beach in 19:38, followed by Aaron Nevarez, 40, of Norwalk, with a time of 19:48.
Fourteen-year-old Nicholas Romines, of La Palma, took sixth overall with a time of 20:02 and two Los Alamitos residents also finished in the top 10. Brian Rogers, age 22, and Tyler Tanimura, age 13, finished eighth and ninth respectively with times of 20:08 and 20:57.
Shane Stipancic, 34, of Cypress was 12th overall and second in his age division, with a time of 21:34. Mai Studebaker, 50, of Westlake Village, was the top female finisher with a time of 21:59. She was followed by Andrea Bates, 41, of Newport Beach, who was 21st overall with a time of 23:34. The 3rd place female was 40-year-old Camille Hambly of Garden Grove, who finished the course in 25:29.
Brandon Dunn, of Los Alamitos was 20th overall with a time of 23:23 and Carl Paat, 44, of Rossmoor was 22nd overall with a time of 23:38. A few Cypress residents were close behind. Ron Tanimura, 52, was 24th overall in 24:17, followed by Larry Hardaway, 43, 27th in 24:31 and Giovanni Velasco, 29, 30th in 24:42.
Scott Conley, 51, of Los Alamitos was 36th overall with a time of 25:11 and Steve Graves, 61, of Cypress was 39th overall with a time of 25:24. Ken Choi, 56, also of Cypress took 43rd overall with a time of 25:36. Garrett Kohls, 46, of Los Alamitos was 46th overall with a time of 25:48.
In the Reverse Triathlon, Todd Corley, 44, of Westlake posted the top time at 55 minutes, 41 seconds for the three events. Nate Koch, 37, of Long Beach took second with a time of 56:18. Brenden Panis, 35, of Anaheim was the third finisher with a time of 57:11.
Michelle Jones, 54, of Carlsbad was the top female finisher and fourth overall with a time of 58:13. Sixty-two-year-old Ricki Reincke of Long Beach was the second female finisher with a time of 1 hour, 13 minutes, 9 seconds and she took 30th overall. Emily Murray, 48, of Los Angeles was the 3rd place female and took 38th overall with a time of 1:16:29.
Some of the local highlights included Cypress resident Jason Lucero finishing in a time of 1:11:01. Lucero, 52, was fourth in his age division wave. Mike Gibbs, 65, of Los Alamitos had a solid time of 1:15:20, taking fourth in his wave age division.
Rebecca Trevino, 63, of Cypress took second in her age division wave and seventh among women in her wave.
Submitted by the City of Los Alamitos
The City of Los Alamitos Recreation and Community Services Department was proud to present the return of the Universal Waste Systems (UWS) Race on the Base on Saturday, April 13, 2024, after a four-year hiatus. The event was hosted at the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base, and it featured the popular Reverse Triathlon and 5K Run/Walk, allowing participants of all ages to showcase their physical prowess. At the forefront of the event was Recreation Manager Jason Bruton and Recreation Coordinator Alix Anderson. Thanks to the meticulous coordination between City staff, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Fox and the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base, and the event Title Sponsor UWS, this exciting event welcomed back new and returning participants to the military installation.
The lead up to the action-packed event began a day before race day on Friday, April 12, with bib and packet pick up at the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. A final opportunity to register for this historical City event was available on race day, Saturday, April 13, starting at 5:30 a.m. Simultaneously, the Transition Area opened its gates and allowed athletes participating in the Triathlon to prepare their gear for the race ahead. With the final few registrations trickling in at the crack of dawn, the buzz of anticipation began to fill the military base.
With the sun struggling to peer through the unending wave of dense clouds, the first wave of the Reverse Triathlon kicked off at 7:00 a.m. Athletes began the sequence of swimming, biking, and running. Meanwhile, shortly after, at 7:15 a.m., the 5K Run/Walk commenced with every participant exhibiting their race day laces in every color imaginable. The day continued seamlessly with the second wave of the Reverse Triathlon participants taking off at 8:30 a.m. ensuring an exciting morning for all spectators.
An array of vendors kept the excitement rolling throughout the day offering everything from health and wellness services to community outreach initiatives. Attendees had the opportunity to engage with the following vendors:
• Strides of Faith
• Ohana Water Polo
• Braithwaite Chiropractic
• Yoga Six of Cypress
• Los Alamitos Police Department Pink Patch Project
• Dignity Memorial
A shoutout of appreciation goes out to the 45 amazing and overly dedicated volunteers who showed up and selflessly gave their time and energy to ensure smooth operations the day before, during, and after the event. A special thank you also goes out to Sunburst Youth Academy who showed up in full force with the Presentation of the Colors and volunteering throughout the event. Further, the return of this much awaited event could not have happened without the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base as well as the generous support of the title sponsor Universal Waste Systems. Their contributions not only helped revive this spectacular event but also helped elevate the experience for all involved. Participants were rewarded with a race shirt and a special finishing medal, with additional medals awarded to those who placed overall or within their age division.
With an impressive turnout of 3,000 attendees, including 1,200 race participants and a multitude of spectators, the event showcased the City of Los Alamitos Recreation and Community Services Department’s tenacious dedication to creating quality of life for the community. Special guests Mayor Jordan Nefulda and Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Fox welcomed the crowds and started the races with great encouragement to the athletes. Specialist Angel Demelis performed a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem. The most memorable moments of the day came as participants crossed the finish line, relieved and proud of the accomplishment they just achieved. The smiles on their faces and the gratified look receiving their finisher’s medals made for a perfect snapshot of the day.
The day was a celebration of community spirit and the unwavering commitment to push the boundaries and reach new personal physical heights. As the event drew to a close, there was no doubt it would return, eagerly welcoming both familiar faces and new challengers. Race on the Base was back!
The Recreation & Community Services Department strives to continue providing safe and exciting events for all residents to gather. For more information about upcoming events and programs, please visit www.cityoflosalamitos.org/recreation or contact the Recreation and Community Services Department at (562) 430 – 1073.
