Overall, $66,000 awarded including $16,000 PRRO Championship bonus money; 50th Gate River Run 15K opens 2027-28 PRRO Circuit, March 6 in Jacksonville, FL
DAVENPORT, IA – (July 30, 2026) – On a warm, humid, sunny Saturday morning, July 25, the PRRO Circuit held its 29th PRRO Championship at the 52nd Quad-City Times Bix 7, and Mohammed El Youssfi of Morocco and Everlyn Kemboi of Kenya dispatched all challengers to win their first PRRO Championship crowns. Youssfi finished in 32 minutes, 8 seconds and Kemboi recorded 35:30 over the out-and-back 7-mile course. The champions earned $17,500 each: $12,500 for the win plus $5000, splitting the $10,000 PRRO Super Bonus by virtue of winning a 2025-26 PRRO Circuit race (two for El Youssfi, Gate River Run 15K and Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile) or finishing in the top 5 of the PRRO Circuit points system (Kemboi, first in the women’s standings).
In the men’s race, with less than 2 miles remaining, Youssif, who was celebrating his 29th birthday, started his push to the finish line. He was followed by a large pack, including Kenyans Amon Kemboi and Victor Shitsama, Dawit Seare of Eritrea and Americans 2024 Bix 7 champion Wesley Kiptoo, 2023 Bix 7 champion Biya Simbassa and 2026 Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K winner Reid Buchanan. Running hard down the famed Brady Street hill in the final stretch, Youssif pulled away for the clear win. Seare secured second, 3 seconds back in 32:11. Kemboi took third in 32:16, followed closely by Simbassa, the top American in fourth (32:17).
For the women, it was a battle between Kemboi and fellow Kenyans Priscah Cherono and defending PRRO women’s champion Veronica Loleo. Kemboi, 30, who finished fourth last year at Bix, bided her time before, like Youssfi, she flew down Brady Street and recorded the third fastest women’s time at Bix (35:30). Loleo finished second in 35:57, followed by Cherono, 46, who finished third, setting a Masters (40 & older) course record of 36:11. Iowa native Kassie Parker, who earlier this year won two PRRO races (Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K & Steamboat Classic 4 Mile), was top American in fifth (36:47).
“The racing was outstanding at the 29th PRRO Championship hosted by one of America’s Classic Road Races, the Quad-City Times Bix 7,” said Don Kardong, PRRO Circuit President. “Congratulations to Mohammed El Youssfi and Everlyn Kemboi for their well-earned titles, which included earning and splitting the $10,000 PRRO Super Bonus. Also, it was great to award additional $1500 bonuses for three 2025-26 PRRO Circuit event winners who finished in the top 10.”
The 2026 PRRO Championship titlists at Bix also earned automatic berths to compete for the $10,000 PRRO Super Bonus at the 30th PRRO Championship presented by the Gate River Run 15K in March 2028. The PRRO Super Bonus resets to $10,000 the year after it has been won and grows by $5000 each year it goes unclaimed.
In addition to the Super Bonus, the following athletes by placing 2-10 at Bix were awarded a $1500 PRRO Individual Event Champion’s bonus for each 2025-26 PRRO Circuit win:
7th, 32:22, Reid Buchanan, USA (Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K 2026), $1500
2nd, 35:57, Veronica Loleo, Kenya (Boilermaker 15K 2025), defending women’s champion, $1500
5th, 36:47, Kassie Parker, USA (Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K 2026 & Steamboat Classic 4 Mile 2026), $3000Overall, at the Quad-City Times Bix 7, hosting its second PRRO Championship (also in 1997), an Open prize money total of $66,000 was awarded: race purse of $50,000 and $16,000 PRRO Championship bonus money.
At the 2026 Quad-City Times Bix 7, accompanying Prairie Farms Quick Bix 2 mile, Thursday night’s MercyOne Genesis Brady Street Sprints, and other race week events, more than 14,000 participants ran, walked or sprinted on the streets of Davenport, including 8,820 finishers in its signature event, the 7-mile. Complete race results HERE.
The 50th Gate River Run 15K opens the 2027-28 PRRO Circuit on Saturday, March 6, 2027 in Jacksonville, FL.
