Winner of Aerial Tramroad Challenge Ran 6K in 2Less than 30 Minutes
PALM SPRINGS — The winner of Saturday’s 39th Annual Palm Springs Aerial Tram Road Challenge was Amelio Chio of Cathedral City who ran the “World’s Toughest 6K” in 28 minutes, 8 seconds.
The second-place male finisher was J.J. Santana of Henderson, NV, and third place was Alberto Martinez of Coachella. The first-place female finisher was Jade Belzberg of Fort Langley, BC with a time of 30 minutes, 42 seconds.
The second-place female finisher was Camille Shiflett of Quilcene, WA, and third place was Paulina Ansley of Palm Desert. You can view a list of all the winners by clicking here.
The first Tram Road Challenge was held in 1983, and was won by Rob Slick in 27 minutes, 35 seconds and Nancy Baird in 35 minutes, 25 seconds. The fastest men’s time was set by Rubin Garcia of Mexico—26 minutes, 5 seconds—in 1987.
Lubov Kremleva of Russia set the fastest women’s time—28 minutes, 56 seconds in 1998.
Some 1,066 runners and walkers registered for the 2026 Tram Road Challenge.
About Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is the world’s largest rotating tram car. Opened in 1963, the Tram’s 80-passenger cars travel along the breathtaking cliffs of Chino Canyon from the Valley Station (elevation 2,643 ft.) to the Mountain Station (elevation 8,516 ft.) in approximately 10 minutes. For more information, please call 888-515-TRAM or 760-325-1391 or visit www.pstramway.com.
