Simbassa, Taylor Win Quad-City Times Bix 7 at Third PRRO Stop

August 3, 2023

Midwest summer classic awarded $50,000 U.S. prize money for national championship race; next PRRO stop, Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile on April 7, 2024 in Washington, DC

DAVENPORT, IA /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – On Saturday morning, July 29, at the third stop on the PRRO Circuit 2023-24, Biya Simbassa and Kellyn Taylor won their respective Quad-City Times Bix 7 races as well as earning USATF Men & Women’s 7 Mile Championships titles and qualifying berths for the 2024 PRRO Championship next May at the Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K in Spokane, WA.

The winning duo are eligible to take a shot at the $15,000 PRRO Super Bonus at the 2024 PRRO Championship, joining Jemal Yimer (ETH), Yeshi Kalayu (ETH) and Jesca Chelangat (KEN). The PRRO Super Bonus is awarded to the PRRO Championship winner from among the eligible athletes (split if eligible male and female win the PRRO title).

Under warm, humid conditions at the 49th Bix edition, Simbassa, 30, covered the challenging 7 mile course in 32 minutes, 35 seconds, followed by 2023 USATF 8K champion Clayton Young in 32:53. In the women’s race, NAZ Elite teammates, Taylor and Aliphine Tuliamuk, battled over the final mile with Taylor, 37, pulling away for a 5 second win, 36:33 to 36:38. Simbassa secured his fourth USA road title, and Taylor won her second USA road crown.

Overall, Bix paid out $50,000 in national championship money with $12,500 for each USA champion.

“With exciting races and large community involvement, the Bix 7 again shone as an American classic road race, and we hope to see Biya Simbassa and Kellyn Taylor on the 2024 PRRO Championship start line next May at the Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K,” said Don Kardong, PRRO President and Bloomsday founder.

More than 10,000 Bix participants ran or walked on the streets of Davenport over the weekend, with 6,819 finishers in the 7 mile, 1,772 finishers in the Prairie Farms Quick Bix 2 Mile on Saturday, July 29 and 1,500 in the Arconic Jr. Bix on Friday, July 28. Complete race results here.

For the non-pros in the 7 mile race, an additional $17,500 in prize money was awarded via the Caesars Sportsbook Teams Competition (5 runners with the fastest 4 runners scoring), Buick GMC Dealer’s High School Challenge (first IA or IL male & female high school finishers; grant money to the school) and the Russell Beat the Elite (two winning runners with handicap head start).

The PRRO Circuit showcases world class competition at four of America’s Classic Road Races™, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile in Washington, DC, the Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K in Spokane, WA, the Boilermaker 15K in Utica, NY and the Quad-City Times Bix 7 in Davenport, IA. Current Circuit prize money totals more than $340,000 in guaranteed prize money overall, including $135,500 in U.S.-only money. 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.

Because the PRRO Super Bonus went unclaimed at the recent PRRO Championship hosted by the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile on April 2, it will increase to $15,000 for the 27th PRRO Championship presented by Bloomsday on May 5, 2024.

PRRO CIRCUIT EVENTS 2023-24

Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K, May 7, 2023, Spokane, WA

$81,000 in prize money ($20,000 U.S. prize money)

WINNERS: Jemal Yimer*, Ethiopia, 33:58 and Yeshi Kalayu*, Ethiopia, 38:49

Boilermaker 15K, July 9, 2023, Utica, NY

$65,100 in prize money ($14,500 U.S. prize money)

WINNERS: Jemal Yimer*, Ethiopia, 42:06 and Jesca Chelangat*, Kenya, 47:33, course records

Quad-City Times Bix 7, July 29, 2023, Davenport, IA

$50,000 in USA Championship prize money

WINNERS: Biya Simbassa*, USA, 32:35 and Kellyn Taylor*, USA, 36:33

Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile, April 7, 2024, Washington, DC

$71,000 in prize money ($31,000 USA Championship and RRCA prize money) plus performance bonuses

THE 27th PRRO CHAMPIONSHIP

Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K, May 5, 2024, Spokane, WA

$81,000 in prize money ($20,000 U.S. prize money), tentative

*Qualified to compete for the $15,000 PRRO Super Bonus at the 2024 PRRO Championship.

To-date, PRRO Circuit events have produced 17 world and 18 U.S. road records, awarded more than $8.2 million in prize money and seen more than 2.6 million runners cross their finish lines. In addition, since 1996, the PRRO Championship race has paid out more than $2.1 million including $183,500 in PRRO Championship bonus money.

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 and the event winners on the current Circuit are eligible to compete for the PRRO Super Bonus at the PRRO Championship.

Visit PRRO.org for more information, including its history and past champions, as well as how to join the PRRO Circuit.

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