The PRRO Circuit showcases world class competition at six of America’s Classic Road Races™, the Gate River Run 15K in Jacksonville, FL, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile in Washington, DC, the Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K in Spokane, WA, the Steamboat Classic 4 Mile in Peoria, IL, the Boilermaker 15K in Utica, NY and the Quad-City Times Bix 7 in Davenport, IA. The 2025-26 PRRO Circuit offered more than $440,000 in guaranteed prize money overall with $148,100 for U.S. athletes. The PRRO Circuit, a nationwide series of premier non-marathon road racing events, is organized and promoted by the Professional Road Running Organization (PRRO), an alliance of race directors.
FINAL STATISTICS FOR THE PRRO CIRCUIT 2025-26 EVENTS
Quad-City Times Bix 7, July 26, 2025, Davenport, IA
$50,000 in prize money
WINNERS: Alex Maier, USA, 32:02 ($12,500) and Vibian Chepkirui, Kenya, 36:41 ($12,500)
Participants: 7,912
Gate River Run 15K, March 7, 2026, Jacksonville, FL
$72,000 in prize money ($23,000 U.S. prize money) plus $5000 Equalizer gender race and World, U.S. & course record bonus money
WINNERS: Mohammed El Youssfi, Morocco, 43:26 ($15,000) and Chloe Herbiet, Belgium, 47:58 ($10,000)
Participants: 15,243
Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile, April 12, 2026, Washington, DC
$80,600 in prize money ($48,600 U.S. prize money) plus performance bonuses
WINNERS: Mohammed El Youssfi, Morocco, 46:17 ($6000) and Asayech Ayichew, Ethiopia, 50:37 ($7000)
Participants: 20,531
50th Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K, May 3, 2026, Spokane, WA
$81,000 in prize money ($20,000 U.S. prize money)
WINNERS: Reid Buchanan, USA, 34:30 ($12,000) and Kasandra Parker, USA, 39:21 ($12,000)
Participants: 38,339
Steamboat Classic 4 Mile, June 6, 2026, Peoria, IL
$43,200 in U.S. prize money plus 2 Mile Prime and U.S. record bonus money
WINNERS: Ahmed Muhumed, USA, 17:57 ($6000) and Kasandra Parker, USA, 20:16 ($8000)
Participants: 1,582
Boilermaker 15K, July 12, 2026, Utica, NY
$65,100 in prize money ($14,500 U.S. prize money)
WINNERS: Alex Matata, KEN, 42:24 ($7000) and Tsigie Gebreselama, ETH, 47:29, event record ($7000)
Participants: 9,128
THE 29th PRRO CHAMPIONSHIP
Quad-City Times Bix 7, July 25, 2026, Davenport, IA
$50,000 in race prize money plus $10,000 PRRO Super Bonus (split) and $6000 PRRO Event Champions Bonus money
PRRO CHAMPIONS: Mohammed El Youssfi, Morocco, 32:08 ($17,500) and Everlyn Kemboi, Kenya, 35:30 ($17,500)
Participants: 8,820
With their 2026 PRRO Championship titles at Bix 7, Mohammed El Youssfi and Everlyn Kemboi were the first two athletes eligible to compete for the $10,000 PRRO Super Bonus at the 2028 PRRO Championship hosted by the Gate River Run 15K. In pursuit of the Super Bonus, the pair will join the 2027-28 Circuit event winners as well as the top 5 per gender in the PRRO Circuit points system (2-10 finishers score points at each current Circuit race; except, 2-5 finishers score at a U.S.-only Circuit race).
To-date, PRRO Circuit events have produced 18 world and 24 U.S. road records, awarded more than $9.2 million in prize money and seen more than 2.9 million runners cross their finish lines. In addition, since 1996, the PRRO Championship race has paid out more than $2.3 million, including $234,500 in PRRO Championship bonus money (first year 2009).
PRRO Championship and Circuit Year
The PRRO Circuit, launched in 1995, starts and finishes the Circuit Year at the same event that will also host the season-ending PRRO Championship race. The reigning titlists of the PRRO Championship, the event winners on the current Circuit and the top 5 in the PRRO points system are eligible to compete for the PRRO Super Bonus at the PRRO Championship.
Visit PRRO.org for more information, including race schedule, its history, past champions and the recently announced PRRO-lific Finisher program, as well as how to join the PRRO Circuit.