Combined time of coaches, racers over a minute faster than competition
Although they were off duty, a group of coaches from the Whistler Mountain Ski Club last weekend gave the competition at the 2004 Appleton Rum Peak to Valley Race a lesson they won’t forget, posting the fastest time overall and in the 76 to 134 combined age category.
The three coaches, Rob Boyd, Sead Causevic and Katie Dunn and former star racer Jamie Finlayson, finished the race with a combined time of 20 minutes, 14.63 seconds. Wild Willies was second overall in 21:29.29 and the Drunken Masters were third in 22:42.88, with both teams winning their respective age divisions.
A total of 79 teams took part this year in six different combined age categories. The whole event sold out in July.
On Friday, the first day of racing, snow and high winds in the alpine kept the Peak Chair closed and forced organizers of the race to move the event down to the reservoir on Whistler Mountain, just below the T-bars.
It was still a long course with 127 gates, a course length of 4.9 kilometres and a total vertical drop of 1,225 metres – almost 4,020 feet.
Rob Boyd posted the fastest time of the day at 4:10.78, more than 13 seconds faster than Alain Rey of the Pro’s Recking Crew at 4:24.09. The third-fastest racer on Friday was Joe Hertz of the Crested Beauts in 4:27.86.
Although this was Boyd’s first time racing the Peak to Valley, he’s been a race forerunner a couple of time and knew a little of what to expect.
"You need to conserve energy certain sections, some of the steeper parts. You conserve energy when it’s flatter by building up speed and maintaining it, although your legs do tend to give up on you," said Boyd.
"It was tough. My legs are just starting to get better."
Boyd also credits his time to taking the occasional leap of faith over the rollers.
"The gate setup was a big surprising on the lower sections of the course, and you weren’t allowed to inspect it so you didn’t know what was going to happen," he said. "In races, you always have to be able to see the next set of gates, but that wasn’t the case. I got the feel for the course coming, took a few chances over the rollers, and I’m lucky that I didn’t make any big mistakes."
While Boyd said he was relieved that the course was shortened for his day, he says part of the appeal of the race is that the course is so long.
Joan Wilson of Team Moregold was the top woman in the race, crossing the line in 4:35.22. Tracy Gibbons of the Drunken Masters was second in 4:42.27 and Katie Dunn of the Ski Club was third in 4:52.39.
The conditions cleared up for day two of the race, allowing the organizers to take the course all the way to the top of The Saddle for a grand total of 174 gates, 5.6 km in course length, and a 1,385 metre (4,550 foot) vertical drop.
After missing last season, Jamie Finlayson once again posted the day’s fastest time, 5:33.63, for the Whistler Mountain Ski Club. He edged out Chris Gruber of team Zhiikay, who was second in 5:34.85. Sead Causevic, also with the ski club, was third overall with a time of 5:37.82.
Finlayson said he didn’t know he won until the end of the day, after making a couple of "big mistakes" on course.
"I though I did pretty good, but that’s always a tough race," said Finlayson. "It was more tiring this year. It was a bit rough up top, and I made some really big mistakes, one on Upper Franz’s Run, and the other on the top of lower Franz’s. When you’re racing that long, and you make a mistake, you have to use more energy to get yourself back online. I was more tired out by the end than I needed to be."
Finlayson is no long with the club, but plans to keep racing. He was one of the top Nor Am and Pontiac GMC Cup racers in recent years, but has taken time off to work and go to school in the city.
Although he hasn’t put in as many days as other years, Finlayson was comfortable on the course he said. He also learned a few tricks, like how to carry more speed into the flats, and how to rest in the flat areas with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands.
He says he will be back in the race again next. "I’ll always be a ski racer and I’ll always want to race," he said.
The fastest woman on Saturday was former World Downhill Champion, World Cup racer and Olympian Hilary Lindh, who finished the course in 6:07.16 for the Drunken Masters. She was more than 25 seconds faster than her nearest competitor, Kary Firstbrook of Team Spirit, who finished in 6:33.48. Alyssa Wilson was a close third for Most Gold with a time of 6:35.01.
