Kendra Masika and Lawrence Larot were crowned elite champions of the fourth Kaptagat Cycling Challenge, each earning Ksh 200,000. Visually impaired cyclist Martin Kariuki and pilot Samson Njenga won the para men's category, while 12-year-old Meshack Kiptoo Koech topped the junior men's field. Full results below.
Dr. Chris Kiptoo / Facebook
Kendra Masika and Lawrence Larot have been crowned elite champions of the fourth edition of the Kaptagat Cycling Challenge, held in Elgeyo Marakwet County on Saturday. The two cyclists each walked away with Ksh 200,000 after winning the gruelling 80km race through the Kaptagat Forest ecosystem.
The race forms part of the Kaptagat Integrated Conservation Programme (Kaptagat-ICP), a community-led conservation initiative spearheaded by National Treasury Principal Secretary and Programme Patron Dr. Chris Kiptoo. This year's edition also marked 10 years of the programme's work restoring the Kaptagat Forest ecosystem.
A total of 130 cyclists took part, a 30 per cent rise in participation from previous editions, competing across elite, para-cycling, junior, veteran and team categories for a total prize purse of Sh4 million. The race was officially flagged off by Principal Secretary for Mining Harry Kimutai.
Lawrence Larot won the elite men's category in 1:53:45, ahead of Charles Kagimu in second and Billy Mangwana in third.
| Pos | Name | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 1 | Lawrence Larot | Team Amani | 01:53:45 |
| 🥈 2 | Charles Kagimu | Kenyan Riders | 01:54:15 |
| 🥉 3 | Billy Mangwana | Black Mamba Development | 01:55:52 |
| 4 | Stanley Ngugi | Black Mamba Development | 01:56:20 |
| 5 | Shafik Mugalu | Black Mamba Development | 01:56:40 |
| 6 | Joseph Kamau | Sossi Safari Simbaz | 01:56:40 |
| 7 | Ivan Kipruto | Black Mamba Development | 01:56:46 |
| 8 | Cornelius Kemboi | Urban Cycling Club | 01:56:47 |
| 9 | Evan Wangai | Kenyan Riders | 01:56:48 |
| 10 | Bernard Njoroge | Kenyan Riders | 01:56:49 |
Larot, who trains and studies in Kaptagat, said the area feels like home.
"Kaptagat is like home to me, because I have been racing here and I have been studying here in Kaptagat. So, I am really feeling happy to win here today," he said.
Kendra Masika won the elite women's category in 2:20:42, with Mary Aleper and Martinie Muinu completing the podium.
| Pos | Name | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 1 | Kendra Masika | Kenyan Riders | 02:20:42 |
| 🥈 2 | Mary Aleper | Black Mamba Development | 02:20:43 |
| 🥉 3 | Martinie Muinu | Black Mamba Development | 02:20:44 |
| 4 | Monica Jelimo | Sossi Safari Simbaz | 02:20:45 |
| 5 | Grace Kaviro | Black Mamba Development | 02:20:57 |
| 6 | Berber Kramer* | ZUZU Bikeshop | 02:21:05 |
| 7 | Dinnah Safari | AirPocket | 02:21:17 |
| 8 | Nancy Akinyi | Sossi Safari Simbaz | 02:33:53 |
| 9 | Sherry Chepkemboi | Kenyan Riders | 02:34:11 |
| 10 | Jamillah Abdullah | Bicycle Garage Nairobi | 02:34:15 |
Berber Kramer is listed in the Veteran Women category on the official results sheet, though her finish time placed her within the Elite Women field.
Masika said the win has strengthened her resolve to pursue even greater success in the sport.
"I am not giving up anytime soon"
Kendra Masika
"I am just beginning, and I am not giving up anytime soon. This win motivates me a lot, and I will keep fighting," she said.
Visually impaired cyclist Martin Kariuki and his pilot Samson Njenga won the para men's category, improving from eighth place last year to champions after a year of dedicated training.
| Pos | Name | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 1 | Martin Kariuki Mbogo | Abayomi Velonos | 02:16:18 |
| 🥈 2 | Gabriel Ambuko | 02:23:03 | |
| 🥉 3 | Brian Obare | 02:39:59 |
Riding a specially designed tandem bicycle, with Njenga steering from the front and Kariuki pedalling from the rear, the pair trained three days a week for four hours per session ahead of the race.
"I feel so good because this is exactly what we were working towards. We'll keep improving. I also hope the prize money for para-cycling can be increased because it is shared between the pilot and the visually impaired cyclist. Better rewards would help athletes buy their own equipment and improve their lives," Kariuki said.
Njenga said the pair hoped their win would encourage more people living with disabilities to take up competitive sport.
"Our mission is to show people living with disabilities that they are just as capable as anyone else. Disability should never stop someone from chasing their dreams," he said.
| Pos | Name | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ann Nekesa | |
| 2 | Irene Ndila | |
| 3 | Felistus Kaveva |
Twelve-year-old Meshack Kiptoo Koech, a Grade Six pupil, beat older riders to win the junior men's category, completing the 80km course despite the cold conditions.
| Pos | Name | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 1 | Frankline Kibet | 01:59:39 | |
| 🥈 2 | Dancan Rutto | 02:01:14 | |
| 🥉 3 | Wasswa Hassan | Masaka Cycling Club | 02:03:23 |
Koech, who started cycling at age seven, has now raced at Kaptagat for three straight years after failing to win in his first two attempts.
"For 2024, the results were not very good, and in 2025, I was in the under-23 category. That was not good. 2026 is the best. I have become number one," he said.
"I do not fear anyone because I've trained so hard," he added.
| Pos | Name | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 1 | Mercy Eragae | Kenyan Riders | 02:38:05 |
| 🥈 2 | Sharon Cheruiyot | Kenyan Riders | 02:48:21 |
The Kaptagat Integrated Conservation Programme was founded in 2017 and has since restored more than 3,000 hectares across the Kaptagat, Sabor, Penon, Kipkabus and Kessup forest blocks, facilitating the planting of more than two million trees.
Dr. Kiptoo said the programme has shown that conservation and community development can go hand in hand.
"I can look back 10 years and see a lot of progress. We have made tremendous progress in restoring the forest and improving livelihoods," he said.
He also launched a "10 to 20" vision, a commitment to double the programme's conservation impact over the next decade, and challenged leaders across the country to visit Kaptagat and replicate the model.
Forestry Principal Secretary Gitonga Mugambi echoed the call, urging stakeholders to adopt the approach elsewhere.
"We are calling on many more people to come, learn what is happening here and start similar initiatives in their respective areas. By involving communities, we can restore our forests, grow the 15 billion trees and contribute to the country's broader environmental agenda," he said.
Runners keen to experience Kaptagat for themselves will not have to wait long. The Kaptagat Forest Marathon takes place on Saturday, 11 July, just a week after the cycling challenge, with races over 5km, 10km, 21km and a first-ever 42km full marathon distance.
Registration is currently free across all four distances. Runners can sign up on the ChronoRace platform before entries close on 10 July at 23:59.
Results times and the full participant list were clarified by Charles of the Kenya Cycling Racing Series (KCRS) via WhatsApp message following the event.
Check our Kenya cycling calendar for upcoming events, and bookmark our Kaptagat Cycling Challenge page for updates on next year's edition.
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