This year’s HeartChase got blood pumped and funds raised for the American Heart Association.

The annual event, celebrating its third installment in Suffolk, continues to grow from previous years, said HeartChase Director Ryan Holloway.

“Money is still coming in, and we’re at about $52,000 raised,” Holloway said.

The top fundraising team was led by Mayor Linda T. Johnson, who also spearheaded a new effort to get more corporate teams involved. The city team raised more than $2,000, Holloway said.

But the winning team — Hearts and Clouds — came from Tek Systems, an IT staffing company from Chesapeake, Holloway said.

More than 70 teams participated, and there were about 250 registered players, Holloway said. Another 100 or so who weren’t actually registered played on teams, and about 100 people volunteered, making 450 participants, Holloway said.

“It was a great turnout,” Holloway said. “We had great weather, and we had some really fun checkpoints, so I think teams had a great time.”

The American Heart Association started HeartChase to help involve people who don’t participate in more traditional fundraising efforts. The Suffolk HeartChase is quickly becoming one of the best in the nation: Last year’s event was ranked No. 9 in the country.

Chasers form teams and participate in a scavenger hunt-like event that has them walking more than two miles. Along the way, they hit checkpoints that teach them about the prevention of heart disease and help them learn about local businesses sponsoring the checkpoints. They use a smartphone app to check in at the checkpoints and to find hidden points along the way.

New this year, participants enjoyed a post-chase lunch by Mason’s, located near the starting and ending point off Burnetts Way.

Jim Bonner, general manager of QVC’s Suffolk Distribution Center, was the 2015 executive chair for the Suffolk HeartChase.

“It was truly a pleasure to work with an outstanding committee and such supportive business and community leaders,” Bonner wrote in an email. “Saturday’s HeartChase event was the culmination of all the great work done by so many over the last year. HeartChase 2015 very clearly displayed what a caring, committed community we are so very fortunate to be a part of.”

QVC sponsored a checkpoint and employees reported they had a good time doing so, Bonner said.

Holloway said QVC and Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center both already have committed to being the top two sponsors again next year, so the event will be back next spring in the same place.

“This event kind of felt like we’re just now seeing what HeartChase can be,” Holloway said of its growing success.