PHOTOS: Pahrump welcomes the 2025 Baker to Vegas relay race

Law enforcement officials from around the globe took on the Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup Relay this past weekend and Pahrump made sure everyone, from the runners to the support staff, was greeted with enthusiasm as they made the trek through town.

This decades-old, 120-mile-long race is broken down into 20 stages, requiring staging stations at intervals of roughly every six miles, where runners can pass their batons onto the next team member before taking some time to hydrate and catch their breath. Pahrump marks the halfway point of the race and runners, tailed by their pace cars, began arriving in the valley the afternoon of Saturday, April 5 and continued on their way toward the Spring Mountains well into the late-night hours. There were several staging stations set up in the valley and each was manned by eager volunteers out to show their support, ensuring the competing teams were all welcomed with enthusiasm.

The official results of the 2025 Baker to Vegas race have been released and finishing first overall to secure the Challenge Cup was the California Highway Patrol - Elite team, which ran the relay in 12 hours, 31 minutes and 55 seconds. The LA Police Dept. - Elite, LA Sheriff’s Dept. - Elite, U.S. Border Patrol and Anaheim Police Dept. - Elite teams came in second, third, fourth and fifth overall, respectively.

The Baker to Vegas Relay is a program conducted by the LA Police Revolver and Athletic Club (LAPRAAC), a private, nonprofit organization that has been in existence for over 90 years.

“LAPRAAC has striven to ensure the highest level of professional law enforcement skills by providing athletic, educational, marksmanship, physical fitness, recreational and social activities to benefit its members,” information on the organization details. “The Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup is one of the many benefits LAPRAAC offers to support its members. The race was founded by LA Police Officers Chuck Foote and Larry Moore (deceased) in 1985 with the continuous financial support of LAPRAAC.

“The Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup was built on the foundation of the Death Valley Relay,” the LAPRAAC explains. “For six years Bud Graves, LAPD Metro Division, coordinated that race. On its conclusion, those roots saw the start of what we see today, on average 275-plus law enforcement teams from throughout the world come to enjoy the Mojave Desert. We all have Bud to thank for getting the shoes moving. There are over 10,000 participants, including many chiefs of police, sheriffs, agents in charge and other heads of agencies who support their teams, making this the largest ‘Cop Run’ in the world.”

The very first team to hold the Challenge Cup was LA Police Central Area, which cleared the original course in 1985 with a time of 14 hours, 16 minutes and 47 seconds. Every year since, with the exception of 2020 and 2021 when the COVID-19 pandemic had many events on pause, the Baker to Vegas race has continued to showcase the athleticism of law enforcement officials. Throughout the last four decades, the majority of winners for the Challenge Cup have hailed from California, primarily the LA area, but in 2019 the Belize National Police managed to secure the trophy and the current record-holder for fastest time is the New York Police Dept.- Men’s Team, which completed the course last year in 12 hours, 19 minutes and 43 seconds.

For more information on the Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup Relay as well as full results of the 2025 race, visit BakerVegas.net.

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com