Fastest Teams Overall
1. Whistler Mountain Ski Club (76-134 age group) – 20:14.62
2. Wild Willies (135-154) – 21:29.29
3. Drunken Masters (155-179) – 22:42.88
4. Jozo’s Happy Hour (135-154) – 22:49.40
5. Zhiikay (180-199) – 22:50.33
6. Pemberton High (76-134) – 23:00.75
7. Blue Ice Wrecking Crew (180-199) – 23:03.04
8. Gentle Drifters (135-154) – 23:08.33
9. Headed for Dusty’s (155-179) – 23:28.68
10. Team Spirit (200-224) – 23:35.40
Age Categories
Category I – Ages 76 to 134
Whistler Mountain Ski Club – 20:14.62
Rob Boyd, 4:10.78 Friday
Sead Causevic, 5:37.82 Saturday
Katie Dunn, 4:52.39 F
Jamie Finlayson, 5:33.63 S
2. Pemberton High, 23:00.75
Kerri Hunter, 5:49.62 F
Joey Gibbons, 6:29.89 S
Beau Jarvis, 6:09.16 S
JP Trottier, 4:32.08 F
3. Limited Vision – 24:25.14
Luke Dolan, 5:48.74 S
Craig Webster, 4:54.17 F
Wendy Brookbank, 4:54.94 F
Mike Beon, 8:47.29 S
Category II – Ages 135 to 154
1. Wild Willies – 21:29.29
Chris Kent, 5:38.65 S
Tommy Thompson, 4:46.45 F
Rob Rainer, 5:52.66 S
Sarah Jane Hornes, 5:11.53 F
2. Jozo’s Happy Hour – 22:49.40
Doug Sage, 6:14.28 S
Linda Glenday, 7:24.34 S
Scott Woolley, 4:36.76 F
Ian Cruickshank, 4:34.02 F
3. Gentle Drifters – 23:08.33
Murray Dee, 4:51.44 F
Bob Brett, 6:47.53 S
Dave McPeake, 4:49.01 F
Marie Eve Brind’Amour, 6:40.35
Category III – Ages 155 to 179
1. Drunken Masters – 22:42.88
Dave Engstrom, 6:56.42 S
Paul Gibbons, 4:57.03 F
Tracy Gibbons, 4:42.27 F
Hilary Lindh, 6:07.16 S
2. Headed for Dusty’s – 23:28.68
Randall Jang, 5:30.82 F
Dave Traynor, 6:22.92 S
Mark Hornby, 6:14.10 S
Majorie Lauzon, 5:20.84 F
3. Crested Beauts – 24:09.47
George Lobisser, 7:13.42 S
Joe Hertz, 4:27.86 F
Ann Denieli, 7:50.68 S
Brian Fishbook, 4:37.51 F
Category IV – Ages 155 to 179
1. Zhiikay – 22:50.33
Mike Robbins, 4:42.73 F
Marilyn Nunn, 7:49.69 S
Chris Gruber, 5:34.85 S
Robin McLeish, 4:43.06 F
2. Blue Ice Wrecking Crew – 23:03.04
Bernard Leroux, 6:24.15 S
Brian Cameron, 6:08.29 S
Christie Taylor, 5:31.04 F
Dave Johnston, 4:59.56 F
3. Drink Freshbeer
Don McQuaid, 4:40.12 F
Jane Tidball, 6:43.49 S
Mark James, 7:42.94 S
Greg McDougall, 5:35.02 F
Category V – Ages 200 to 224
1. Team Spirit – 23:35.40
Geordie Trusler, 6:27.42 S
Kary Firstbrook, 6:33.48 S
Arne Birkeland, 5:47.10 F
John Townsend, 4:47.40 F
2. Fabrictime Cruisers – 24:51.79
Neil Baker, 7:11.32 S
Ted Astells, 4:52.76 F
Chris Vajda, 7:08.14 S
Andre Janyk, 5:39.57 F
3. Dalhousie U. Alumni – 25:50.01
Ralph Petley Jones, 8:11.34 S
Mike Blaxland, 7:22.35 S
Joanne Blaxland, 5:31.34 F
Mike Kearney, 4:44.98 F
Category VI – Ages 225 and Up
1. Babes with Age – 24:43.63
Randall Carpenter, 7:11.06 S
Grace Oaks, 5:10.24 F
Bonnie Wiegele, 5:52.06 F
David Trussler, 6:30.27 S
2. Denny and the Jets – 25:20.57
Werner Himmelsbach, 7:26.88 S
Alfred Zeilberger, 7:45.58 S
Cathy Zeglinski, 5:10.46 F
Jules Lajoie, 4:57.65 F
3. Georgian Peak Bombers – 26:09.04
Kate Peacock, 5:51.56 F
Gerry Young, 6:27.11 F
Heinz Grossman, 6:28.66 S
Bob Campbell, 7:21.71 S
