Historic Huntington Beach race closes Pacific Coast Highway for thousands of runners in near-perfect conditions
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. – September 14, 2025 – On a spectacular morning for running – cloud cover, cool temperatures and not a hint of wind – Jeff Thies returned to his Huntington Beach roots and soaked in every stride along the Pacific Coast Highway.
Thies opened his Sunday at the Surf City 10 by running the 10-mile race at 6:30am. Barely 30 minutes after crossing the finish line, he lined up for the 5K and placed second in 16 minutes, 29 seconds. That came on the heels of his victory in Saturday’s Beach Mile.
“I was defending the streets,” said Thies, 30, who graduated locally from Edison High School in 2013 and now lives in Brooklyn. “It’s been a great weekend running in front of family and friends. And this race has the best atmosphere. You’re running down the boardwalk or PCH. Everyone’s saying hi, everyone’s cheering for each other. It’s an incredible, welcoming community. It’s so great to be back and run a trifecta.”
For Thies, who is training for the New York City Marathon, Surf City 10 carries special meaning.
“It’s the place where I fell in love with running,” he said. “So it’s a nice way to reconnect with that.”
Thies hopes to run between 2:20 and 2:25 in New York this November.
In the day’s marquee event, Salvador Capetillo of Flagstaff, Ariz., won the men’s 10-miler in 48:50, nearly a minute ahead of Kentucky’s Adam Walker (49:47). Lauren Charleton of Santa Ana won the women’s race in 57:19.
Capetillo, 27, was racing for the first time in nine months. He previewed the course the day before, eased into the opening miles, then surged after the turnaround.
“I love the entire wide-open space,” Capetillo said. “The scenery, the crowd was awesome. I loved it.”
In the 10K, Gabriel Sanchez of Perris won the men’s division in 35:41. Kayla Brown of Trabuco Canyon claimed the women’s title in 38:17. Huntington Beach’s Chance Callihan won the men’s 5K in 15:48, 41 seconds ahead of Thies, while Silva Paloma of Brazil captured the women’s 5K in 18:32.
“This is the perfect race,” said Operations Director Julie Coleman. “It’s flat, fast and it’s by the ocean. With the Beach Mile on Saturday, there’s truly something for every athlete.”
The Surf City 10, which will celebrate its milestone 70th edition on September 20, 2026, is the oldest 10-mile race in the United States and Orange County’s oldest road race. All four lanes of the Pacific Coast Highway were closed for the event – one of only three times each year the road is reserved for foot traffic, along with the city’s Fourth of July parade and the Surf City Marathon.
The race also raised awareness for Ainsley’s Angels, the event’s primary benefactor. The nonprofit works to build inclusion for people with special needs by pairing them with able-bodied athletes in endurance events. All proceeds from the Michelob ULTRA Beer Garden at the finish line are donated to help purchase specialized racing chairs that cost between $1,600 and $6,000. In the past four years, the partnership with race organizer Motiv Sports has raised enough to buy four new chairs.
For complete results, photos and more, please visit www.surfcity10.com.