From course records to attendance records, the popular event continues to shine in northwest Montana
WHITEFISH, Mont. (May 16, 2026) – A sellout of 2,000 participants registered for the 20th annual Whitefish Marathon, Half Marathon, and 5K Powered by Hammer Nutrition on Saturday, May 16, 2026, setting a new registration record. The record field was greeted with cold temps at the start that supported fast times including new course records in the Half Marathon and Marathon. Northwest Montana weather added to the fun as sun, rain and hail rotated throughout the day as bands of weather moved through the Flathead Valley.
Elizabeth Wasserman of Columbia Falls, Mont., broke her own course record from the 2024 Whitefish Half Marathon by crossing the finish line in 1:18:53, 31 seconds faster than her previous record. Maxwell Scott of Missoula, Mont broke the record for the men’s half marathon in a time of 1:08:00 by more than 3 minutes. Finally, Scarlet Kaplan of Whitefish broke the women’s marathon record with a time of 3:03:05 besting previous record set in 2021.
Race winners and podium finishers include:
Whitefish Marathon Powered by Hammer Nutrition:
Male 1 (overall) – Philip Henry, 2:47:14, Gillette, WY
Male 2 – Paul Paschal, 2:52:09, Whitefish, MT
Male 3 – Andy Pritchard, 2:54:33, Whitefish, MT
Female 1 – Scarlet Kaplan, 3:03:05, Whitefish, MT (COURSE RECORD)
Female 2 – Taylaur Coccoli, 3:16:27, Helena, MT
Female 3 – Elizabeth Fleming, 3:23:32, Columbia Falls, MT
Whitefish Half Marathon Powered by Hammer Nutrition:
Male 1 (overall) – Maxwell Scott, 1:08:00, Missoula, MT (COURSE RECORD)
Male 2 – Collin Buck, 1:10:15, Kalispell, MT
Male 3 – Micah Drew, 1:10:36, Whitefish, MT
Female 1 – Elizabeth Wasserman, 1:18:53, Columbia Falls, MT (COURSE RECORD)
Female 2 – Katie Holman, Missoula, MT, 1:19:33
Female 3 – Tiffany Christensen, 1:22:43, Bozeman, MT
The Wave 5K:
Male 1 (overall) – Porter Shehan, 17:24, Whitefish, MT
Male 2 – Denver Jensen, 17:39, Lethbridge, AB
Male 3 – Edward Choi, 17:40, Calgary, AB
Female 1 – Arynn Farrell, 20:28, Kalispell, MT
Female 2 – Amanda Belleville, 23:26, Whitefish, MT
Female 3 – Elviera Nakonechny, 24:17, Columbia Falls, MT
The Whitefish Marathon, which began in 2006 as the Two Bear Marathon, is owned by the nonprofit The Wave Aquatic and Fitness Center and managed by Indiana-based CRRG Events. The event serves as The Wave’s largest annual fundraiser benefiting their Membership Assistance Program, a program providing accessible aquatic and fitness opportunities to the community, regardless of financial situation.
For full race results and future event information, please visit WhitefishMarathon.com.
About The Wave Aquatic and Fitness Center:
The Wave is a non-profit organization dedicated to the health and well-being of the Whitefish community. As the largest fitness center, activity center, and aquatic center in Whitefish, it is our goal to provide you with a comprehensive range of health and fitness choices to help you succeed, whatever your exercise preference, whatever your fitness needs. From our gym facilities to our children’s center to the largest indoor swimming pools in Whitefish, The Wave is the best place for workouts, court sports, swim lessons, or just fun! Our programs are science-based and focused on safely getting you maximum results in the minimum amount of time. We offer fitness, swimming, and sports programs for beginners, teens, seniors, experienced fitness enthusiasts, athletes, and patients with special medical conditions. For more information, please visit WhitefishWave.com.
About CRRG Events:
CRRG Events is an event management and production company with more than 20 years of producing successful running events. Based in Carmel, Indiana, CRRG Events has staged and managed events across 11 states ranging from a 1-mile football halftime race to ultramarathons. For more information, please visit CarmelRoadRacingGroup.com.