B.C. skiers dominate at national cross-country championships
The Canadian national cross-country ski championships were held March 10-13 at Thunder Bay, Ont. This was a huge event with most age classes having between 65 and 80 competitors. A top-10 result at this event is something to be proud of!
B.C. skiers, including those from the Okanagan, performed outstandingly. The championships began on Saturday with the classic technique team relay.
Kelowna skiers from the Telemark Nordic club, Cole Turner and Ian Williams, placed second in the Boy’s Challenge relay race.
Sunday saw the running of the interval start classic technique races, and B.C. skiers tied their all-time record by winning nine medals in a single day at the nationals.
Five of the top-six finishers in Junior Girls were from B.C.
Four of the top-six finishers in Juvenile Girls were from B.C.
Three of the top-six finishers in Junior Women were from B.C.
Four of the top-nine finishers in Junior Boys were from B.C.
Vernon’s Hannah Mehain, who trains with the Telemark club, was first in Junior Women. Several Telemark skiers did well — Ian Williams, 3rd Jr. Boy; Cole Turner, 9th Jr. Boy; Thomas Hardy, 4th under 23 men. Kelowna’s national team skier, Gareth Williams, graduated this year from Junior (18-20) to Senior men and under 23 men. He came 8th in Sr. Men and 3rd in under 23 men.
On the fourth day of the championships, the Free technique race was held after which the times for the interval start classic race and the freestyle race were added together to determine the winner of the Pursuit race.
Again, B.C. skiers were impressive — with nine of the top-10 finishers in Junior Girls hailing from B.C.; six of the top-nine finishers in Juvenile Girls were from B.C.; and four of the top-seven finishers in Junior Boys were from B.C.
Top-10 results were registered by Ian Williams (4th Jr. Boy, Telemark), Page Latta (7th Jr. Girl, Sovereign Lake), Cole Turner (7th Jr. Boy, Telemark), Connor Hobbs (8th Jr. Boy, Telemark), and Gareth Williams (3rd under 23 men, Telemark).
The nationals ended up with the sprint races on March 14, where Mehain had the fastest qualifying time in Junior Women and managed a very well deserved third place in the final.
Gareth Williams advanced to the quarterfinals, finishing 24th in Sr. Men. It should be noted that his strong point is longer-distance races, and the sprint is not where he shines.
Two other Telemark skiers, Thomas Hardy and Greg Kilroy, finished 36th and 40th, while Tallon Noble had a good race finishing sixth in a large Junior Men’s field (50+ skiers).
Meanwhile, the Sovereign Lake Loppet was held on March 4. It had a good turnout of 224 skiers from throughout the Okanagan and a few from Alberta and Vancouver.
Telemark Nordic members did very well. In the two-kilometre Kids race, Sylvie Achtem took third in F8-10, while Aya Sentesy was second in F11-13.
In the 10K event for 17-and-under, Rowan Musselman-Bell and Sophie Steinruck both took second-place awards.
In the recreational 10K race, Ingrid Musselman-Bell and Akiko Sentesy finished first and third among the women, and Gerry Morrison came third in Men’s 50+.
The main event, the 30K loppet, was won by Sovereign Lake’s Andrew Casey (M30-39) with Telemark’s Tim Musselman-Bell (M4049) in second. Telemarks Peter Watson took second place in M30-39. Eric Rayson, who is just a few days away from his 80th birthday, showed us again that age is just a number by finishing second in M70+.
The Telemark women also did very well. Stacey Smith won the F30-39 class and Amanda Kosmerly took first place in the F40-49 class.
The F50-59 class was amazing, posting the second, third and fourth fastest Female times! Telemark’s Michele Wolfe was third in the class, less than a half-second out of second.
In the F60-69 class, Sovereign Lake’s Pat Pearce proved, again, that she is unbeatable.
CYCLING
Kelowna’s professional cyclist, Jordan Cheyne, tells me that he is looking forward to his first race with his new team, ElevateKHS. Cheyne says: “I am racing the Chico Stage Race. It will be my first race with Elevate. It should be a good challenge with a circuit race on a car racing track, a road race with gravel sections, a time trial and a criterium. I should cover all the bases there and get used to racing again. After that, I will be headed to San Dimas in southern California. That is a race more specifically suited to my strength with an uphill time trial. These are smaller preparatory events before a bigger series in April/May, but I am hoping to do well.” I plan to report on his results in my next column.
RUNNING AND TRIATHLONS
The Cherry Blossom Triathlon (May 6) is sold out for this year! This is a great event for beginner triathletes or for experienced triathletes who want to test themselves before the summer triathlon season.
This year, a warm-up event is especially important as in August the Kelowna Apple Triathlon will be the Canadian Championship race.
The Cherry Blossom Tri is organized by Malindi Elmore and her husband Graham Hood, with support from the Fresh Air Experience/Concept sports stores.
Runners who are looking to increase their speed — and that’s most runners — should avail themselves of the free speed training sessions offered by the Kelowna Running Club. These are held every Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Apple Bowl. No need to register, just show up and get some top-level coaching.
KRC member Al Gillespie is training a group of runners who plan to run the Vancouver Marathon this spring.
This is a fundraiser to help kids in India, as Gillespie explains: “We are a group of runners and walkers partnering with Child of Mine, a charity supporting two children’s homes in Northern India. Our goal is to raise $30,000 to help build a boy’s dormitory at one of the homes. Your contributions and support will be another step in making this dream a reality.”
For more information, or to donate, go online to childofmine.ca.
The Barkley Marathons is considered by many to be the toughest running race in the world. It is an absolutely insane race, organized by a rather quirky race director. The race began in 1986 and, since that time, there have been only 15 finishers!
The Barkley Marathons is an ultramarathon trail race held in Frozen Head State Park near Wartburg, Tennessee. Runners may elect a “fun run” of 60 miles (97 km) or the full course of 100 miles (160 km). The race consists of five 20-mile (33-km) laps and is limited to a 60-hour period, it takes place in late March or early April of each year. The competitors face very rough and hostile country and a mind-blowing 16,500 metres (54,200 feet) of climbing.
Runners come from all over the world to try to be one of the very rare finishers. It’s difficult to even get into the race. The Barkley is limited to 40 runners, and usually fills up quickly the day that registration opens. Requirements and times to submit an entry application are a closely guarded secret, with no details advertised publicly.
Potential entrants must complete an essay on “Why I Should be Allowed to Run in the Barkley”, pay a $1.60 application fee, and complete other requirements subject to change. If accepted, an entrant receives a “letter of condolence”.
Upon arriving, new entrants (first-time runners) are required to bring a license plate from their state/country as part of the entrance.
People who have run the race previously are required to mail in an additional “fee” which in the past has included things such as a white shirt, socks, or a flannel shirt, as a donation for being a non-finisher.
If an entrant had finished the race previously and is running again, the entrance fee is a pack of Camel cigarettes, which is given to race director Lazarus at the race.
Race bib No. 1 is always given to the person deemed to be the least likely to finish one lap out of all who have applied — a “human sacrifice,” as Lazarus calls it.
Last year, North Vancouver runner Gary Robins came within six seconds of finishing in the 60-hour time limit. This year, he has entered again, for the third time, and is determined to be the 16th all-time finisher.
There is a wonderful documentary on the race available on Netflix, well worth watching for runners and non-runners alike. Also there is a movie about Robins’ previous two attempts called “Where Dreams Go To Die” that is available to download.