The 41^st running of the Vermont Corporate Cup and State Agency Race had 1,952 participants, including both runners and walkers, and continues to be one of the largest races in Vermont. After seeing more than 4,000 participants in the 2019 event, races were canceled in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 outbreak, explained race director Leslie Davis. Participation in 2023 was very similar to this year with 1,853 runners and walkers. 

“We’re hoping to build the participation back up,” Davis said, noting that the increased incidence of remote working in both state and corporate offices likely has diminished both the energy and opportunities for recruiting teams among co-workers. 

Davis also pointed out that individuals can sign up and run in the event without being on a team. The event, which began in 1980 as a state employee event with 23 participants, has been an annual project of the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports since the 1990s. For 2024, Union Mutual was the presenting sponsor.

The fastest individual walker, and by a considerable margin, was Andrea Vogl, 48, a Burlington resident who finished in 34:09. Second overall, and also from Burlington, was Steve Dargy, 30, who finished the walk in 37:38.

Although many of the people in the walking event simply walk, race walking competitively involves a very specific technique, and the race organizers station judges along the course to be certain competitive walkers are using the proper form, which is to say, not jogging. The Corporate Cup website provides a video showing the proper technique.

Teams

Most of the participants, both runners and walkers, participated as three-person teams in one of several divisions: Corporate, State, Nonprofit, or Open. The overall winning team was in the Open division, male with a time of 52:58. The Dealer.com team 1 included Brent Towne (17:24), Silas Talbot (17:45), and Chris Coffey (17:49), all representing Cox Automotive. All three of them finished in the top 10 of the male runners.The complete results, and those of earlier years of the event, can be found at iResultsLIVE!

WEYBRIDGE, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermonters gathered at an Eco-Fair in Weybridge in search of ways to make the grass greener this spring.

Weybridge Energy Committee hosted the event at Weybridge Elementary School. Visitors browsed booths featuring composting, home energy and heating solutions and lawncare.

Those looking for more energy-efficient ways to trim their lawns tested out lawn mowers through Mow Electric.

“It seems to work just as well as a regular lawnmower if not better, so then why not go electric if you can?” Sylvie Doutriaux of Weybridge said, testing out an electric mower.

And in honor of “No Mow May,” conservation organization Pollinator Pathway handed out native plant seeds, advocating for natural lawns safe for pollinators.

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