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Cowichan runner Dow claims silver at cross-country provincials

Frances Kelsey student is fastest Grade 9 runner
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Alexa Dow displays her silver medal from the provincial cross-country championships. (Submitted by Andrea Dow)

Alexa Dow ran to a second-place finish in the junior girls event at the provincial cross-country championships in Vancouver last Saturday.

The Frances Kelsey Secondary student was the top Grade 9 runner in the junior girls race, finishing in a time of 17 minutes and 53 seconds, 47 seconds back of winner Maella Hodgson of Elgin Park.

“It was a great experience to race against 240 fast girls,” Dow commented. “My coach, Gary Barber, was amazing in helping me prepare for this championship race.”

The wet conditions at Jericho Beach weren’t a deterrent for Dow.

“The course was difficult with lots of mud, but that’s one of the things I love about cross country racing, you just run right through the puddles,” she said.

With the cross-country season now behind her, Dow is focused on her other running challenges.

“I’m really looking forward to the 2022 track season and to attending the BC Summer Games in Prince George in July,” she said.

Also finishing toward the front of the pack in the junior girls race was Brentwood College School’s Luise Hitzbleck, who placed 18th with a time of 18:59.

Brentwood also had four runners in the senior girls race, where the school placed 19th out of 27 teams. Neve Martin, Lily Hayden, Pilar Avila Melgarejo and Hazel Ling were among the 233 entrants in that event.

In the senior boys race, Yichen Gao of Queen Margaret’s School was the top finisher from the Cowichan Valley, placing 32nd out of 231 runners. Kelsey’s Miles Powell placed 64th. Brentwood’s team of Evan Maher, Edward Lalonde, Ty Dahlstrom and Eamon Ryan finished 25th. Carter Zuback of Queen of Angels School was the lone finisher from the Cowichan Valley in the junior boys race.