Events

Corey Bellemore and Elizabeth Laseter Defend World Titles; Team USA Dominates at the 2024 Beer Mile World Classic

Recap, race videos, and results from the 10th annual Beer Mile World Classic - the world's premier running and drinking competition

Tinny

Aug 18, 2024 • 6 min read

10th Annual Beer Mile World Classic - Windsor, Ontario - August 17, 2024

August 17, 2024 – Windsor, Ontario

The Beer Mile World Classic is the pinnacle of running and drinking, attracting elite athletes and beer enthusiasts from around the globe.

Each year, the World Classic moves to a new city around the world. To celebrate a decade of this iconic event, we brought the action to Windsor, Ontario (Canada) - the hometown of Corey Bellemore, the reigning world champion and world record holder in the beer mile.

On a freshly laid track (literally - the lane lines were not even painted yet) at the University of Windsor, the best beer milers from around the world convened once again to compete for glory and world titles.

Watch the Races

Full Results

2024 Beer Mile World Classic results

Men's Championship

Featuring Beer Mile World Record Holder Corey Bellemore

All eyes were on world record holder Corey Bellemore (Canada) and the locals came out in droves to support their hometown hero.

Corey was expected to dominate the race, but the real question was whether he would get redemption from his one shoe blunder at last year's World Classic to lower his own 4:28 beer mile world record.

Start of the Men's Championship at the 2024 Beer Mile World Classic - Photo: Jake Clement

This year's race saw a lot of fresh faces competing in their first World Classic alongside some of the veterans of the sport, including two-time world champion and US record holder, Chris Robertson, former US record holder, Garrett Cullen, Scandinavian record holder, Markus Liwing, and Scottish record holder Chris Russell.

Corey took the race out hard and was clear of the field in the first lap. It was him against the clock, with the crowd roaring along the homestretch and chug zone as he poured the nectar of the gods down his gullet.

Corey Bellemore in the chug zone at the 2024 Beer Mile World Classic - Photo: Jake Clement

Corey kept both shoes on this year, but fell just short of his world record finishing in 4:30. Although he fell short of the world record, this is now the 9th straight year where Corey has run 4:34 or faster at every single World Classic he's competed in - a level of consistency and dominance we may never see again in the beer mile.

The race for second was neck and neck between Chris Robertson (USA), Andrew Benkovsky (USA), and Chris Russell (Scotland). Robertson was first off the line after the fourth beer, with Russell and Benkovsky hot on his tail.

From Left to Right: Chris Russell (Scotland), Andrew Benkovsky (USA), Chris Robertson (USA) - Photo: Jake Clement

Benkovsky unleashed a beastly kick down the homestretch to pass both of the Chris's and claim second in a personal best 4:57. Robertson took third in 4:58, with Russell setting a massive personal best of 5:00 to lower his own Scottish national record.

In the team competition, defending champions Team USA had to rely on fresh talent to retain their world crown against host country Canada. Only Chris Robertson and Garrett Cullen returned from Team USA's 2023 roster.

The new blood delivered, with the US men claiming second (Andrew Benkovsky), third (Chris Robertson), and fifth (Hayden Bunnell) overall to lock up the world title for the 7th time in the 10 years of this event.

Team USA takes home the Kingston Cup - from left to right: Hayden Bunnell, William Purifoy, Joe Kehoe, Chris Robertson, Nate Beach, Garrett Cullen, Andrew Benkovsky

Watch the Men's Championship Race

Beer Mile World Classic - Men's Championship Race

Corey Bellemore Ponders Retirement from the Beer Mile

After the race, Corey faced the crowd with a microphone in hand and announced his likely retirement from the beer mile.

After almost of decade of world dominance, Corey has shifted his focus to longer running events, triathlon, and family.

Will we ever get to witness another Corey Bellemore beer mile? Corey shares his rationale and motivation for stepping away in the video below.

Corey Bellemore acknowledges the crowd after winning the 2024 Beer Mile World Classic - Photo: Jake Clement

Corey Bellemore acknowledges the crowd after winning the 2024 Beer Mile World Classic - Photo: Jake Clement

Corey Bellemore Discusses Retirement from the Beer Mile

Corey Bellemore discusses retirement from the Beer Mile

Women's Championship

Featuring Defending World Champions Elizabeth Laseter, Melanie Pozdol and Allison Grace Morgan

From left to right: Allison Grace Morgan (USA), Frida Hellstadius (Sweden), Melanie Pozdol (USA), Elizabeth Laseter (USA)

All eyes were on three Americans heading into this race: defending champion and championship record holder with a time of 6:03, Elizabeth Laseter, 2022 champion Melanie Pozdol, and former world record holder and multiple-time world champion Allison Grace Morgan.

Laura Riches (England), the now former European record holder, and Anna Kamp (Germany), the newly minted European record holder, were both wild cards that were also expected to be in the mix.

Laura Riches (England) leads Anna Kamp (Germany) in the middle of the 2024 Beer Mile World Classic

Laura Riches got out hard the first lap, but after beer two the race quickly turned into a neck and neck battle between Laseter and Pozdol. Pozdol was necking the beers quicker than Laseter, but Laseter regained the lead while running each lap.

Ultimately, Laseter's speed helped her run away from Pozdol on the last lap, finishing in her second-fastest time ever and the third-fastest time ever recorded, 6:06. Pozdol ran a personal best time of 6:17 to take second. Grace Morgan rounded out the podium in third in 6:25.

Germany's Anna Kamp set a new European record of 6:31 in her first ever World Classic appearance.

As a team, the US women won their 6th straight world title and completed the podium sweep yet again. They have now won seven of the ten World Classics.