The threat of rain did not faze the 72 racers from eight secondary schools that took their marks Tuesday, Oct. 3, for the penultimate race of the Cowichan XC Series at Glenora Trails Head Park.
The Glenora Trails Head route was described by Cowichan Secondary runner Emily Maccalum as having “no laps,” and was “more hilly than expected.”
Although series co-founder James Cutt had explained to the students “It’s not the Olympics!” prior to the race, the eighth graders certainly didn’t heed his words as the pack of 14 runners sprinted through the forest with Quamichan’s Samuel Nickolichuck (10:42) coming in strong across the finish line for first. Charlie Woernle and Quentin Porter from Brentwood College School dashed in placing second and third.
Brentwood College’s Head of School, Bud Patel stood by the finish line congratulating the athletes as they completed the race.
“Everyone cheers for everyone else,” he said. “The Cowichan XC Series has created such a supportive environment. You can see students from different schools cheering on all the racers.”
For the first time this season, Gulf Islands Secondary School’s team participated, doing their coach proud with multiple top five finishes despite it being their first sanctioned race of the season.
Watching his athletes, coach Richard Hayden remarked that everyone is “having a great time!”
With one race remaining in the series, Cutt said the season is going well.
“The weather has held, and there’s been a really good number of runners,” he said.
First to eighth in the Grade 8 Girls division: Sam Henneberry (St. John’s Academy), Keira Miller (Brentwood College School), Ellie Nelson (Frances Kelsey), Tikky Nielsen (Kelsey), Mia Sorenson (Kelsey), Halle Dow (SJA), Isabella Fawcus (SJA), Zeda Aufochs (BCS).
First to eighth in the Grade 8 Boys division: Samuel Nickolichuck (Quamichan), Charlie Woernle (BCS), Quentin Porter (BCS), Marcus Corely (SJA), Wesley Jim (Quamichan), Frank Tom (Quamichan), and James Elliot (Quamichan).
First to eighth in the Junior Girls division: Rylee Wing (Ladysmith), Layla Walker (Queen Margaret’s School), Layla Reynolds (BCS), Charlotte Gough (Kelsey), Renee Hayden (Gulf Islands Secondary School), Nita Qia (BCS), Skyla Lewis (Ladysmith), and Olivia Colaco (SJA).
First to eighth in the Junior Boys division: Malcolm Blackburn (Cowichan Secondary), Matthew Ruiter (QMS), Nolan Smith (Ladysmith), Alden Demandre (GISS), Rylan Hallet (Kelsey), Cody Henry (Kelsey), Robert Argo (SJA), and Ethan Rigler (Shawnigan Lale School)
First to eighth in the Senior Girls division: Veronika Lam (BCS), Cheo Nickels (GISS), Zoe Sanchez (GISS), Maggie Mycroft (QMS), Annette Blumel (Cowichan), Indigo Marshall (GISS), Emily McCallum (Cowichan), and Hannah Krahnke (Ladysmith).
First to eighth in the Senior Boys division: Emerson Hayden (GISS), Christian Lamotte (SLS), Herve Cesa (GISS), Carter Zuback (QMS), Eito Hamazaki (Kelsey), Hamish Gullison (BCS), Mike Chen (QMS), and Sven Schulze (GISS).
Edith Wong and April Liu are students at Brentwood College School