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Titus brothers third and fourth in Grouse Grind

Whistler's Morgan and Joren Titus were among the hundreds of athletes challenging the annual Grouse Grind 2.

Whistler's Morgan and Joren Titus were among the hundreds of athletes challenging the annual Grouse Grind 2.9 km Mountain Run - arguably the steepest cross-country race in Canada with an average steepness of 30 degrees from start to finish and 853 metres of vertical gain from start to finish.

Morgan Titus placed third in 27 minutes and 52 seconds, followed by Joren in 28:04.

Sebastian Selas of West Vancouver finished the course in 25:24, setting a new race record (the actual trail record is 24:22) while Michael Simpson was second in 27:09.

Kristina Rody, formerly of Whistler, placed second in the elite female race in 32:23, about 45 seconds back of the winner.

Also from Whistler, Dusan Kafka was 23 rd in male 40 to 49 in 41:24.

Joe Codling of Squamish was 17 th in 12 and Under in 58:14. Dania Codling was fifth in Female Under 12 in 56:00.

 

Wolf Pack shooters wake up against Steelers

The Squamish Wolf Pack earned their second win of the season last Saturday on home ice, beating the Grandview Steelers 5-2.

With an overtime loss and two wins the Wolf Pack now have five points this season - last in their division, but now sit just two points back of the Delta Ice Hawks and three back of the Steelers.

The win was a vindication for the Squamish Junior B team. Although they have improved considerably from last season a tough schedule - including two games against the national champion Richmond Sockeyes - has put the team on its heels early  in the season.

The Wolf Pack managed 42 shots on net compared to the Steelers' 25, and gave up just three power plays. Whistler's Joshua Schaubroeck also scored the last goal of the game with 11 seconds left on the scoreboard, bringing his total to three goals and an assist for the season.

Next up for the Wolf Pack is another home game, this time against the Aldergrove Kodiaks. The puck drops at 7:15 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3 at Brennan Park arena. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for teens and seniors.

It promises to be a tough match, as Aldergrove is the only undefeated team in the Pacific International Junior Hockey League with eight wins.

 

Lumpy's Epic on Oct. 17

The 12 th annual Lumpy's Epic trail run is set for Saturday, Oct. 17, starting and finishing at One Mile Lake in Pemberton. The 10 km trail follows the Lumpy's Epic mountain bike trail, and features technical singletrack and some incredible views of Mt. Currie and the Green River.

Registration gets underway at 9 a.m. and the race starts at 10 a.m. It costs $15 to take part, with all proceeds going to community groups in Pemberton.

As usual the post-race party is pot-luck, so bring something you can share.

For more information or to volunteer contact 604-894-6618. Runners and walkers are welcome.

Celebrate Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day

This Saturday the District of Squamish is encouraging families to take part in "Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day," an initiative started by the International Mountain Bicycling Association to generate more interest in the sport and to promote fitness.

The Squamish event will be hosted out of Brennan Park Recreation Centre by the skateboard park, starting at 1 p.m.

There will be a demo bike skills park, the BMX park will be opened to all riders, and groups will head out on the Logger Creek Nature Trail, Corridor Trail and Discovery Trail, with prizes and a barbecue hosted by the BMX club.

The event is free, but please register in advance by calling Brennan Park at 604-898-3604.

 

Canadian skaters off to a good start

Canada's figure skaters and speed skaters are already winning medals and earning qualifying berths in the 2010 Games, as both sports got off to an early start this week.

In figure skating, the pairs team of Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay opened their season in Germany last week with a bronze medal. The team is not among the favourites to make the podium at home after Langlois, for example, missed all of last season with a broken ankle.

The short track speedskating season got underway in Seoul, Korea last weekend. Canada's Charles Hamelin won the first gold medal of the season in the men's 500 metres, while Kalyna Roberge on the women's team took the bronze medal in the 500. Roberge was injured the previous weekend in 1,500 metre training.

 

Contractor's Challenge looking for golfers

One of the best deals for golfers this season also has the best intentions, with 100 per cent of the profits going to the Canadian Cancer Society.

The Contractor's Challenge takes place on Thursday, Oct. 8 with a one o'clock start.

The cost is $400 for a foursome, which includes a round of golf at the Whistler Golf Course, free power cart rentals, a sleeve of golf balls, dinner at the clubhouse and a chance to win prizes. There will also be competitions on course like closest to the pin and longest drive.

The event is called the Contractor's Challenge after a local contractor who is currently battling cancer, but anyone is welcome to take part.

The format is Texas Scramble, where all four players shoot from the same spot at every stroke in an attempt to post the best score. It's a good format for people who don't golf a lot but get lucky now and then, says organizer Brian Gavan.

To register a team, or as an individual looking to join a team, contact Brian Gavan at 604-902-0421. There is room for up to 32 teams in the tournament, and in the neighbourhood of 15 teams had already committed to play.

Ski Jumpers denied again

While a group of female ski jumpers waits for their appeal to be heard by the B.C. Supreme, an appeal to the IOC didn't make any headway.

The ski jumpers sent a letter to the IOC in early September asking for clarification on exactly how their sport fails to meet the technical requirements for inclusion in the 2010 Games, but IOC president Jacques Rogge was evasive.

In a letter dated Sept. 18, Rogge repeated the IOC's position that the sport does not meet the committee's technical requirements for inclusion and that the decision was not based on gender.

"We are disappointed it does not address our specific query about the technical requirements we fail to meet," said the ski jumpers in a written statement.

In June, the ski jumpers took the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) to the B.C. Supreme Court, citing a provision of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that forbids the use of federal money for programs or facilities that exclude on the basis of gender. The ski jumps at Whistler Olympic Park were built partially with government funds, the jumpers argued.

While the Supreme Court Justice did find their exclusion to be discriminatory, as well as confirm that VANOC is a de facto agent of government when hosting the Games and must follow the Charter, the ruling fell short of forcing VANOC to allow the female jumpers to compete. Instead, the ruling suggested that only the IOC can sanction an event as "Olympic," and the IOC falls outside the boundaries of the Charter.

The ski jumpers are appealing that decision in November, and have pledged to take their case all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada to force their inclusion in 2010.

The Justice also found that men's ski jumping doesn't technically meet the IOC's criteria, nor do many of the new sports that have been added in recent years.

 

2002 hockey win is Best Olympic Moment

Canada's first gold medal in men's hockey in 50 years was picked as the No.1 Canadian Olympic Winter Games Moment of all Time, according to a national contest held by the Royal Canadian Mint.

The 5-2 win over the U.S. team at Salt Lake City was followed in voting by the Canadian women's hockey victory, also over the U.S. and Cindy Klassen's five medals in long track speed skating in the 2006 games.

As the winners, all three moments have been commemorated by the Mint in a series of 25 cent coins. Roughly 66 million coins will be produced, 22 million of each moment, and are available at RBC and Petro Canada locations.