Five years ago, Runner鈥檚 World聽magazine called Dakota Jones, then a 20-year-old, 鈥淭he Next Big Thing.鈥�
Another online running publication described him as the 鈥淣ew Face of Ultrarunning.鈥�
On Saturday, he gave a glimpse of why such headlines are anything but hype, as the American runner coasted to a huge win in the 50-mile event at this year鈥檚 麻豆社国产50, despite the sweltering temperatures.
He even managed to set a new record for the current course, reaching the finish line at Pavilion Park in seven hours, 31 minutes and nine seconds.
His time was still slightly behind that of Squamish鈥檚 Nick Elson from two years ago, but as race co-director Gary Robbins clarified, the course in 2014 shared some trails with mountain bikers and was considered to be about five minutes faster, which leaves Jones with the new record for the current alignment.
Elson, who did not take part this year, was gracious in showing up at the finish line to offer congratulations to Jones. (Earlier in the week, Elson had set a new record running the Grand Traverse in Wyoming in a time of six hours and 30 minutes, taking 17 minutes off a 15-year-old record.)
This was Jones鈥� first time racing in the community, and he was impressed with what he saw.
鈥溌槎股绻鷌s an amazing place,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e heard about it my whole life.鈥�
Second and third came down to Jones鈥� fellow American Chris Denucci and Colin Miller of Lions Bay, who were both competing in Sunday鈥檚 50-kilometre event and considered favourites to win the 50/50 contest. Denucci finished the 50-Miler in 8:26:34 while Miller came in at 8:34:24.
The two had been close throughout the race. Denucci said he knew Jones was well out front but thought he was relatively alone in second until he reached an aid station.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know anyone was close to me, and then Colin rolled up,鈥� he said after the race.
In the women鈥檚 bracket, it was all American runners on the podium. Hannah Green ended up in top spot and fifth overall with a time of 9:05:15. Scarlett Graham was second with 9:39:13 while Kaytlyn Gerbin was third at 9:48:17.
Jones鈥� time was the exception to the rule this year, as the hot temperatures, reaching 30 C, meant slower finishes for most of the competitors. Even the winner was feeling the effects of the race, though, after he was done.
鈥淢y feet are torn up, I鈥檓 tired, I鈥檓 thirsty,鈥� Jones said.
At the 10- and 11-hour marks, Robbins noted that the number of runners that had finished was only half of what it normally would be by that point.
鈥淭his is definitely the quietest first 10 hours of the race we鈥檝e ever seen,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have not had a hot summer day. It kind of just came on this week.鈥�
On Sunday, which saw milder weather, more runners were on hand for the 50- and 23-kilometre events, starting from Alice Lake and Quest University, respectively.
American Brendan Trimboli won the race and was also to have raced the 50-mile event but missed the start.
鈥淚 wanted to give Dakota Jones a chance to win the 50-miler,鈥� he joked.
Two Canadians, Michael McMillan and Marcus Ribi, took second and third. Meanwhile, Denucci finished fourth to Miller鈥檚 seventh to take the 50/50 prize.
Finally, for the 23-kilometres event, local David Roulston won with a time of 2:01:45, followed by Ann-Marie Madden and Stephen Ptucha.
This year, registration for the 1,200 spots sold out, though, in all, there were 1,100 people set to run. Many were from Canada and the U.S., but some came from as far away as Europe and Australia.
One hundred of them were registered in both the 50-mile and 50-kilometre events 鈥� or the 50/50 contest.
鈥淲e get about 30 people that manage to finish it,鈥� race co-director Geoff Langford said.
