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5 Peaks Series stops at Seymour

A few local runners headed to Deep Cove on Saturday to take part in the 5 Peaks race at Mount Seymour.

The Enduro component was a challenging eight-kilometre run over the flank of Seymour while Sport racers did a 5-kilometre course.

In Enduro, all three Whistler participants finished within 12 spots and just over two minutes of each other. Walter Wallgram was 32nd overall and fourth in Male 50 to 59 in 57:35, while Barry McClure was sixth in the same category in 59:11. Tara Wright was the third female to reach the finish line and second overall in Female 30 to 39 in 59:40.

From Squamish, Helen Spencer was second in Female 20 to 29 in 59:54. Jessica Palmer was 11th in Female 30 to 39 in 1:15:01.

In Sport, Caroline l'Heureux of Squamish was fourth in Female 30 to 39 in 38:45.

Anik Champoux of Whistler was eighth in Female 30 to 39 in 45:25.

 

Semenuk takes Bearclaw Invitational

Whistler's Brandon Semenuk added another win to his growing tally for 2011 with a win at the Bearclaw Invitational at Mountain Washington Alpine Resort - host Darren "Bearclaw" Berrecloth's home turf.

Semenuk placed first with a run that included a double tailwhip and 360 off the drop, with 90 points to the judges. Anthony Messere, who placed third at the Red Bull Joyride in Whistler, was second with an 87.3, while Berrecloth - still recovering from a broken back at the start of the season, placed third with an 85.67.

 

For the Record

In last week's sports section a results page linked to the 2010 results from the Crankworx Colorado slopestyle event instead of 2011, and the reporter did not notice the error. Brandon Semenuk did not win the 2011 Crankworx Colorado slopestyle this year, but finished second by one point to Cam McCaul. U.K. rider Sam Pilgrim placed third.

The effect on the Freeride Mountain Bike World Tour was the same, with Semenuk jumping to an almost insurmountable lead of 3,932.5 points (including the Bear Claw Invitational), followed by Cameron Zink with 3,077.95 and Sam Pilgrim with 2,848.75.

 

JABR registration open

The final event in the Hell of a Series is the second annual Just Another Bike Race, taking place in Squamish on Aug. 20.

You'd think with four marathon-style races in Squamish it could get repetitive, but JABR organizers have made it a point to make the course different.

The start and finish is at Quest University. From Quest, the ride heads up Garibaldi Park Road to the Ring Creek Forest Service Road until the George's Crossing Bridge, and up the road to Half-Nelson - Squamish's newest machine-built trail. After the descent, riders cross George's Crossing once again to the climb to Lower Power Smart, then to another logging road towards Alice Lake. The list of trails in the area includes Rob's Corners, Cliff's Corners and Mike's Loop to Credit Line. After Credit Line it's Jack's Trail and up to Mashiter Trail, Roller Coaster and back to Quest. From there it's another climb back up Ring Creek FSR for a third time to Psuedo Tsuga. Next up is Lower Power Smart and Word of Mouth before heading back to the University.

A complete map is available at www.testofmetal.com/pages/jabr.php.

Online registration is open until Thursday, Aug. 18 for $55. You can register from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Friday at Nesters Market (cash only), or from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. beside the Quest gym on race day. The ride starts at 11 a.m.

 

Summer Biathlon Series announced for Olympic Park

The Callaghan Winter Sports Club is hosting a pair of events this summer to promote the sport of biathlon, using the Olympic range at Whistler Olympic Park.

On Aug. 28 there will be a cross-country run with two distances. The Cruiser racers will make three laps of the 500-metre course, stepping up to the range twice. The Challenge category includes three laps of a 900m course with two trips to the range.

On Sept. 18, there will be a bike biathlon. In the Cruiser race, riders will do three laps of a 900m course. In Challenge they will do three laps of 1.5km. In Quest they will to three laps of a 3km course. All categories will visit the range twice.

For more information, visit www.callaghanwintersportsclub.com. The organizers are also looking for about 20 volunteers for each event. To step up, email clayton@claytonwhitman.ca.

 

Vans Community Skate Jam on Sunday

The third of three Vans Community Skate Jams presented by Showcase will take place this Sunday, Aug. 14, starting at 2 p.m.

The event is free to enter, with $500 in cash and $1,000 in prizes up for grabs for skaters that lay down the best trick in each session, with three sessions taking place over the afternoon on different skatepark features. As well, there will be a separate category for riders aged 12 and under.

Spectators are welcome to come out and watch, and all participants can partake in the hot dog barbecue at 4 p.m. There will be live music and commentary, and lots of great skating.

 

Registration opens for Whistler 50 Relay and Ultra

For years the annual Haney to Harrison ultra run and relay was the last big event on the B.C. Athletics race calendar, taking place the first Saturday of November. It was a tough race to organize logistically with hundreds of cars shadowing relay team members and ultra runners, finally finishing in Harrison Hot Springs - 100 kilometres from the start. There were concerns about safety and the impact of the run on communities along the route.

This year organizers have moved the event to Whistler, renaming it the Whistler 50 Relay and Ultra. Taking place on Nov. 5, you can run the 50-mile (80km) course solo or as part of an eight-person relay team. Loops will alternate between 7km and 13km in distance, following the Valley Trail network. Details are still being confirmed, but the race will start and finish in the same area, and all of the hand-off areas are in that zone as well.

For more information or registration, visit www.bcathletics.org.

 

Local runner seeking donations for 80K ultra

There's still lots of time to sign up a team for the Sears Great Canadian Run on Aug. 27, a new event for the corridor. The course starts in Squamish and finishes in Whistler with a choice of 70km or 80km routes and options for teams up to 20 runners. The shortest stages are around 5km and the longest 14km, taking place on the Sea to Sky Trail with a few side routes to make things interesting.

The entire event is a fundraiser for kid's cancer charities, supporting pediatric oncology at B.C. Children's Hospital. Teams are asked to raise a minimum of $5,000 to take part.

Whistler's Ashleigh MacMillan has signed on to do the entire 80km solo, the first time he'll have raced that distance - though he warmed up with 50km this past weekend in the Tenderfood Boogie. To donate, visit his donation page at http://bit.ly/k7pu2l.