L’Alpe de Grand Blanc proving to be tough race
The distance from East Kelowna Hall to the top of Big White is only 60 kilometres. But what a tough 60K, as it climbs 1,731 metres (5,700 feet).
This year was the fourth running of this unrelenting hill climb — L’Alpe de Grand Blanc — and it attracted about 150 riders from the Okanagan and beyond.
Personally, I have rarely been as nervous about a race as I was for this one. Last year I cramped up so badly that I was unable to pedal the last five kilometres and had to get a ride to the finish.
That was a very unpleasant experience and, although I was better prepared this year, I was still very apprehensive about the race. However, it went quite well! I slowed my pace a bit, felt some twinges of cramps with 20K to go, slowed a bit more and finished comfortably, well behind the leaders, in three hours 42 minutes.
The race was won by a pro cyclist from the USA, Tim Savre in 1:59:15. He just managed to out sprint Kelowna rider, and Gran Fondo winner, Seth Cowie, by three seconds over the last few metres.
Penticton pro-triathlete, Emma Lujen, who I understand is Savre’s girlfriend, was the first woman in 2:04:25. She was followed by another pro-triathlete, Rachel McBride from Victoria. The amazing Marg Fedyna, who is a part-time Kelowna resident, proved again that at age 52 she is still an awesome hill climber, finishing as the third woman just behind the two much younger women.
Another great ride was turned in by Vernon’s Olav Stana, who won the M60+ class and finished 11th overall in 2:07. Stana has been one of Canada’s most outstanding cyclists and cross-country skiers for many years. Two of my cycling friends, Cliff Serwa and Eric Rayson, both in their early 80s, also had impressive rides. Eric finished in 3:08 and Cliff, riding with Olympic champion granddaughter Kelsey, in 3:20.
Many of my cycling friends competed, and I want to give them kudos for a job well done. Congratulations to Derek Barile (our Fresh Air Saturday ride leader), Rob Robinson, Amanda Hardy (amazing for a first-year cyclist), Bob Bartlett, John Davina, Emily Cheyne, Erica Biser, Julie Barile, Owen Taylor and Richard Montgomery.
CONOR MARTIN SUBERB AT TOUR OF ABITIBI
The Tour de l’Abitibi is a junior bicycle stage race taking place in the Abitibi region of Quebec. The race was first held in 1969 and did not, at the time, include non-Canadian teams. It has since become an international competition — part of the Junior Nation’s Cup — and is currently the only junior-level race in North America sponsored by the Union Cycliste Internationale.
A number of renowned cyclists, such as Steve Bauer, Laurent Jalabert, Bobby Julich and Andrew Hampsten, participated in the Tour before launching their pro careers.
Since 2000, one stage of Tour de l’Abitibi takes place in an underground mine some 300-feet (91 metres) below ground. Cyclists must ride through the tunnels and up the access ramp (a 17 per cent slope) before racing through the streets of Val-d’Or.
The 50th edition of the Tour de l’Abitibi concluded on Sunday, with Kelowna’s Conor Martin (TaG Cycling Team) as top Canadian in the overall standings, finishing 10th. Martin also took the Polka Dot Jersey as the top climber in the race, as well as finishing third in the Best Young Rider category. Baili Guidi also raced well, finishing in 22nd spot among the 140 top junior cyclists.
Kelowna’s Jordan Cheyne will be riding in the Tour of Utah next week. This is a major race on the UCI calendar and attracts teams from across North America and Europe. It’s a brute of a race with six stages covering 857 kilometres and 43,780 feet of climbing — much of it at over 10,000 feet of altitude! Cheyne lives at Big White, so he does a lot of hill work, which will serve him well in this tour.
RUNNING
The final race of the 2018 Canadian Tire Interior Road Race Series, the Kamloops Half Marathon, took place on July 22 with 182 runners lined up for the start of this 21.1-kilometre run.
Penticton’s Josh Heinrich (M35-39) was the first to cross the finish line in 1:16. He was followed, only 53 seconds later, by Kelowna’s David Guss (M55-59), who is quickly making a name for himself as a threat to win overall!
Other age-class winners from the Okanagan included Zach Jackman (M20-24, Kelowna), RJ Dueck (M45-49, Kelowna), the unbeatable Diane Leonard (F70-74, Kelowna), Aiden Burnham (M20-24, Kelowna), Nick Sonderland (M30-34, Kelowna), Bill Faulkner (M70-74, Penticton), and Garry Bell (M75-79, Kelowna).
Kamloops runner Mel Doherty continued his incredible racing streak, finishing his 290th consecutive Canadian Tire race. What an achievement!
