• The GPRC Wolves x-country running team battled both the elements and the best college runners in Canada on Saturday at the Wapiti Nordic Ski Trails when they hosted the 2007 CCAA X-Country Running Championships.
  
  The men legged their way to a 7th place finish led by *Deneb Carias* and *Peter Watson* who placed 21st and 24th respectively.  *Kyle Small *(48th), *Mike Apps*(50th), *Andrew Seidl* (82nd) and J*ason Simigan *(90th) were the other Wolves finishers.
  
  *Ed Kangogo* from *Lethbridge College *improved upon his bronze medal from the 2006 CCAA by winning  the mens individual race.  The* Augustana Faculty* took the mens team title.
  
  The Wolves women also finished 7th in the team standings.  *Justine Lalonde* was the top GPRC athlete, placing 32nd.  She was followed by *Brittany Blackall *(34th), *Sara Scott* (37th), *Megan Crawley* (39th), *Kyla MacKay *(42nd), *Erin Connell* (48th), *Carrina Ness* (56th), *Monica Benson* (63rd), *Chriss Watson* ( 64th), *Laurie Lyle* (65th) and *Rigel Carias* (68th).
  
  For the second year in a row, *Valerie Belanger* from *CEGEP de Chicoutimi* topped the womens field.  *Red Deer College* won its first national womens team title.
  
  In the Coaches and Community race, *Kyle Ross* from the GP Comp was the top local, recording a 4th place finish.  Former Wolves standout *J-Rome Stojan *was 5th. The race was won by *Robert Renman*, a coach with the Augustana Faculty.
  
  A total 190 runners from 5 provinces took part in the event.
  
  Full results at http://www.gprc.ab.ca/community/ccaa_nationals/en/results.html
  
  
• The GPRC Wolves mens x-country team kept a seven year streak intact on Saturday, October 20 with a bronze medal performance at the ACAC Cross Country Running Championships in Edmonton.  The last time a Wolves team failed to make the podium was in the fall of 2000.
  
  With five runners in the top 12, the Augustana Faculty easily won the mens team event.  The defending national champions Lethbridge College was second, a mere 5 points in front of the Wolves.
  
  As they'd done all season, the duo of *Deneb Carias* and *Peter Watson* led the way for the Wolves with 9th and 10th place finishes respectively.  They were followed by *Mike Apps* (16th), *Kyle Small* (21st), *Andrew Seidel* (32nd) and *Jason Simigan* (34th). The Wolves women employed a pack running strategy and managed a 5th place finish.  The first seven GPRC women ended up with finishing times within in a minute of each other.  *Megan Crawley* was the first GPRC runner in 17th place and she was closely followed by  *Brittany Blacknall *(19th), *Sara Scott (*21st), *Carina Ness *(22nd), *Erin Connell* (24th), *Justine Lalonde* (25th), and *Kyla MacKay* (27th). *Monica Benson*(39th) and *Rigel Carias* (47th) were the other two Wolves finishers.
  Red Deer College edged the Augustana Faculty for the womens team title, and MacEwan College was third.  Grande Prairie's *Kathryn Stone*, running for Augustana, placed 5th in the womens race.
  
  Also on Saturday, the ACAC Grand Prix Awards, which recognize cumulative performance over the ACAC season, were handed out.  Two Wolves runners, Deneb Carias and Peter Watson, received Grand Prix Medals for their 6th and 7th place standings respectively.
  
  Results at the ACAC X-C site
   
  
• Here are the Zone 8 Cross Country Running Champs Results from October 10, 2007.

• The GPRC Wolves mens cross country team tuned up for next week's ACAC Championships by turning in a second place performance at the Wolves Classic race at the Wapiti Nordic Trails on Saturday, October 13.
  

• You could have forgiven Dawson Creek's Trevor Kolkea for letting the young guys seize the day at the Steve Burgess Memorial Cross Country Race at the Wapiti Nordic Trails on Saturday.  After all, the 34 year old teacher from Dawson Creek was only three weeks removed from completing the gruelling Canadian IronMan Triathlon in Penticton in late August.  But instead of throwing in the towel, Kolkea rallied over the final few kilometres to record a narrow win in the featured 7.5 km distance.

• 58 runners and walkers contested the Don't Get Lost in the Woods 1/2 marathon and 10 km on Sunday, September 1.  Kyle Ross and Sherry Wendland were the top male and female in the 1/2 marathon, and, yet  again, Pe-ne-lope chicked the entire field in the 10 km.  Click on the above link for full results.
  

