Story by Arlene Herrero, Club Chief Business Officer
Photos by Arlene Herrero and Daniel Wang
T
he 41st annual Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup Relay took place April 4-5 from the desert to Las Vegas’ Rio Hotel, and the Club was there for all the action!
This amazing relay team footrace is an annual event for public safety organizations throughout the world. The relay race is a 120-mile, 20-stage footrace between Baker, California, and Las Vegas and is considered the “Super Bowl” of law enforcement; the champions are the best, in terms of physical fitness and logistics the police world has to offer. The race was created by and is managed by the Los Angeles Police Revolver and Athletic Club, and the Employees Club is grateful for their leadership.
The 2025 edition of the Baker to Vegas footrace proved to be another outstanding year, with 241 teams participating from throughout the world. The Club sponsored 11 teams this year, marking the 21st year the Club has sponsored teams.
The overall race winner was the CHP Elite team, completing the race in 12:31:55 and vowing to return in 2026 to defend their title. LAPD Elite finished in second place with a time of 12:53:03, followed by LASD Elite in third with a time of 13:09:48.
The Club once again was on the racecourse to capture as much of what unfolded. Around the 1 p.m. start time, temperatures were close to 80 degrees with 6 percent humidity.
Finish Times of Club-Sponsored Teams
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Team 132 Los Angeles City Attorney (finishing at 17:49:33, and earning a “mug” for a top-half finisher in their category)
- Team 47 Los Angeles Airport Police (15:34.11, taking second place in their overall 800 category and bringing home a mug)
- Team 81 Los Angeles Port Police (17:52.25) placed 10th within their new 150 category;
- Team 187 LADOT (18:11.14)
- Team 188 LAPD Team 911 (17:46.22, earning a “mug”)
- Team 163 LA County Probation (19:16.53);
- Team 247 DHCS ID (19:26.25)
- Team 154 LAPD Mission (16:50:42)
- Team 24 LAPD Newton (15:44:14, taking fourth place in their overall Station category and bringing home a “mug”)
- Team 240 LA County Welfare Fraud (20:00:49)
- Team 46 LAPD Women (16:03:34, taking second place overall in the Women Category)
Club-Sponsored Team Leadership
LA City Attorney
LA City Attorney Team co-captains were David Michaelson and Valerie Flores, with Robbie Britton as their support captain.
LA Airport Police
Airport Police team co-captains were Sgt. Roxanna Carlos, Officer Daniel Gardea and APO III Greg Iwamiya. The team took second place in its 800 category.
What were the key highlights and areas where you felt the team excelled?
“This year’s Baker to Vegas relay was a tremendous success for the Los Angeles Airport Police team. One of the key highlights was the exceptional teamwork and coordination displayed throughout the race. From our runners to our support staff, every member contributed to a seamless and disciplined effort that reflected our department’s commitment to excellence.
“We were particularly proud of our improved transition times and strategic pacing, which allowed us to maintain a competitive edge across the challenging desert terrain. The dedication shown during training and preparation paid off, as we saw personal bests from several runners and a strong overall finish.
“Another area where the team truly excelled was in morale and camaraderie. The spirit of unity and mutual support was evident not only during the race but throughout the entire event. It’s this sense of purpose and pride that continues to define our participation in Baker to Vegas and reinforces the strength of our department.”
What were the biggest challenges or unexpected surprises your team faced?
“The Baker to Vegas race always presents a unique set of challenges, and this year was no exception. One of the biggest hurdles we encountered was the extreme desert wind, which intensified during key legs of the race. Despite our thorough preparation, the conditions required real-time adjustments to hydration strategies and runner pacing to ensure safety and performance.
“Another unexpected challenge was a last-minute logistical issue involving one of our support vehicles. Thanks to the quick thinking and adaptability of our team, we were able to reroute resources and maintain coverage without impacting our runners’ transitions. It was a testament to the resilience and problem-solving capabilities of our personnel.
“Overall, these challenges highlighted the strength of our preparation, the professionalism of our team, and our ability to adapt under pressure. Each obstacle became an opportunity to demonstrate the dedication and teamwork that defined the Los Angeles Airport Police.”
What are your priorities or goals as look ahead?
“Building on the momentum and lessons learned from this year’s race, our primary goal for Baker to Vegas 2026 is to enhance both performance and preparation across all facets of the team. One of our top priorities is to begin training earlier and implement a more structured conditioning program tailored to the unique demands of the race. This includes not only physical readiness but also mental resilience and endurance.
“We also aim to strengthen our logistical planning by refining support operations, improving communication systems, and ensuring all contingencies are accounted for well in advance. The challenges we faced this year underscored the importance of adaptability, and we plan to invest in additional training for our support crew to further streamline race-day execution.
