Runners Beat the Heat and Toast a 5K Finish With Beer and Brats at Evansville’s Wurst Race
Andrew Walker crossed the finish line first at Saturday’s Wurst Race, topping a field that battled thick, late-summer humidity as much as the 5K course itself.
The race stepped off at 7:30 a.m. from Germania Maennerchor, the city’s historic German heritage club at 916 N. Fulton Ave., as part of the club’s 64th annual Volksfest celebration. Even at that early hour, runners faced hot, sticky conditions typical of mid-August in the Ohio Valley, with temperatures and humidity climbing fast as the sun came up. Runners followed an out-and-back course down Maryland Street to the Greenway Passage before looping back to Germania.
Walker, 38, of Ogden, Utah, ran away with the overall win in 18 minutes 14 seconds, a pace of 5:53 per mile. Jessica Costello, 28, of Evansville, led the women’s field in 23:21.1, finishing eighth overall.
Top 5 Men’s Finishers:
- Andrew Walker, 38, Ogden, Utah — 18:14.0
- Aaron Hendryx, 26, Huntington, Ind. — 18:40.0
- Lucas Neuffer, 33, Evansville, Ind. — 18:58.0
- Clint Kemper, 25, Evansville, Ind. — 19:52.4
- Mason Lankford, 30, Haubstadt, Ind. — 20:45.6
Top 5 Women’s Finishers:
- Jessica Costello, 28, Evansville, Ind. — 23:21.1
- Elaine Graber, 53, Huntingburg, Ind. — 25:08.7
- Kyrsten Hutchinson, 30, Utica, Ky. — 25:28.1
- Karolanne Critchfield, 51, Washington, Ind. — 25:54.5
- Katherine Wagoner, 38, Mount Vernon, Ind. — 26:44.7
Almost 300 registrants were vying for the best rewards: bratwursts, water and up to two beers per person for participants 21 and older, served right in the festival area right near the finish chute. To The Finish Timing handled the clock work for the race, which awarded medals to the top three overall men and women, along with top finishers in individual age groups.
The race is only in its second year, but it’s built on decades of tradition. Germania Maennerchor was founded in 1900 by German immigrants in the Evansville area, and Volksfest itself dates back to 1934. The festival went dark during World War II amid anti-German sentiment before returning in 1962 as part of the city’s 150th anniversary celebration. Today’s three-day event still centers on German food, drink, dance and music, with many attendees dressing in traditional German apparel.