• Club members rocked at the 2007 Emperor's Challenge in Tumbler Ridge on August 10.  Pe-ne-lope Thompson won the womens race in 1:59 and change.  Marlene Corcoran placed 3rd in 2:06 and Ya-ba-da-ba-do Hempler was 4th in 2:12 (not bad for someone who hadn't run further than 12 km before.)  In the mens race, Peter Watson was 3rd (1:54). Kyle Ross placed 7th (2:00), Bill Corcoran finished (8th), and Roland Esposito knocked off 14 minutes from his 2006 time to finish 12th (2:10). And let's not forget the Grimshaw branch - Stacy Schmidt was 14th in 2:23 while the ageless Cal White placed 25th in 2:21.  In the team competion, the Wapiti Striders Guys + Sonya won, while the Wapiti Striders Women (Penny, Marlene, Yana and Brittaney Blacknall) was second.
  

• The Striders Western Canada Games podium string continues.  Rigel Carias heaved the shot put 11.81m to claim the bronze on Friday, August 10 in Sherwood Park.  She also had an 11th place finish (26.94m) in the discus earlier in the week.  Fans of this site will recall that club member Fred Setterington went gold (10,000m) and bronze (5000m) in the 1999 Games and Jessica Schmidt struck bronze (5000m) in the 2003 Games.
  

• Kathryn Stone's Canadian Death Race team placed 22nd in 15:10:59 on the August long weekend.  I'd like to provide more details about splits, category placing, leg placing, etc. but the web results are quite basic ... and it took them a week plus to post anything at all.  But hey, they only charge $250 or more per runner, so I guess you can't expect much in terms of services for that kind of coin.  (Public Service Message:  Next year, run the Emperor's Challenge in Tumbler Ridge  instead - same type of mountain running experience for a $23 - not $250 - entry fee.)
  

• Here's a July Carias kids update for all you faithful fans of this site.  Deneb ended his track season with 3 races at the Provincial Legion Camp in Calgary, July12-13.  Our poster boy clocked 4:24.24 for 9th in the 1500m, 9:32.65 for 3rd in the 3000m, and 6:45.37 for 4th in the 2000m Steeplechase.  (Ok, he also won the 1500m racewalk .... hmmmmm, the race walk - what's that all about???)

• A duo of local athletes were in action at the end of June. Adrian Schadeck managed a pair of silver medals in the Juvenile Boys category at the Provincial Outdoor Track and Field Championships on June 23 and 24.  Schadeck scorched the 200m in 23.47  and the 400m in 51.71.  Bill Corcoran also competed at Provincials winning two golds in the Masters 35-50 category, recording times of 4:50.68  in the 1500m and 10:29.24 in the 3000m.  On the following Tuesday, Corcoran contested the 1000m in the New Balance Meet #2 in Calgary registering a time of 2:59.62.
  

• Carias Ry-gel came up with a huge 6th round heave (11.32m) to win the Womens Shot Put at Alberta Western Canada Games trials in Calgary on June 16.  She also managed a 4th place in the discus.  Those two performances were good enough to land her a spot on Team Alberta for the Western Canada Games in Sherwood Park in July.

• After a close call last year, Pene-lope finally did the deed - "girling" the entire field at the 2007 DHT Press Run 10 km.  She crossed the line in 42:47, almost five minutes ahead of Drake Houssian.  Kyle Ross (1:28:45) and Candice Keddie (1:36:13) won the mens/womens 1/2 marathon.  Full results from the 2007 DHT Press Run.
  

• Normally,  a Carias child is the only Grimshawian whose image is worthy enough to grace this website.  However, since Cal White actually sent me a story and a pic, we'll deviate from our usual protocol.  Consider yourself lucky, Cal.

  High Level Half Marathon Saturday, June 16, 2007 This was the 2nd annual running of the event, the first being a group of High Level runners informally getting together for a semi-organized run and then deciding to open it up to an event for all interested runners.  There were 65 competitors mainly from High Level and surrounding communities which included 35 half marathoners of which all finished.  The other events were the 5K and 10K.  This indicates that, next to G.P., H.L. has the strongest running community in the North Peace and, by per capita, perhaps the strongest in all the Peace.  Amazing community support for a new event. Prizes for the second running included pizzas from the local Pizza joint and lattes from the local specialty coffee house.  All prizes went to the volunteers of which there were 25-30.  The lunch consisted of homemade chicken soup including homemade noodles and homemade bunwiches.  The course is probably the Peace’s most ergonomic course as it was set by High Level’s three Physiotherapists.  This flat course consists of a 5 K loop around the town which allows for a cacophony of vocal support from the local canines.  This is followed by an 8K North out and back course following the Mckenzie Highway by a trail.  The Wapiti Strider interest factor:  Former Strider and former Wolves Series Jr High Girl Champ, Kati White, and the beautiful Lorri White were volunteers as Race Marshall and Race Nurse respectively.  Current Strider, Cal White, buried the other current Strider present, Stacy Schmidt, 1:47:40 to 1:47:49.  Cal was 7th overall and 5th male.  Stacy was 8th overall and 3rd female and also posted a P.R. by 12 minutes.  Official results are not yet available. Next year is the third annual running and the High Level Running club figures it will be even more organized and have awards for the runners!!  Think about adding it to your 2008 race calendar

• Our favourite Grimshownian (well ... next to his sister Ry-gel) was in tough at the 2007 Alberta High School Track and Field Championships on June 1 and 2 in Medicine Hat.  Our perenial poster boy (see pic at top of the page) posted 6th place finishes in the Senior Boys 3000m and 4 x 400m, and 8th in the 1500m. 
  

