The Vernon Amateur Athletic Association (Vernon Track and Field Club) hosted more than 300 runners from around the province for the BC Athletics Cross-Country Running Championships.
The event was held under cloudy, cool conditions Saturday, Oct. 18, at the Vernon Army Camp.
Runners were grouped into 12 divisions.
Results included:
SENIOR (Field of 34)
Top Male: Maximilien Filion, Vancouver Thunderbirds, finished the course in 31 minutes 32 seconds. He was 10 seconds faster than clubmate Liam Dwyer.
Top Female: Glynis Sim made it a T-Birds sweep, finishing first out of 14 women in 34:53. Katelyn Ayers from the Victoria Endurance Track Club was second in 35:09. Robyn Poulin of the host club crossed the finish line in eighth place in 36:32;
MASTERS (Field of 25)
Top Male: Kristoher Swanson crossed the line in 26:39, 21 seconds ahead of Scott Simpson of the Prairie Inn Harriers Racing Team from Victoria. Aaron Hedit of Vernon was third in 28:26. Tristan Hoekstra of the host Vernon AAA Club was fifth in 28:51, 28 seconds ahead of clubmate Samuel Isaak.
Top Female: Erica Casey claimed gold in 33:11. Rachel Maika of the Kajaks Track and Field Club of Richmond took silver in 34:29;
MASTERS 70+ (Field of 2)
Top Male: David Olsen, 30:16;
Top Female: Susan Chow, Greyhounds Masters Track and Field Club, Coquitlam, 45:07;
U20 (Field of 29)
Top Male: Noah Louwerse of the Thunderbirds captured gold in 25:26, nine seconds ahead of Steven Brittain of the Ocean Athletics Track and Field Club of Surrey. Brody Cormier of Enderby was 16th in 29:36;
Top Female: Abbotsford’s Adriana Buitelaar of the Valley Royals Track and Field Club won gold in 28:29;
U18 (Field of 56, largest division)
Top Male: Isaiah Johnston of the Vancouver Thunderbirds finished in 18:38, just four seconds ahead of Abbotsford’s Riley Simmonds;
Top Female: Sasha Dehal of the Ocean Athletics Club from Surrey won gold in 21:46. She was 12 seconds faster than Charlotte Gough of the Prairie Inn Harriers from the B.C. capital;
U16 (Field of 43)
Top Male: Laken Olsen from the Valley Royals won gold in 12:45, six seconds ahead of Oscar Masse from the Kootenay Chaos Track Club from Nelson;
Top Female: Clara Simpson from Victoria’s Prairie Inn Harriers crossed the finish line in 13:43. Claire Babiuk of Speedfarm Running Club from Victoria was second in 14:05;
U14 (Field of 21)
Top Male: Calgary International Club member Aiden Assen was first in 10:04, a comfortable 19 seconds ahead of Theo Davidson of Ocean Athletics from Surrey. Leo Markson of Vernon was sixth (10:52), and McKinley Poulin of the host Vernon AAA Club was seventh (10:57);
Top Female: Tamara Hamze of the Thunderbirds won gold in 10:46. Avery Schmidt of the Comox Valley Cougars from Courtenay was second in 11:03. Ivy Callihoo from Vernon AAA was seventh in 12:18;
U13 (Field of 28)
Top Male: Landon Wells from the Langley Mustangs ran to gold in 10 minutes flat. He was nine seconds ahead of Ryker Ulansky of the Penticton Track and Field Club. Noah Gill from the Vernon AAA was third in 10:10. Matti Lane of the host club was 13th in 12:27;
Top Female: Vancouver Thunderbirds runner McKinley Wasyliw won gold in 10:41, more than a minute ahead of Kaylee Ferguson from the Golden Ears Athletic Club in Maple Ridge. Eryka Rahalevich of Vernon AAA was 11th (14:42), and Clara Nagy of the host club was 13th (15:52);
U12 (Field of eight)
Top Male: Gavin Davidson of Ocean Athletics won gold in 7:20, 20 seconds faster than Jackson Sametz of the Langley Mustangs;
Top Female: Ashiana Varma-Vitug of the Kajaks Club of Richmond raced to gold in 8:02;
U11 (Field of 28)
Top Male: Nirvaan Tripathi of the Nanaimo and District Track and Field Club was declared the winner in a photo finish with Raphael Wilkie of Ocean Athletics from Surrey. Both runners clocked a time of 7:18. Carter Jasmins-Douglas of Ocean Athletics was third in 7:26;
Top Female: Rosie Maika of the Kajaks Club of Richmond was first in 7:29, four seconds ahead of Brianna Scobie of the Langley Mustangs. Kara Gill of Vernon AAA was 15th in 9:23;
U10 (Field of 10):
Top Male: Lane Welter of Vernon finished the course in 5:39, three seconds ahead of Bailey Jasmins-Douglas of Ocean Athletics;
Top Female: Carissa Maddocks, 5:55. She was 21 seconds ahead of Lydia Rider from Surrey’s Ocean Athletics. Madeline Poulin from Vernon AAA was sixth in 7:38;
5 KM Fun Run (field of 27)
Top Male: Ian Fraser was first in 18:08, 50 seconds faster than Tide Kruiswyk. Marquel Ling-Allen of Vernon AAA won bronze in 19:14. Trevor Jordan of Vernon was fourth in 19:25; Brent Helland of Vernon was eighth in 21:13. Kai Myles from Enderby was 11th in 24:13. Randy Turner of Vernon AAA was 12th in 28:36, and Stephen Joyce from the host club placed 13th in 29:37;
Top Female: Tessa Coyle from the UBC Okanagan Heat in Kelowna crossed the tape in first place in 19:49, defeating teammate Nora Prince, who finished in 21:46. Tima Coad of Vernon was third in 21:49. Lynea Miedema of Enderby was eighth in 25:14, eight seconds ahead of June Callihoo of Vernon, who was ninth in 25:22.
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