Several Okanagan runners competed in the Broken Goat trail race held at Rossland on July 21. The race offers two distances for ultra runners — 25K or 50K. It is a popular race for the ultra-runners and, as usual, was completely sold out well before race day.
In the 50K race, Kelowna runner Adam Kahtava (M37) finished second overall in five hours 11 minutes. Other Okanagan runners who finished this gruelling race in the top 50 included Peter Watson (Kelowna), Tom Craik (Coldstream), Adam Elliot (Kelowna), Kevin Siggers (Kelowna) and Alison Campbell-Urness (Kelowna).
The 25K race, although less challenging than the 50K, is still a very hard race with several summits to climb and narrow alpine trails. Kelowna’s Andrew Hoodless was the top Okanagan finisher coming in seventh overall. Another Kelowna runner, Carrie McGilvray, finished as the third woman and eighth overall.
West Kelowna’s Janice Bradshaw is a racing machine. She runs more races than anyone I know, so of course she was at the Broken Goat, finishing a fine sixth in the F50-59 age group. My old friend, and superb ultra runner, Andy Daley, was the oldest person in the race at 72, and still managed to come 43rd out of 126 participants!
TRIATHLONS
Penticton’s pro triathlete Jen Annett competed in the New York Ironman race recently. Annett is having a great season and continued to show her good form in New York. She is an awesome cyclist, and her cycling time was the fastest among all the women and second-fastest overall. This helped propel her to a fine second place in the woman’s pro division in a time of 9:33! Her result in New York has qualified her for the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii!
Ironman Canada was held on July 29 at Whistler. Unfortunately the results do not tell you where the competitor is from, so I can only report on the triathletes that I knew were going to be there. The race winner was Brent McMahon, Canada’s finest triathlete, who lives in Victoria but was born in Kelowna. McMahon blazed around the hot and hilly course in 8:31:33 — finishing eight minutes ahead of Penticton standout, Jeff Symonds. American athletes took the next several places.
I have some results from the age-group racers that I know about. Kelowna’s Cailla Patterson was the fifth woman overall and first in the F45-49 age class. Laurelee Nelson has been one of the top age-group triathletes in Canada for several years, and continues to prove it with a fine third-place finish in the F60-64 group. She has now qualified, yet again, for the Ironman World Championships in Kona. Kelowna’s Dustin Quigley had a great swim and one of the fastest bike times in his class, but in the intense heat he began to suffer from stomach woes, and he fell from a top-10 position to 70th in his M30-34 class. However, it’s a testament to Quigley’s courage and determination that, as bad as he felt, he finished the race.
In the 70.2 Half-Ironman, the Hoft family from Kelowna was outstanding! Tony Hoft finished 11th in M60-64, Jeanette was 10th in F50-54, and daughter Samantha placed fourth in F35-39.
One of the toughest events held in our area is the Ultra520K triathlon held in Penticton. This race starts on Day 1 with a 10K swim followed by a hilly 150K cycle over the Richter Pass. On Day 2, the competitors cycle 274K on a less-challenging route, and they wind it all up on Day 3 with an 84.4K (two marathons!) run.
As I write this, Penticton’s great ultra triathlete, 47-year-old Dave Matheson has just crossed the line in 21 hours, 37 minutes — breaking his own record from 2013 and finishing ahead of world champion Arnaud Selukon of France.
Matheson ran the two-marathon distance in 6:55. What an amazing accomplishment!
Vernon’s Shanda Hill, Canada’s greatest extreme triathlete, will be competing, for the second year in the Swiss Ultra Triathlon. The race starts on Aug. 15 and is basically 10 Ironman distances — a 38K swim, followed immediately by an 1,800K bike and then onto the 422k run course. Hill was the second woman in this race last year in a time of 276 hours, 6 minutes, and I know she would like to move up one spot this year.
UPCOMING EVENTS
After a years hiatus, the Apple Triathlon is back — bigger and better than ever, as this year it will be the Canadian National Championship race and also a CAMTRI Continental Cup event. The race weekend is Aug. 18-19.
The Kelowna Running Club keeps an active schedule. Last Saturday, they hosted a run on the Kettle Valley Rail trail that was always one of my favorites. This Saturday, the weekly “Goats Run” will be held from the Hillcrest Farm Market and Cafe in Black Mountain starting at 7:30 a.m.
Remember, as on every Saturday of the year, the free five-kilometre Okanagan Parkrun goes at 9 a.m. from the Parkinson Rec Centre.
Come join us at the Saturday Fresh Air Rides. A great group of people, different routes every week, and a no drop ride. That means that several times throughout the ride, we stop and wait for the slower riders to catch up. Last week we rode up to the top of June Springs, as Barile — our leader — is trying to get everyone ready for our ride up Crystal Mountain this summer.