• The WS finished a respectible 17th in a field of 34 at the 2007 Banff-Jasper Relay on Saturday, June 2.  Click on the link to find the full results and details.
  

• It took until the end of May, but Deneb Carias finally did something noteworthy - he set yet another Zone 8 record, this time in the Senior Boys 3000m, at the Zone 8 Meet in Valleyview on May 25 and 26.   I know I promised to change the picture at the top of the page when Deneb did something noteworthy, but  I'm too lazy right now - I'll get to it eventually.  In any event, here are the results:
• Senior High Individual Results
• Junior High Individual Results
• Team Scores - Junior and Senior High
  

• Bill Corcoran contested the 1500m (4:45.17) and 800m (2:19.31) at the Provincial Combined Events Championships and Team Challenge in Calgary on the May long weekend.

• The Grande Prairie Off Road Duathlon went on the May long weekend - the usual suspects triumphed ... ok, most of the usual suspects.  Peter Watson won the mens long course and Pen-e-lope won the womens.  Full results are listed here.
  

• Trevor Kolkea and our own Pen-e-lope Thompson scorched the field at the 2007 Brian Harms 5 mile and 5 km on Mothers Day.  Here are the results. 
  
• 8 km race results
• 5 km race results

• The 5th Annual Peace Country Classic and Hershey Meet on Saturday, May 12 was an outstanding success.  205 athletes from all over the Peace Country (and Eastglen High School in Edmonton) took part under sunny, but very windy conditions.
  

• Here are the results for the Catholic Junior High (+ the PWA Grade 9s) Track meet held on May 10, 2007. 
  

• Kathryn Stone posted a 45+ minute personal best in the Vancouver Marathon on May 5, clocking in at 3 hours, 39 minutes and change.  Moreover, she won her age category (20 and under) and collected a cool $100 for her efforts.  We congratulate Kathryn on her newly found professional status.
  

• Bill Corcoran posted a time of 38:31 in the Vancouver Sun Run on April 15.

• Five local runners contested a very windy and wet Boston Marathon on April 16.  Paul Oostra had the best time (3:20).  Other local finishers were Aaron Ruptash (3:26), Lori Leduc (3:36), Sonya Bodner (3:47), and Bart Ruptash (3:48).
  

• The Spring Run Off 10 km (and 5 km prediction run) went Sunday, April 1 in  Fort St John.  GP runners dominated going 1-2-3 in both the mens and womens 10km.  Sean Hawryluk captured the mens race in 37 low and won a huge clock - which promptly broke on the ride back.  Pene-lope Thompson (39:15) was the top women and equal second overall.  RESULTS.
  

• A small, but very talented (just ask them) contingent of Striders competed in the Provincial Indoors in Edmonton on March 3 and 4.  Carias Ry-gel captured the Junior Womens Shot Put with a mighty heave of 10.90m.  She also finished 20th (ok, I'm not going to lie - it was last) in the 200m with a big PR of  32.93.  Brothers Deneb (Juvenile Boys 3000m - 9:40.08 3rd place and 1500m-  4:28.86  8th place) and Wezen (Bantam Boys Speed Tetrathlon - 521 10th place) were also there representin'.  Even old man Carias got in on the act placing third in the M35-49 1500 in 5:04.44.  And in non-Carias news, Bill Corcoran placed 2nd in the M35-49 1500 (4:47.96) and first in the M35-49 400m (62.83) ... although I'm not going to lie about that last one, either- he was the only competitor in the category.

• Bill Corcoran contested the M35+ 1500m on Jan. 20 at the Golden Bear Open in Edmonton and managed a 2nd place finish in a time of 4:49.18

• Penny Thompson wasted no time making her mark on the national Masters (35 and over) cross country running scene.  Just days after becoming old enough to compete, she raced to a second place finish in the Masters Womens event at the Athletics Canada National Cross Country Running Championships in Vancouver on Saturday, December 2.
  
  Thompson ran the snow-covered 8 km course in 33:37, a minute and 46 seconds behind the winner, Victoria's Joan McGrath.  Jennifer Ditchfield from London, Ontario placed third.
  
