It was 15 degrees below zero, but you wouldn’t know it by all the polypropylene/Lycra tights.
The turn out for the 25 th Whistler Cup Loppet cross country race was huge, with more than 150 adults and a record number of Jackrabbits, kids aged 5 to 13 years.
While it’s a fun race for most competitors, the skinny skiers who took it seriously posted some serious times. Some of the races came down to the wire.
The more serious skiers raced in the 30 kilometre race, while the recreational skiers stuck to the 15 km course. The Jackrabbits went either 5 km or 7.5 km, depending on their age.
Whistler’s Nikki Kassel, racing in the 18 to 29 age category for the Whistler Nordics club, was the fastest female with a time of one hour 49 minutes 45 seconds over the 30 km course.
The top male, also in the 18 to 29 category, was Aruthur Ayers of The University of British Columbia Ski Club. He finished the 30 km loop in 1:30:20, just one second ahead of Glen Bond from Silver Star, racing for the Sovereign Lake club.
Results for the Fairmont Chateau Whistler Cup Loppet:
30 km Female 18 to 29
1. Nikki Kassel, Whistler, Whislter Nordics – 1:49:45
2. Annie Kvick, North Vancouver – 1:54:23
3. Lisa Helmer, Whistler – 1:59:50
30 km Male 18 to 29
1. Arthur Ayers, Vancouver, UBC Ski Club – 1:30:20
2. Glen Bond, Silver Star, Sovereign Lake – 1:30:21
3. Phil Schum, Courtney, Strathcona Nordics – 1:38:46
30 km Female 30 to 39
1. Anne Parent, Whistler – 2:00:49
2. Laurie McKinney, Whistler – 2:10:37
3. Krista Levesque, Vancouver – 2:25:30
30 km Male 30 to 39
1. Joe Buchar, North Vancouver – 1:33:19
2. Tom Hansen, Salmon Arm, Larch Hills – 1:33:20
3. David Kvick, North Vancouver – 1:34:04
30 km Female 40 to 49
1. Carolyn Rodger, Whistler, Whistler Nordics – 2:05:49
2. Gail Morrison, Whistler – 2:09:39
3. Brenda Davison, Whistler – 2:11:09
30 km Male 40 to 49
1. Olav Stana, Kamloops, Overlander – 1:31:54
2. Eric Crowe, Whistler, Whistler Nordics – 1:41:51
3. Kjell Aasen, Campbell River, Strathcona Nordics – 1:42:32
30 km Female 50 to 59
1. Heather Hamilton-Wright, Vancouver – 2:04:50
2. Deirdre Cole, Vancouver – 2:47:09
30 km Male 50 to 59
1. Jorma Greijula, Kouvola, Team Bearhut – 1:56:33
2. Bill Moore, Vancouver – 2:05:17
3. Neil Smith, Lantzville, Strathcona Nordics – 2:06:32
30 km Male 60 to 69
1. Jim Bishop, North Vancouver, Lotus Sports – 2:02:52
2. Murray Coates, Whistler, Whistler Nordics – 2:11:50
15 km Female Junior 14 to 17
1. Lindsay Los, Pemberton, Spud Valley Jackrabbits – 1:12:19
2. Sarah Wyness, West Vancouver, Nordic Racers – 1:13:46
3. Sydney VanLoon, Pemberton, Spud Valley – 1:23:40
15 km Male Junior 14 to 17
1. Martin Utley, West Vancouver, Nordic Racers – 57:01
2. Ian Moult, Vancouver, 1:11:45
3. Ian Bell, Brackendale, 1:13:37
15 km Female Recreation
1. Barbara Turner, West Vancouver – 1:03:24
2. Terry Vincent, Whistler – 1:12:16
3. Astrid Cameron, Whistler – 1:13:17
15 km Male Recreation
1. Alec Ritchie, North Vancouver – 1:03:19
2. Mike Wyness, West Vancouver, Nordic Racers – 1:06:54
3. Fredrik Bjork, West Vancouver, Van. Nordic Racers – 1:15:53
5 km Jackrabbits 5 to 7
1. Marius Aasen, Campbell River, Strathcona Nordics – 25:05
2. Sammy Schranz, Pemberton, Spud Valley Jackrabbits – 35:53
3. Kalum Utley, West Vancouver, Whistler Nordics – 35:58
7.5 km Jackrabbits 8 to 13
1. Julie Aasen, Campbell River, Strathcona Nordics – 21:54
2. Victoria Whitney, Whistler, Myrtle Philip School – 22:47
3. Jessa Smith, Lantzville, Strathcona Nordics – 23:02
