Flint, MI – The Crim Fitness Foundation and Flint’s Bishop International Airport Authority are teaming up for the 49th HAP Crim Festival of Races coming to Flint, MI August 19-22. In 2026, Bishop Airport has signed on as the Presenting Sponsor of the Festival of Races’ Elite Program which brings world-class athletes from across the United States, as well as several foreign nations.
The Crim Fitness Foundation and the HAP Crim Festival of Races have a long-standing tradition of staging a very competitive elite field. After a several year hiatus, the Elite Program was returned to prominence in 2025 and saw more than 70 athletes meet qualifying standards that allowed them to compete for prize money in the mens’ and womens’ open 10-mile class, as well as in a class for competitive wheelers and hand-cyclists.
Brandon Morgan, Crim’s Director of External Relations, noted, “While the Crim prides itself on being a race for participants of all skill levels, having the capacity to host an elite field puts our foundation, our city, and our people on the map at the national level. We want the HAP Crim Festival of Races to showcase the very best of Flint, Michigan and truly believe it does that. Having a partner like Bishop Airport only helps deepen those efforts.”
In 2026, the Elite Program boasts a combined $15,000 prize purse that will be split amongst the winners. In 2025, Michigan natives Nathan Martin and Dot McMahan won their respective 10-mile races in 46:01 and 55:47, respectively.
More broadly, the Crim’s Festival of Races sees 11,000 participants across distances including 10-mile, 5-mile, 5K, and 1-mile. Participants traveled from 410 Michigan cities, 37 states, and 7 foreign countries, making travel infrastructure important to the success of the events.
“Flint Bishop Airport is honored to serve as the Presenting Sponsor of the HAP Crim Festival of Races’ Elite Program in 2026,” said Kasey Posa, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at Flint Bishop Airport. “The Crim is a signature Flint event that celebrates fitness, community pride, and connection. Welcoming athletes from across the country and around the world aligns seamlessly with our mission at FNT to connect mid-Michigan with people and destinations beyond our region.”
For athletes looking to learn more about Crim’s elite field, please visit: https://crim.org/races/hap-crim-festival-of-races/elite/
Registration for all Crim events, including the mutli-event race series, is open at crimraces.org.
About the Crim Fitness Foundation
The Crim Fitness Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization, whose goal is to improve the physical, mental, and social health of Flint and Genesee County residents. The organization impacts approximately 20,000 individuals each year through programs including: Crim Youth Sports and Youth Running Clubs; the Crim Mental Wellbeing Initiative; and Crim’s Neighborhood Impact work which includes direct nutrition education, food policy and access, and advocacy for built environmental change.
For more information on the Foundation and the Festival please visit crim.org.