  Half a dozen other Club members also took part in the meet. Jen Cochran and Marlene Corcoran placed 15th and 19th respectively in the Masters Womens race, while Bill Corcoran* finished 45th in the Masters Mens race.
  
  In the Junior Mens race, GPRC Wolves runner Sean Hawryluk placed 52nd, a 20 place improvement over his 2005 Junior Nationals result.  Grimshaw's Deneb Carias also had a strong showing, finishing 65th in his first Junior Nationals.
  
  In the non-championship 5 km Open/Community Race, Roland Esposito clocked a 5 km time of 20:59 which was good for 3rd place.
  
  Full results are at http://www.bcathletics.org/main/xcnationals06.htm

• At CCAA X-Country Nationals in Quebec on November 11, both GPRC Wolves placed 5th.  The women were led by club member Cathryn Stone who had a stellar 14th place finish.  Another Strider, Sean Hawryluk, was the top GPRC man, placing 21st.

• The GPRC Wolves Mens X-Country Running team ran to a silver medal at the ACAC Championships on October 28 in Lethbridge.  Club member Sean Hawryluk earned All Conference honours with a 4th place finish.  In the womens race, Kathryn Stone (note correct spelling of her first name for a change - this will be the last time) was the first amongst the Lady Wolves with a 12th place finish.  The GPRC women placed 5th in the team competition.  Full results are here. Mens  Womens

• Two club members had impressive finishes at the ASAA High School Provincial X-Country Running Championships in Calgary on October 21.  Rygel Carias' Brother was 9th in the Senior Boys race, while Robyn Bonnar placed 27th in the Intermediate Girls event.  Full results are here. men  women
  

• The Wolves X-Country Series wrapped up on October 21 with the Wolves Series Final at the Wapiti Nordic Trails.  Kathryn Stone won the womens 5 km event, while Dawson Creek's Trevor Kolkea was triumphant in the mens 8 km event. 
  

• Penny Thompson successfully defended her womens title in impressive style on Saturday, Sept. 12 at the 2006 Steve Burgess Memorial Cross Country Running race at the Wapiti Nordic Trails.
  
  The Grovedale athlete recorded a blistering time of 29:33 for the hilly 7.5 km course.  Thompson's time equalled Jenna Huber's 2001 course record.  GPRC Wolves alumnus Janelle Morrison from Ft St John placed second, clocking a time of 31:47.
  
  The mens race was a much closer affair that also featured a course record.  Grimshaw's Deneb Carias established a huge early lead, and held off GPRC Wolves runner Sean Hawryluk by a scant 15 seconds at the finish. Carias's time of 26:44 was over two minutes better than the previous High School Boys course record.  Local triathlete Joe Radench placed third.
  
  Other local category winners included:
  
  Troy Bough  Kateri Mission School Junior High Boys 4 km
  Robyn Bonnar  GP Composite  High School Girls 4 km
  Kathyrn Stone  GPRC Wolves   Open Womens 4 km
  Marlene Corcoran  Wapiti Striders  Master Womens 7.5 km
  Derek Hall  Open Mens 4 km
  
  Full results at http://www.runquick.com/corcorn/06BurgessResults.html
  
  

• Rigel Carias' brother wrapped up the 2006 track season with a couple of strong runs at the 2006 Legion Track and Field Championship in Burnaby on August 12 and 13.  Our favourite little Grimshawian finished 6th in the Juvenile Boys 2000m Steeplechase (6:37) and 11th in the 3000m (9:25).  For full results, click on the above link.
  

• A number of Club members took the Emperor's Challenge in Tumbler Ridge on Saturday, August 12.  Katherine Stone and Sonya Bodnar went 2-3 in the women's race clocking excellent times of 2:12 and 2:13 respectively for the extremely challenging course.  Bill Corcoran was 6th among the men in 2:01 while Roland Esposito clocked a 2:24, good enough for 22nd place.  Full results are avaiable at the Emperor's Challenge website.

• Ethan Backer recorded a personal best time of 63.10 seconds on the way to a third place finish in the Boys 11-12 400m at the North American Hershey Track and Field Finals on Saturday, August 5 in Hershey PA.
  
  The 12 year old athlete was the first-ever Peace Country athlete to qualify for the North American Hershey Finals.  The meet brings together the top 9-14 year old athletes from across North America. 
  
  For full results see http://www.hersheys.com/trackandfield/meet/results.asp

• Deneb Carias qualified for the National Legion meet based on his second place finish in the 2000m Steeplechase at the Provincial Trials on July 20.  The best looking guy in Grimshaw (just ask him) and brother of FORMER ASG Record holder Carias Rye-gel also had a 6th place finish in the 1500m, a 3rd in the 3000m, and a 3rd in the racewalk (hopefully, none of his friends saw that last one.)  For full results of the 2006 Provincial Legion Trials, click the link.
  

