Post-Event Release: Hermosa 24 Ultramarathon Results Include A New World Record Set, A Third-Place Finish By A 16-Year Old, And A First-Ever 131 Miles Completed By The First Place Relay Team

HERMOSA BEACH, CA, July 03, 2012 (Press-News.org) The first running of the Hermosa 24 Ultramarathon established a Guinness World Record milestone when Southern California native Christian Burke ran 83.04 miles in the soft sand for 24-hours in this event, which he created to raise money for local schools. Friend and fellow athlete Patrick Sweeney took the world record from Christian in 2011 by running 87.36 miles during the event. Today, Patrick Sweeney broke his own record by two laps, running 94.08 during the Hermosa 24, held June 30-July 1, 2012.

Known as "The Hermosa 24," this remarkable endurance event took place over the weekend, attracting scores of curious onlookers to the beach in Southern California. Each participant runs a "lap" which spans from the Hermosa Beach Pier to the Manhattan Beach Pier and back, covering 3.36 miles in the difficult soft sand. While it is noteworthy for a yet another Guinness World Record to be set, the ultimate goal of the event is to raise money for local schools, a mission the event continues to success at - - Burke estimates that between $10,000 and $15,000 was raised this year.

"I continue to be overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of the racers, and it is gratifying to see the persistent growth each year," said Christian Burke, founder and organizer of The Hermosa 24. "The caliber of athletes that turned out and put in the supreme effort it takes to handle the rigors of this event was awe-inspiring. Beyond that, we've accomplished our goal of raising money for local schools. It was a fantastic weekend."

Stand-Out Athletes of the Hermosa 24
"The Hermosa 24" Ultramarathon took place on what is considered to be an exceptionally difficult course due to the softness of the sand. The field of athletes included 8 teams of relay runners and 30 solo runners - in total more than 100 runners competed. In addition, solo runners could sign up at any point during the 24 hours to take a lap and post time, with the strongest time winning cash and prizes, and money raised from this race going to the 100-Mile Club.

Solo Men:
• 1st place - Patrick Sweeney - 28 laps, 94.08 miles
• 2nd place - Tatsunori Suzuki - 22 laps, 73.92 miles
• 3rd place - Alex Mendoza - 21 laps, 70.56 miles
• Alex is the youngest solo racer in the event at 16-year old. He bested his previous year's lap count by three laps.
Solo Women:
• 1st place - Rachel Ragona - 20 laps, 67.2 miles
• 2nd place - Karen Moore, 17 laps, 57.12 miles
• 3rd place - Lucinda Jacobs, 14 laps, 47.04 miles
• Lucinda completed the race in memory of fallen soldiers, carrying a United States Flag the entire event.
Relay Teams:
• 1st place - Team #10 "Mickey's Winners", 39 laps, 131.04 miles
• 2nd place - Team #16 "Team Annie" - 38 laps, 127.68 miles
• 3rd place - Team #13 "Team CORE", 28 laps, 94.08 miles

Fastest Lap by a Sign-Up Solo Runner

In addition to the 24 hour event, the ONE LAP Challenge ran at the same time where anyone could step up and challenge the exact same course for ONE LAP anytime during the 24 hour period. At the end of the 24 hours, the fastest lap winner was declared from over 50 entrants. This year's title went to Jimmy Smith with a time of 27 minutes, 4 seconds.

An Ongoing Fundraising, World Record Setting Event
"The Hermosa 24" founder Christian Burke is pleased to see the Hermosa 24 Ultramarathon becoming an annual event. Now in it's third year, Christian, who was injured early in the day, has set his sights on reclaiming the World Record title from Patrick Sweeney in 2013, and more importantly, ensuring the fundraising mechanism of the event continues to be effective and sustainable.

Added Christian: "I look forward to writing six-figure checks to the school through the Hermosa 24."

Christian would like to thank the field of competitors, their friends and families, and the supportive crowds who came out to cheer the runners on. Furthermore, he would especially like to express his appreciation for the tremendous support he received from local businesses, namely FeedTheMachine.com, Zico Coconut Water, ABC Solar, Good Stuff Restaurant, cdrollout.com, SpyderSurf, SportMulti, Paisano's Pizza, SolBaby, Jol Designs, Fluid, NUUN, and Accelerade.

For more information on "The Hermosa 24" visit http://www.hermosa24.com

About Christian
Christian is known amongst his friends, family, and fellow athletes as a person who takes on mind-numbing, over-the-top physical challenges for reasons unclear. He's travelled the world to take part in extreme multiday endurance events that cover hundreds of miles over unspeakable terrain on very little or no sleep. Christian has found that his new given title as Guinness World Records holder for Greatest Distance Run On Sand in 24 Hours, has provided him a unique opportunity to raise even more funds with the challenges and exposure that this year's event can offer. Christian's 11-year old daughter¬ Halle attends school in Hermosa Beach, Calif.