“Another key focus is recruitment and development. We’re looking to expand our pool of runners by identifying and mentoring new talent within the department, fostering a deeper bench of athletes who can contribute to the team’s long-term success.
“Ultimately, our goal is to continue representing the Los Angeles Airport Police with pride, professionalism and a competitive spirit, while reinforcing the camaraderie and teamwork that make this event so meaningful for our agency.”
Any additional information you would like to share?
“Participating in the Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup Relay is more than just a race for the Los Angeles Airport Police—it’s a proud tradition that reflects our department’s dedication to teamwork, resilience and community. Each year, this event brings together law enforcement agencies from across the globe, and we’re honored to stand among them, representing not only our department but also the broader law enforcement family.
“We’d like to extend our sincere gratitude to the volunteers, support staff and families who stood behind our team every step of the way. Their commitment and encouragement are the foundation of our success.
“Looking ahead, we remain committed to continuous improvement, fostering new talent and strengthening the bonds that make our team—and our department — stronger year after year. Baker to Vegas is more than a competition; it’s a celebration of service, perseverance and unity, and we’re proud to be a part of it. As an added final note, the last three has proven extremely successful as in the first time in the history of our organization we have placed top three in our category and stood proudly on the podium. This is an honor that very few teams accomplish.”
LADOT
LADOT Captain was Officer Antonio Cordoba, and Sgt. LaTisha Vargas was the Support Team Captain.
LAPD Team 911
LAPD Team 911 Captains were Diana Najera, Garrett Stults and Frank Sarabia.
In what areas did your team excel?
“Our support personnel made this team what it was; if it weren’t for them, we would not have been able to be a competitive team.”
What were the biggest challenges or unexpected surprises your team faced?
“The biggest challenges we faced and always face is finding the time to be professionals at work — fathers, mothers, or caregivers – and find time to train for the race. I can’t say enough about how hard our runners and support worked.”
What are your priorities for Baker to Vegas 2026?
“Keep everyone motivated, keep training, and stay healthy.”
Team DHCS
Team DHCS (California Dept. of Health Care Services) Captains were Brandon Butler and David Perinati.
In what areas did your team excel?
“We believe our team incredibly improved this year in all areas. We were able to finish 54 spots higher than last year. We were team 247 and finished at 193. Our stage 14 runner, Brent Kaneyuki, ran 10.7 miles at an average pace of 5:58.”
What were the biggest challenges or unexpected surprises your team faced?
“Our biggest challenge was having runners and volunteers quit at the last minute. One individual quit during the race, which made other individuals have to stay out on the raceway for 12-plus hours.”
What are your priorities for Baker to Vegas 2026?
“Our priorities and goals for next year will be to build a stronger team and finish better than this last year.”
Team LA County Welfare Fraud
Team LA County Welfare Fraud Captains were Investigators Zachary Mendoza, Michael Rodarte, Isreal Pedraza and Jorge Rojas. This team is the newest the Club has sponsored.
This year’s team excelled at teamwork and showed a great amount of camaraderie and self-sacrifice.
Team LA County Welfare Fraud’s biggest challenge this year was support staff and runners:
“We ran a skeleton crew the entire day. We had support staff working doubles, and three alternate runners raring to go if needed. This year’s unfavorable surprise was when one of our strongest runners went down mid-run with a high fever on the route’s hardest leg, 15. He was 2.5 miles into his run when his fever took a huge toll on his body. Luckily, we had our last alternate runner jump out and complete the last four miles. The follow vehicle support team acted and got our runner safely to the next stage. Our entire team, runners and support staff, adapted, acted and came in clutch when asked!”
What are your priorities for Baker to Vegas 2026?
“For 2026, one of our main priorities is to continue to fundraise and find sponsorship to help with expenses that are incurred. Second is to boost training to be even more competitive and come home with a mug from our division.”
“Lastly, our team wants to continue to network and build relationship with other agencies, locally and outside of our county and state. By running Baker to Vegas, this gives us the opportunity to do just that. Welfare Fraud agencies are not well known, and Team LA County Welfare Fraud wants to get our agency’s name and mission out there. We want to let other agencies know that welfare fraud causes taxpayers millions of dollars every year, and that our mission is to protect the integrity of this social services department by ensuring that public assistance is used for its intended purpose: to assist families and individuals who are truly in need and lead a better quality of life.”
LA Port Police
Los Angeles Port Police B2V Captains were Officer Jose Verbera and Officer Alexandra Garbe. Support Captain was Christine Pina.
The team finished at 17:52.25, placing 10th within their new 150 category.
What were the key highlights and areas where you felt the team excelled?