• Megan Crawley competed in the Provincial Junior Champs in Calgary on July 8 and 9.  Megan managed a 6th place finish in the 400m (60.5?) and a 6th place finish in the 200m. (Actually, I'm guessing at the places - the link to the results at AA is down right now.  I guess if you really want to know, you can go to the Athletics Alberta site and check for yourself  tomorrow, but I digress ....)
  

• A small contingent of Striders competed in the 2006 Jack Brow Memorial track meet in Kelowna on the Canada Day long weekend.  Ferris Sandboe was the most successful local placing first in the Girls 14 80m hurdles, second in the long jump, and 4th in the 100m.  Full results are at the Kelowna Track and Field Club website.

• Full results from the ASG are posted here.
  

•  2006 Zone 8 ASG Trials Results are posted here.

• A trio of Peace Country athletes posted a total of six top 2 finishes at the Provincial Hershey Track Meet in Edmonton on the weekend. Grande Prairie's Ethan Backer placed first in the Boys 11-12 200m and 400m and also recorded a second place finish in the ball throw.

• Seventy athletes took to the track on Saturday, June 17 for the 2006 Zone 8 Alberta Summer Games Trials and All Comers.   Triple event winners included Adrien Shadeck (Juv Boys 100, 200, 400), Deneb Carias (Juv Boys 800, 1500, 3000m), Tosin Ajobo (Open Men 100, 200, LJ), Cynthia Walsh (Juv Girls SP, DT, JT), Kirby Fletcher (Midget Boys SP, DT, JT), and Shawn Forgie (Juv Boys HJ, DT, and 100m).  Also, Rollie and Kyle continued their winning ways against high school girls by going 1-2 in the third heat of the 400m - you guys are an inspiration to us all.    Full Results
  

• It looked bad for the male gender for about 9 km of the 2006 Press Run.  Then, Stephen Stone dug deep, kicked silly and prevented Penny Thompson from winning outright and "chicking" the entire field.  Stone stopped the clock at 39:11 while Thompson knocked a minute off of her 2006 time with a speedy 39:35.  Kyle Ross won the 3 km.  2006 DHT Press Run Results. 
  

• The 2nd edition of the second coming of the Jasper-Banff Relay took place on June 3 and the Striders were back.  The team notched an 11th place finish in a field of 24.  Full results are at the Banff Jasper Relay website.

• Five club members competed in the ASAA High School Track and Field Champs in Edmonton on June 2 and 3.  The Carias kids didn't disappoint; Rigel brought home the gold in Senior Girls Shot Put and her extremely good looking (just ask him) bro Deneb scooped the minor medal in the Intermediate Boys 3000m.  Megan Crawley just missed the podium by finishing fourth (400m) and fifth (200m) in the Senior Girls Category.  Katherine Stone placed a credible 6th in the Intermediate Girls 3000m, while Bobby Lahoda narrowly missed the finals in the Intermediate Boys 200m and 400m.  Full results.
  

• Here are the results of the Dawson Creek Triathlon on Sunday, May 28:
• Kids Event
• Adults Race
  

• A number of club members had some pretty stellar results at the Zone 8 Track and Field Champs on May 26 and 27.  Double winners included the Carias kids (Rigel and the very hawt Deneb - just ask him), Megan Crawley, Bobby Lahoda,  and Jori Anderson.  The Palm Tree Head (aka Kat Stone) pulled off an amazing triple as did Adrian Schadeck.

• High School Results
• High School Team Scores
• Jr High Results
• Jr High Team Scores
  

• Sure Trevor Kolkea and Pe-ne-lope Thompson may have triumphed overall in the 2006 GP Triathlon, but the battle for 6th place was a true barnbarner.  Trevor "Swimming Drills are my Friend" Clifford  prevailed over the legendary Fred "I'm a runner, not a swimmer" by a scant 25 seconds.  Freddy learned a valuable lesson: You can't spot TC almost 3 minutes and expect to run him down.  In any event, for full results, click on the links:
• 2006 GP Triathlon
• 2006 GP Kids of Steel Triathlon

• Congrats to Janelle Williamson who posted a 4th place finish among the women in the 2006 Red Deer Half Marathon on the May long weekend.  Janelle posted a time of 1:31 in her first ever half marathon.

• The evil forces from St Joes prevailed over the home team by a score of 868 to 841 at the 2006 Peace Country Classic and Hershey Meet on Saturday, May 13.  Megan Crawley won three events (HS Girls 100, 200, and 400), but her 4 x 100 relay team was soundly thumped by four GPRC Wolves X-C runners pretending to be sprinters. (Way to hammer on those little girls, guys!!) Full results are posted here.  Team scores are posted here.
  

