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Hash runs return May 27

Whistler’s trail running clinics are back again this year with a slightly different format, but the attraction will once again be the monthly hash runs where runners follow visual clues on the trails to locate the secret finish area.

Whistler’s trail running clinics are back again this year with a slightly different format, but the attraction will once again be the monthly hash runs where runners follow visual clues on the trails to locate the secret finish area.

The first hash run is scheduled for May 27, and will meet as usual at Escape Route in Whistler Marketplace for a 6 p.m. start. The format is good for all levels of runners, as the fastest runners sprint ahead to find the next clues and the slower runners play catch-up. The event is sponsored by Salomon and Escape Route, and there is food and refreshments for participants. The cost to participate is $5.

Future hash runs will take place on the last Tuesday of every month, and one event is being planned for the end of July in Whistler Olympic Park that will make use of the biathlon range.

The weekly running clinics don’t get underway until July 8, and this year they will be built around a 12-week program leading up to the Rubble Creek Classic trail run. The Rubble Creek Classic is a 25 km off-road run that starts at the Cheakamus Lake trailhead and finishes and follows a high-alpine route around Black Tusk before descending to the Garibaldi Lake entrance to Garibaldi Provincial Park.

The cost is also $5 this year.

Salomon will be on hand to let participants demo their new trail running shoes, and there will be refreshments for athletes taking part.

 

Local riders in Canada Cup DH

The Canada Cup downhill series got underway last weekend with an event at Bromont, Quebec. The race was on the short side but extremely technical, and crashes were par for the course.

West Vancouver’s Micayla Gatto won the women’s title, followed by North Vancouver’s Danice Uyesugi, and Quebec’s Kim Huard. Squamish’s Miranda Miller won the Junior Expert women’s category with a time that would have put her third among the elite women.

On the men’s side, North Shore rider Steve Smith placed second behind American Geritt Beytagh, just over three seconds back despite the fact that Smith went over his bars on one section of the course. Charles-Alexandre Dube of Quebec was third.

Whistler’s James Biluk and Jeff Beatty were 17 th and 22 nd respectively out of close to 90 riders.

In the cross-country race, Whistler’s Tyler Alison was second in the Junior Expert category, 49 seconds behind fellow B.C. rider Evan Guthrie. Philip Cairns of Team Squamish was 10 th .

Squamish’s Neal Kindree raced in the Elite Men’s category, placing 16 th .

The cross country course was reportedly very technical in sections with lots of sharp rocks. Almost all the lead racers had at least one flat.

 

Pemberton Speedway opens May 24

Stock car racing fans are invited to the opening of the Pemberton Speedway on Saturday, May 24 for the first race of the year. An estimated 20 cars will take part, operated by local drivers.

The price of admission is $10, and the track has a fully stocked concession, bleachers, and facilities for the public.

 

Outdoor volleyball team registration next week

The Whistler Outdoor Volleyball Association is getting ready to host its league registration night and social on Monday, June 2, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Longhorn Saloon. There are three options this year — a three-on-three competitive category, a co-ed four-on-four intermediate category, and a co-ed four-on-four recreation category, which play on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights respectively at Rainbow Park.

The cost of registering for about 12 weeks of volleyball is $200 per team, which includes a high performance volleyball donated by league sponsor Sport Stop.

For more information visit www.wova.com.

 

Squash players strong at home

The Whistler Squash Club hosted its annual Whistler Squash Open on the long weekend, drawing 72 entries including 11 players from Whistler and three from Squamish.

Caroline Solonenko from Squamish won the women’s B title, and will move up to the A category.

Whistler’s Steve Shuster was second in the men’s C category, while Jeff McKenzie of Squamish placed third after winning the men’s C consolation final.

Whistler’s Ben Thomas managed to win the men’s A title after battling some strong players from Vancouver, while local Rob Eberhard made it to the semifinals.

The tournament also featured a junior event, with 13 juniors who participated in two eight-week sessions over the winter with the squash club.

Willy Linskey and Martin Shuchy made the finals, with Martin eventually coming out on top three sets to two.

 

Mountain biking, rugby, soccer on tap for Whistler Secondary

Mountain Biking — With minimal opportunities to train but high hopes, Whistler Secondary is sending a team of students to the B.C. High School Mountain Bike Championships in Brackendale this Saturday. Grade 8 riders are Connor Priest, Mason Protter and Tristan Underhill; Grade 9 is Max Horner; Grade 10 is Jesse Melamed; Grade 12 is Toria Whitney and Nadine Crowe.

The program is being coached by Uschi Sherer, Susan Buzan and Eric Crowe.

Rugby — Today, May 22, the Whistler Secondary boys rugby team is also playing its first game against Pender Harbour at 1:30 p.m., to be followed by an away game at Pender next week. Whistler Secondary has had trouble fielding a full team in the past because of student numbers and logistics, and the school is looking for support when they take to the field.

Soccer — Whistler Secondary is hosting the senior girls Single A Provincial Soccer Championships next weekend, May 29-31, with 15 teams coming to Whistler from across the province. The Whistler Secondary team has qualified to enter the tournament, and will be looking to come away with the title.

 

WORCA trail day on Saturday

The Whistler Off-Road Cycling Association is hosting its first volunteer trail cleanup day on Saturday, May 24, getting the trails ready for the season.

If you want to take part, meet at Riverside Café for breakfast at 8 a.m. and you will be put into a crew to do some brushing, clearing, minor rock work, and general cleanup on trails.

As an incentive for volunteers, WORCA is planning to host a special event for volunteers at the end of the season. To take part you have to participate in at least one volunteer trail day.

In other WORCA news, tonight’s Loonie Race is sponsored by Brent Harley and Associates, Cascade Enviornmental and Zogs Dogs, and will meet at the Cascade Parking Lot in Function Junction. The course will include Trash, Sea to Sky Trail, and Riverside Trail. Registration starts at 5:30 p.m., and the race gets underway at 6:30 p.m.

Worth noting is the fact that WORCA will no longer be handing out free plastic cups at après parties, and that participants are expected to bring their own mugs to races in the future.

While special consideration was made for the Loonie Race, be advised that Trash will be closed until the new bridge at Cheakamus Crossing can be completed, which is expected in the next few weeks.

Lastly, parents are urged to sign their kids up for WORCA’s Youth Dirt Camps, as spots are going fast for the eight camps planned for 2008.

For more information, visit www.worca.com.

 

Every Woman In the World

There’s still time to register for the fifth annual Every Woman in the World conference in Whistler from May 30 to June 1, which includes two days of workshops and activities with expert instructors as well as social events. Some of the workshops planned this year include gymnastics, pilates, mountain biking, nia, African dance, yoga, running, qigong and personal goal setting. For more information visit www.everywomanintheworld.com.

 

B.C. Bike Race adds spots

Organizers of the second annual B.C. Bike Race are adding 10 team spots this week, after the first 200 team spots sold out. The entry form is online at www.bcbikerace.com.

The B.C. Bike Race is a seven-day race that starts on Vancouver Island and finishes in Whistler, following singletrack mountain bike trails wherever possible. Organizers have added a day of riding in Squamish to the itinerary, followed by the final day of riding technical trails in Whistler.