A couple weeks back, Jane Kim challenged Scott Wiener to a Pokémon Go race, and Wiener accepted. The two rivals for one of SF's state senate seats held their contest Saturday, and with the help of three extra team members apiece, they set about trying to catch as many Pokémon as they could in a two-hour span. And Kim's team won.
The Chronicle's John King, who more typically serves as the paper's architecture and urban design critic, covered the silly proceedings. Kim explained, "This just seemed like a way to lighten things up, and take part in a national craze born here."
Things kicked off at the 24th Street BART station, and from there Wiener's group got in a car and headed to the Ferry Building, and Kim's team walked over to Lilac Alley between 25th and 26th Streets where "the murals apparently are infused with Pokémon of all sizes and shapes," writes King, clearly baffled by all this.
It seems like it was a smart move, because after two hours, Team Kim had racked up 738 points compared to Team Wiener's 674. Kim said her team's strategy "shows that walking is good for you."
The prize for the winner? A charitable contribution.
Besides bragging rights, the challenge included a wager: $500 from the loser to the winner’s charity of choice. Wiener donated $500 to At the Crossroads, a nonprofit that works with homeless youth. Kim agreed to pay off as well, with a $500 contribution to Project Open Hand, which provides food to people in need.
Previously: Wiener Rejects Kim's 'Positive Campaign Pledge' In State Senate Campaign Ads