• Lori Leduc won her second consecutive Brian Harms Road Race 10 mile title on Sunday, May 7.  Bill Corcoran also defended the mens 3 mile title.  Dawson Creek's Trevor Kolkea was the overall 10 mile winner, covering the distance in 61:01. Kathryn Stone (Palm Tree Hair Girl) outdueled the legendary Marlene Corcoran in the womens 3 mile.  Full results are posted here.
  

• All Comers Meet #1 was a smashing success.  Over 120 athletes of all ages and abilities took part.  Full results are posted here.
  

• A good contingent of GP runners were among the 50,000+ who took part in Canada's largest road race, the Vancouver Sun Run on Sunday, April 23.  Here are the times and places for the rolling 10 km event:

• It was a good start to the road race season for a couple of Club members.  Fred Setterington (35:10) and Janelle Williamson (41:35) captured the mens and womens races respectively at the Spring Run Off in Fort St John on Sunday, April 2.  Click the link for Full Results.
  

• Eight track club members were competed in the Provincial Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 4 and 5 in Edmonton.  Rigel Carias placed second in the Junior Girls shot put while Janelle Williamson notched a second in the Senior Womens 3000m and a third in the 1500m.  Full results are posted at here.
  

• Four club runners were in Vancouver on Saturday, December 3 to contest the 2005 Canadian X-Country Running Championships in Jericho Beach Park. Roland Esposito's shoes (they were attached to Calgary's Matt Sinclair)  had the performance of the day, placing  17th in the Junior Mens race.  Apart from the shoes :
  
  - In the Junior Mens 8 km, Sean Hawryluk closed strongly in the final kilometer to notch a 72nd place finish. He recorded a time of 27:51 over the flat, soggy course.
  
  - Jannelle Williamson managed an 88th place finish in the Junior Women’s 5 km race. She stopped the clock in 19:54.
  
  - Bill Corcoran placed 42nd  (32:48) in the Masters 8 km race, while Roland Esposito (the man himself, not the shoes) placed 7th (20:07) in the Community/Open 5 km race.

• Nine members of the Wapiti Striders were in Edmonton on November 26 to take in the final indoor track and field meet of the calendar year.  The Last Chance Meet held at the University of Alberta Pavillion attracted athletes from across the province.
  
  Four locals won their respective events:
  
  Deneb Carias     Midget Boys 1500m       4:32.46
  Rigel Carias      Juvenile Girls Shot Put      12.67m
  Adrian Schadeck   Midget Boys 400m    57.96
  Megan Crawley    Juvenile Girls 400m   63.41
  
  Full results of Last Chance Meet
  

• The GPRC Wolves had a great x-country season.  Both the mens and womens team were silver medalists at the ACAC Championships in Ft McMurray on October 28.  At the CCAA Nationals in Peterborough, ON on November 12, the women's team placed third, while the men were seventh.  Three Wolves acheived All Canadian status - Penny Thompson (5th), Janelle Williamson (6th), and Sean Hawryluk (6th).

• Grande Prairie hosted the 2005 ASAA High School X-Country Championships on October 22.  The event was a smashing success. Club members Deneb Carias (3rd in Intermediate Mens) and Kathryn Stone (25th in Senior Womens) were among the top Zone 8 athletes.  Click here for results. 
  

• Results from the Zone 8 X-Country Running Championships are now posted.
  

• The 2005 Wolves X-Country Running Series  wrapped up in early October.  Click on the link for results.
  

• A course record and a few close misses were among the highlights of the 2005 Steve Burgess Memorial Cross Country Running Race at the Wapiti Nordic Centre on Saturday, September 17.  Sixteen year old *Deneb Carias* from Grimshaw destroyed the field in the High School Boys 4 km race, clocking a course record time of 14:25.  Carias finished 85 seconds ahead of runner-up *Justin Black* from Dawson Creek.  Grovedale's *Penny Thompson* was equally dominant in the womens 7.5 km, stopping the clock at 30:36.  Thompson finished 5 minutes ahead of Grande Prairie's *Lee Ann Nessman.  *Only *Jenna Huber*, who clocked 29:33 in 2001, has ever run the women's 7.5 km course more quickly.
  
  Two other GPRC rookie runners also posted performances of note.  *Sean Hawyrluk* won the open mens 7.5 km in 26:34 and *Jannelle Williamson* finished first in the open womens 4 km in 17:00.  Those performances moved both Hawyrluk and Williamson to #4 on the all time Wapiti Nordic Cross Country course list.
  
