The monsoon didn鈥檛 stop until the race committee was heading down the Sea to Sky Gondola after the medals had been handed out.
鈥淎s soon as we packed up, there were sunny skies,鈥� Sky Pilot trail run co-race director Geoff Langford said.
Despite the onslaught of rain on Sunday, Sept. 19, the hearty runners who had signed up for the sold-out 14 and 21-kilometre trail races were raring to go. However, the wet trails did send the race committee to the blackboard, as organizers met with Sea to Sky Gondola staff and 麻豆社国产Search and Rescue official John Wilcox to review the situation. The team ended up shortening the long course to 16 kilometres.
鈥淩escues weren鈥檛 going to be possible,鈥� Langford said noting the low cloud cover and high winds.听
The rain didn鈥檛 dampen runners鈥� attitudes.听
鈥淓veryone still had smiles on their faces as they crossed the finish line,鈥� Landford continued.
Squamish鈥檚 Nick Elson won the men鈥檚 16 km race with a time of 1:19:09. The avid climbing and ski mountaineering athlete has successfully transitioned into trail running. In 2014, Elson was the winner of the 麻豆社国产50, a 50-mile race.听
Elson was followed closely by Victoria鈥檚 Shaun Stephens-Whale, Langford said.听
鈥淚t was surprisingly close. Elson was about 30 seconds ahead.鈥�
Stephens-Whale clocked 1:19:20.听
Vernon鈥檚 Aaron Heidt came in third place. Heidt is a veteran in ultra races. In 2013, he won the Canadian Death Race.听
Vancouver鈥檚 Anne-Marie Madden crossed the line in first place for the women鈥檚 16 km with a time of 1:38. Madden is a member of the elite Canadian long-course triathlon and duathlon teams. She has competed around the world.
Laura O鈥橠riscall followed Madden with a time of 1:59. Vancouver鈥檚 Flavie Pelletier came in third place.听
The men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 winners for the 14 km race was a couple from Minneapolis who had just moved to Seattle, Langford said. Adam Frye crossed the line with a time of 1:28, the exact same time as his partner, Ladia Albertson-Junkans.听
Tony Richardson came second in the men鈥檚 14 km with a time of 1:32, and Jordan Brietzke was third with 1:34.听
Tiffany Phillips followed Albertson-Junkans, clocking 1:43. Brigitte Martinson was seven minutes behind her.
鈥淭hey were all really pushing it,鈥� Langford said of the racers.听
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For more race results, visit www.coastmountaintrailseries.com.