“We recognize it was a pivotal time for rebuilding and growth within our team. We welcomed seven new Officers who had never participated in Baker to Vegas. However, as a united group, we came together and challenged ourselves to stay competitive in our category.”
What were the biggest challenges or unexpected surprises your team faced?
“One of the most significant challenges this year for our team was an afternoon start time for the race. Due to our successful and faster finishing race time the previous year, our Port Police B2V Team was allotted a 1400-hour start time; this was entirely new for our team. The later race start time presented our team with the challenge of running in the dry, windy and heated desert climate. Our newer B2V runners were not experienced in running in this type of environment, which resulted in a slower overall team pace. Our more experienced runners adapted and overcame these challenges, enabling them to perform at a competitive level.”
What are your priorities or goals as you look ahead?
“As we prepare for Baker to Vegas 2026, our top priority is to rebuild our Port Police team. As Captains, we aim to encourage our runners to push beyond their comfort zones and perform at a higher level. This year, we will start training earlier in the season and hold each other accountable to our training commitments.
“Our team will have designated training days each month for runners to participate in. Additionally, we will encourage our runners to participate in various races, including half-marathons and marathons, leading up to Baker to Vegas 2026. Overall, our goal is to assemble a team of hardworking, dedicated and disciplined runners who will strive to win and represent our department with pride.”
LA County Probation
Team LA County Probation Team Captains were Paul Chavez, Marcela Mascorro and Sandr Perez-Quintero.
“With the everchanging obstacles in our profession, we fused a team together to run this race. Each runner exceeded expectations on the course, while each volunteer replicated the efforts in their specific duties. We finished the race in inclement weather and impacted our department with optimism.”
LAPD Mission Division
LAPD Mission Team Captain was Sgt. David Gomez. Co-Captain was Sgt. Cesar Alvarez.
“Mission Division appreciates the Club’s continued support to our B2V team.”
What were the key highlights and areas where you felt the team excelled?
“The key highlight of this year performance was the overall performance of every runner. Last year, Mission team came in 154th overall. This year we were able to improve our time coming in eighth place in our category and 79th place overall, bringing back a mug. We give a big shoutout to our runners and support personnel. Proud to be part of this team.”
What were the biggest challenges or unexpected surprises your team faced?
“The biggest challenge was taking over the team as the Team Captain. I have run B2V for the last 16 years and had no idea of what goes on behind the scenes, from forming a team, fundraising, equipment and getting support personnel. We also did not have enough support personnel, and the support personnel had to adapt by staying out on the course for longer time or performing double duties. Due to their hard work, Mission was not penalized; that speaks volumes to their dedication.”
What are your priorities or goals as you look ahead?
“Our goals for next year are to continue to build camaraderie and improve our training for a faster 2026 season.”
LAPD Women
The LAPD Women’s Running Team Captains were Sgt. 1 Tracye Fields and Officer III Mariana Romo.
What were the key highlights and areas where you felt the team excelled?
“This year, a significant highlight for our team was the decision to hire a coach to guide our training specifically for Baker to Vegas. This investment paid tremendous dividends. Through the coach’s expertise, each runner was meticulously prepared to perform at her peak. Additionally, the coach’s insight allowed us to strategically assign each team member to the leg of the race that best matched her strengths. This thoughtful preparation elevated our overall performance and solidified our confidence as a team.
What were the biggest challenges or unexpected surprises your team faced?
“Baker to Vegas is always a test of resilience, not only because of the distance but due to the unpredictable and extreme conditions that are difficult to replicate during training in Southern California. Facing a combination of heat, humidity, wind and even sudden cold can be jarring. However, thanks to our preparation and team mindset, we adapted by focusing on hydration, maintaining flexibility in our support strategies, and rallying around each other when conditions became tough. Our collective determination and trust in our training helped us meet these challenges head on.
What are your priorities or goals as you look ahead?
“Looking ahead to 2026, we have already begun our training with the clear goal of capturing first place. Building on the foundation laid this year, we aim to fine-tune our strategies, continue leveraging coaching expertise, and elevate our physical and mental readiness. Our priority is to ensure that every runner is even stronger and more confident going into the race.
“We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Employees Club of California for their unwavering support of our team — not only for Baker to Vegas but also for the First Responders Relay. Being featured in Alive! is truly an honor and means so much to our team. On behalf of all of us, thank you for helping make these incredible experiences possible.
“As the final runner crossed the finish line, a powerful sense of accomplishment filled the air. 2025 Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup Repay proved once again to be a test of endurance, teamwork and determination, leaving participants with memories to cherries and stores to share for years to come.”
Pictures from Baker to Vegas First Place Teams
Pictures from Baker to Vegas Second Place Teams
Pictures from Baker to Vegas Third Place Teams