  Other local winners included:
  
  *Marlene Corcoran  *Masters Womens 7.5 km
  
  *Bittu Rupana*  High  School Boys 7.5 km
  
  *Victor  Boisvert * Masters Mens 4 km
  

• :Marlene Corcoran W40 – 8km Cross Country, 5^th, 1500m, 5^th, Half Marathon, 11^th
  
• Bill Corcoran M40 - 400m, 13th; 800m, 7th: 1500m, 8th
  
• Laurie Remple W45 - 8km Cross Country, 16^th, Half Marathon, 65^th
•  Drake Houssain M40 – 8km Cross Country, 10th
• Duncan Banks M45- Half Marathon, 20^th
•  Ken Wazny M55 – Pentathlon, 5^th 
• Marty Fullerton M45 – Half Marathon, 87th. 

• Congrats to the Wapiti Striders brother and sister duo of Deneb and Rigel Carias who competed in the Midget/Juvenile Nationals in Edmonton on August 5 and 6. Rigel won the silver medal in the Shot Put and placed 9^h in the Discus in the Juvenile Girls category. Deneb was 5^h in the 3000m and 7th in the 1500m amongst the Midget Boys.

• Four members of the Wapiti Striders made the podium at the Jack Brow Memorial Meet on the July long weekend.  Marlene Corcoran had a pair of second place finishes in the Open Women 1500 and 3000, while Kyle Reynolds (Junior Men) and Brady Turner (Open Men) both had a pair of bronze medals in the 800 and 1500.  Ten year old Eric Corcoran also had a bronze in the High Jump. Results are at the Kelowna Track and Field Club Website.

The womens race also had a first time champion. However, Penny Thompson, winner of last month's Grande Prairie Triathlon and GPRC's female athlete of the year, is hardly a stranger to the top step of the podium.  Thompson immediately went to the front of the women's field and never looked back recording a time of 40:32, over 2 1/2 minutes better than runner up Megan Bernes, who runs for Augustana University College in Camrose.  Marlene Corcoran placed third.

The 3 km races were won by the brother/sister duo of Jeremy and Sarah Popovitch.  Jeremy clocked 12:46 while Sarah's time was 13:27.

A total of 62 athletes from Grande Prairie and area took part.
      

Full results are at www.wapitistriders.com/05PressRunResults.pdf

Club Members Deneb Carias, Rigel Carias, Risa Iwasiuk, and Kathryn Stone all distinguished themselves at the 2005 ASAA Track and Field Championships on June 3 and 4 in Edmonton.

Deneb won the Junior Boys 3000m and placed second in the 1500m.  Sister Rigel was the Intermediate Girls Shot Put champion and added a bronze in the discus for good measure.

Risa recorded a pair of personal bests in the Junior Girls 1500 and 3000m on the way to 5th and 6th place finishes respectively.  Risa also added a 7th place finish in the 800m.

Kathryn chased Risa in the 1500m and 3000m races, finishing right behind her in 6th and 7th places respectively.

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Joe Radench won his third Ernies Sports Experts Brian Harms Memorial 10 mile road race on Sunday.  Under bright sunny skies, Radench, one of Alberta's top triathletes, stopped the clock at 58:48, over 4.5 minutes ahead of the second place finisher Grande Prairie's Paul Oostra. Kyle Reynolds, running his first ever road race, placed third.

Grande Prairie newcomer Lisa Leduc was almost equally as dominant in the womens race.  Leduc clocked a time of 1:15:50 almost 3 minutes better than Alison Tucker of Taylor BC,  who placed second. Jeanette Brooks from Valleyview was third.

Other winners included:

Bill Corcoran        Men's 3 mile
Sara Scott           Womens 3 mile
Sarah Popovitch    Girls 1 km
Jeremy Popovitch    Boys 1 km

St. Gerards School took the school participation award.

A total of 69 athletes from across the Peace and Edmonton took part.

2005 Brian Harms Results

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Hillside High School from Valleyview dominated the team competition at the Zone 8 track and field meet on Friday and Saturday at the Legion Field. 

The Valleyview school compiled 979 in the Junior High competition; over 300 more than second place Prairie River school from High Prairie.  IV Macklin was the top Grande Prairie school, finishing 6th overall.

In the Senior High competition, Hillside nearly doubled second place EW Pratt School from High Prairie by a 1239.50 to 635 score.  Peace Wapiti Academy placed third.

Individually, there were a number of stellar performances, particularly in the middle distance events.  Wapiti Strider's runner Deneb Carias set two zone records in the Junior Boys 1500 and 3000.  Carias' 3000m time of 9:25 knocked 35 seconds existing record.

Kathryn Stone also reduced the Junior Women's 3000m zone record by 35 seconds, recording a time of 11:47.  Risa Iwasiuk finished second in the race in 12:04, also breaking the existing record.

Over 700 athletes from across the Peace took part.  The top 2 in each Senior High category qualified for the ASAA High School Provincials Track Meet in Edmonton. 

