BOULDER, CO— With 52,185 participants registered, the 2025 BOLDERBoulder brought a dynamic mix of fierce competition and heartfelt community spirit to the streets of Boulder. Early morning showers cleared just in time to reveal the iconic Flatirons, setting the stage for the International Pro Team Challenge. The professional races followed the 96 waves of citizen runners, who made their triumphant finish inside CU’s Folsom Field—many staying to fill the stands and cheer on the thrilling, historic pro race finishes.
In Thrilling Fashion, Mantz Claims Historic Third Consecutive Title
In a dramatic finale down the home stretch of Folsom Field, Connor Mantz (Springdale, Utah) surged past Kenya’s Daniel Simiu Ebenyo to capture his third straight BOLDERBoulder title, clocking 28:21—tied for the sixth-fastest time in race history. Mantz set the tone early, leading through a 4:22 opening mile and earning a $1,000 bonus by winning the inaugural 1st Bank First-To-Folsom Prime at the 2.1 km mark.
At the 3-mile mark, 2023 World Championships 10,000m silver medalist Ebenyo made a decisive move, pulling away from the field. By mile 4 (reached in 18:00), he had opened a 15-second gap over Mantz and his Team USA Red teammate, Abbabiya Simbassa (Flagstaff, Ariz.). Despite the growing lead, Mantz told reporters post-race that he and Simbassa remained committed to working together and believed they could close the gap.
Mantz and Simbassa passed the 5-mile marker in 22:50, with Ebenyo still 13 seconds ahead and appearing poised for victory. But just as in his 2023 and 2024 wins, Mantz summoned a late charge on the iconic uphill stretch into Folsom Field. Simbassa began to fall back as they crossed Boulder Creek and passed the Frank Shorter statue. Inside the stadium, the 40,000 fans erupted as Mantz began reeling in Ebenyo, closing a two-second gap as they entered the final 300 meters.
Still trailing through most of the stadium loop, Mantz found one final gear on the U-turn with 75 meters remaining, powering past Ebenyo in a thrilling sprint to the finish. His victory made him the first male athlete to win three consecutive BOLDERBoulder titles. Ebenyo crossed two seconds later in 28:23, while Simbassa held on for third in 28:36.
With strong performances from Mantz, Simbassa, and Hillary Bor (8th, 29:28), Team USA Red claimed the International Team Challenge title with 12 points. Team USA White—a Boulder County-based squad featuring Aidan Reed (5th, 29:06), Joe Klecker (6th, 29:13), and Drew Hunter (11th, 29:43)—finished second with 22 points. Team Kenya rounded out the podium with 26 points.
Nawowuna Breaks 30-Year Course Record, Repeats as Champion
Grace Loibach Nawowuna of Kenya delivered a dominant performance in the women’s race at the 2025 BOLDERBoulder, setting a new course record with a time of 31:51. Her victory shattered the 30-year-old mark set by fellow Kenyan Delillah Asiago and secured her second consecutive BOLDERBoulder title, further solidifying her place in the event’s storied history.
Nawowuna’s performance earned her a total of $14,200 in prize money, including $10,000 for the individual win, a $3000 event record bonus, and $1200 for contributing to her team’s second place finish. Despite her record-setting effort, it was Ethiopia that claimed the International Team Challenge title, edging out Kenya by a single point (13 to 14). The Ethiopian squad was led by Meseret Belete, who finished second in 32:38, and Alem Tsadik, who placed third in 32:42.
Team USA White, a squad comprised entirely of University of Colorado alumnae, finished third in the team standings with 26 points. The team was led by Makena Morley (Flagstaff, Ariz.), who placed fifth in 32:58. Carrie Ellwood and Makaenzie Caldwell both of Boulder finished 10th and 11th, respectively. The top American finisher overall was Aubrey Frentheway (Provo, Utah), who claimed fourth place with a strong time of 32:49.
Romanchuk and Gretsch Shine in Rain-Soaked Wheelchair Race
The professional wheelchair race kicked off the 2025 BOLDERBoulder at 6:45 a.m., with athletes navigating slick roads following early morning rain. Despite the challenging conditions, the competition delivered standout performances.
Making his BOLDERBoulder debut, two-time Paralympic gold medalist and nine-time Major Marathon champion Daniel Romanchuk claimed victory in commanding fashion, crossing the line in 24:05.
In the women’s race, Kendall Gretsch, a familiar face in Boulder, secured her third BOLDERBoulder title in four years, finishing in 30:56 and reinforcing her dominance on the course.
Vaughn and Scudder Lead the Pack in Highly Competitive Citizens Race
Competition in the 2025 BOLDERBoulder Citizens Race reached new heights as Boulder residents Sara Vaughn and Nikolas Scudder claimed victory. Vaughn, a University of Colorado alumna and longtime BOLDERBoulder competitor—including multiple appearances in the professional race—claimed the women’s title with a time of 34:41. At the post-race press conference she shared that BOLDERBoulder was the first road race she ever ran as a high school athlete, sparking a lifelong love of running and a deep connection to the city of Boulder. Her return to the top of the podium marked a full-circle moment in a career rooted in the local running community. Kathryn Fluehr, of Boulder, finished second (34:58) after leading the race for the first 9 kilometers.
On the men’s side, Nickolas Scudder made an emphatic BOLDERBoulder debut, finishing first with a time of 30:03. Early on he trailed fellow CU alum Andy Wacker and Kashon Harrison as well as sub 2:10 marathoner Frank Lara but was able to take the lead at the three-mile mark and never looked back as he recorded the fourth best time in event history. Scudder is a recent Boulder transplant having moved here in August from North Carolina.
Results from this year’s race can be found here.
Six hours of coverage of the citizens race, the International Professional Team Challenge races, and the Memorial Day Tribute can be found here.
The 2026 BOLDERBoulder will take place next Memorial Day – May 25.