Neah Bay man wins Irrigation Festival 5k

Sequim woman finishes third overall

By Matthew Nash • May 21, 2025 1:30 am

The Irrigation Festival Run Series brought runners, walkers, riders and pups back to Washington Street on May 10 just prior to the Grand Parade.

Nearly 90 participants went either 1 mile or 5k starting from the future home of Shipley Center at 651 W. Washington St.

Organizers said they listened to participants’ feedback in years past and wanted to bring the event back to the Grand Finale Weekend and on the parade route.

Matthew Wolpert, a dentist from Neah Bay, won the 5k race with a time of 18:11.01, and afterward said it was fun to be on the parade route.

Sequim’s Luke Wage came in second at 20:12.58 while Stori Smith of Sequim finished third overall and just a hair behind Wage at 20:12.78.

Fourteen-year-old Axel Swanson of Port Angeles finished fourth overall at 20:23.88.

Tatiana Bigler of Gig Harbor was fifth overall and came in second for women at 23:19.90 while Taylor Willis of Torrance, Calif. finished third overall for all women running the 5k at 25:12.69.

Find full results at irrigationfestival.com/site/event/run-series-2025.

For more information on next year’s Run Series and the festival set for May 1-10, 2026, visit irrigationfestival.com.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Runners and walkers start the Irrigation Festival’s Run Series on May 10.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Amber the dog is a hit with fellow runners after finishing the 1 mile race with her owner Nick Durso. It was their fourth year running the race, he said.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Carolyn Hamilton of Sequim receives a medal after finishing the one mile race of the Irrigation Festival’s Run Series.