2005 Zone 8 Track Meet Results - Senior High

2005 Zone 8 Track Meet Results - Senior High Teams

2005 Zone 8 Track Meet Results - Junior High

2005 Zone 8 Track Meet Results - Junior High Teams

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Results for the KOS and GP Triathlons on the May long weekend are listed below: KOS Triathlon Results

GP Triathlon Results

Over 250 competitors from the Peace Country and beyond took part in the 3rd Annual Peace Country Classic / Herhey Track Meet on Saturday at the Legion Field.

Mike Apps from Dawson Creek was the Outstanding Performer of the meet. Apps won 3 events in the Boys 17/18 category, clocking personal best times of 2:03 in the 800m and 4:20 in the 1500m, and jumping 1.68m in the High Jump.

Other triple winners included Ft St John's Bethany Roy (Girls 11/12 100m, 200m, and Long Jump) and Grande Prairie's Joren Manz (Boys 11/12 400m, 800m, Long Jump) 

Local competitors winning two events included:

Brandon Adam - Boys 17/18 Shot Put and Discus
Eric Corcoran - Boy 10 and under 50m and 100m
Bill Corcoran - Mens 400m and 800m
Barb Edey - Girls 17/18 200m and 400m
Kyle Ross - Boys 13/14 200m and 1600m

2005 PCC/Hershey RESULTS (revised)


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A pair of top Peace Country athletes put in some stellar performances at the All Comers Track Meet at the Legion Field on Saturday, April 30.

In the featured mens one mile race, two time provincial 1500m champion Fred Setterington, set a strong early pace and held on to register a convincing 15 second victory.  Setterington stopped the clock at 4:34.7.

Fort St John's Quinton Gamble, a member of Canada's 2003 World Youth Championships Team, clocked a blistering 22.5 to win the 200m.  Gamble also won the long jump with a mark of 6.80m.

Other multiple winners included Dawson Creek's Mike Apps (HS boys mile and 200m),  Fort St John's Emma Farwell (Elm girls discus and high jump), Peace Wapiti Academy's Brandon Adam (HS boys shot put and discus),  Max Allen (Open Shot Put and Discus) and Sarah Popovitch (elm girls long jump and shot put.)

A total of 150+ athletes, triple the number of last year's meet, competed. 

Next up on the local track and field scene is the Hershey Meet / Peace Country Classic on May 14.

Results from the All Comers Track Meet on April 30

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Twenty two local runners took part in the Sun Run 10 km in Vancouver on April 17.  The Sun Run is the largest road race in Canada attracting 48,000+ entrants.

The top local men were Bittu Rupana - 37:35, Bill Corcoran - 37:60, and J-Romeo "I started waaay back" Stojan - 38:43. Kathryn Stone - 48:25 was the top local women 

Full results of the 2005 Sun Ru


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Fred Setterington established an early lead and never looked back on his way to a convincing victory at the Spring Run Off 10 km in Fort St. John on Sunday, April 3.

Setterington clocked a time of 35:19, 2 and a half minutes better than runner-up Trevor Kolkea of Dawson Creek.  GPRC Wolves runner Trevor Clifford outdueled GPRC coach Bill Corcoran 38:49 to 38:52 to take third place.

Other local results included:

• Duncan Banks 5th place 41:52
• Laurie Leduc 2nd place womens 44:58
• Drake Houssain 44:59
• Patrick Coppens 49:01
• Shauna Telford 4th place womens 51:02
• Rick Scott 58:50
Full Results of 2005 FSJ Spring Runoff 10 km
 

• Local athletes combined for 2 golds and one bronze medal at the Athletics Alberta Provinicial Indoor Track and Field Championships in Edmonton on the first weekend in March,

Holden Lorentz and Marlene Corcoran both won their respective events.  Lorentz captured the Junior Mens Pole Vault with a mark of 3.00m, while Corcoran triumphed in the Master Womens 1500m, recording a time of 5:38.33.

Nine year old Eric Corcoran placed third in the Pee Wee Boys Speed Triathlon.

Two other locals just missed the podium.  Bill Corcoran placed 4th in the Master Mens 800 (2:14.41) and 5th in the 1500m (4:39.09), while Beaverlodge's Tori Dixson was 4th in the Senior Womens 60m Hurdles (9.70) and 6th in the 60m (8.43).

Other local results included:

Haeder Azzoz - 11th Junior Mens 400m (55.98)
Haeder Azooz - 16th Junior Mens 200m (24.92)
Haeder Azooz - 18th Junior Mens 60m (7.64)

Erin Corcoran - 20th Bantam Girls Speed Tetrathlon (792)

Ian Alexander - 6th Junior Mens Shot Put (10.72m)
Ian Alexander - 21st Junior Mens 60m (7.95)

Justin McGhee - 22nd Junior Mens 60m (8.01)
 

• About 25 intrepid souls braved the bone chilling -31C cold on New Year's Day in the Resolution 5 km fun run.  Click here for some pics.