Registration is now open for the fourth annual RBC GranFondo Whistler, which is set to ride up the Sea to Sky Highway on Sept. 7, 2013.
Early-bird pricing is available for the GranFondo and Medio distances, allowing riders a 10-per-cent discount on what’s guaranteed to be an unforgettable cycling experience.
Participants can register as two-person teams for the very first time in next year’s event, both as mixed and single-gender duos. The regular team category for crews of five to nine riders will also be back, and well over $1,000 in prizing will be awarded to the top men’s, women’s and mixed squads in 2013.
Also new for next year, riders who register early have the option of deferring their registration until 2014 in the event of an injury or scheduling conflict.
Visit www.rbcgranfondowhistler.com to register or learn more about the event.
Youth runners reach podium
Whistler and Pemberton youth runners turned in several great performances during the Oct. 10 Sea to Sky Elementary School cross-country finals hosted at Don Ross Secondary School in Squamish.
At the Grade 7 level, Signal Hill’s Alisa Feuz was second and Myrtle Philip’s Karly Peterson was third in the girls’ race, while Spring Creek students Anders Ujejski and Michael Murdoch were second and third, respectively, among the boys.
It was a Whistler podium sweep in the Grade 6 girls’ event, with Mila Wittenberg, Jenna Tobias and J.J. Dean taking the top three spots. Mackenzie Cyr (second) and Joe Davie were in the boys’ top three.
Spring Creek runners Ben Brownlie and Alex Binette finished one-two in the Grade 5 boys’ race and Samantha Deally was second for the girls.
Myrtle Philip’s Elle Johnston and Spring Creek’s Eric Milley both placed third for the top local girls’ and boys’ results among Grade 4s, while Nadia Jelenic, Katelyn Peterson, Brodie Smith and Sean Cyr were all podium finishers in the Grade 3 race.
Saints still perfect
The wins keep piling up for the Sea to Sky squads playing the North Shore Football League, all three of which were back in action on Sunday.
The Whistler Saints flag team kept its perfect record intact, moving to 5-0 on the season with a 25-13 triumph over the North Vancouver Raiders. Logan Anderson took the opening kickoff to the end zone to set the early tone, while Dane Kirkegaard scored a pair of touchdowns and Griffin Brown added another in the win.
The Peewee-level Sea to Sky Titans wrapped up their second-straight victory by knocking off their Raiders counterparts 12-0. Devon Bailey had both scores for the corridor crew, which improved its record to 4-1-1.
The Minor-aged Titans were held off the scoreboard in a loss to the North Vancouver Vikings. They’ll shoot for their first win of the season in Week 7 action this Sunday (Oct. 21), looking for more strong outings from Cole Gimse and Zach Rhuland, who combined for eight tackles in the loss.
Food bank 5K run returns
The annual Whistler Food Bank 5K run returns next Saturday (Oct. 27), presented by C2Sky Multisport and The North Face Whistler Half Marathon.
The run will feature a classic course around the Whistler Golf Club. Entry is by donation of non-perishable food items or cash. The event is open to all — runners, walkers, bikers, skateboarders, parents with strollers and anybody else who would like to participate.
The event is scheduled for a 9 a.m. start at the golf course, with check-in opening at 8 a.m. Visit www.whistlerhalfmarathon.com for more details.
Paddlers perform well
Three Pemberton paddlers were back on the water in Victoria on Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 13 and 14), securing solid results at the Bridges OC6 and Small Boat Race.
Dayna Goochey, Shelby Goochey and Cavan Oulette travelled to the event and teamed up with athletes from Nanaimo and Victoria to form crews.
Dayna Goochey had the most successful weekend of the three, capturing gold in her mixed K2 2,000-metre event with a partner from Victoria, plus silver medals from the six-km mixed OC6 outrigger race and in the same distance in the women’s OC2 class with a teammate from Nanaimo.
Medals for local taekwondo athletes
Whistler Taekwondo School students had excellent showings in Saturday’s B.C. Taekwondo Master Cup Tournament at Capilano University, bringing home a number of medals for the local club.
Mackenzie Cyr, 11, won a gold medal while bronze medals were earned by Whistler’s Sean Cyr, Connor Darnbrough and Justin Darnbrough.
The school still has some openings for its winter sessions. Visit www.whistlertaekwondo.com for more information, search the school name on Facebook or contact 604-966-7456.
