Salmon Arm runners took team awards in all four categories in chilly temperatures in the second North Zone Cross Country Running meet of the season Wednesday at Kalamalka Provincial Park.
A total of 83 runners from 11 schools tackled the hilly routes, with the juniors competing on the four-kilometre loop and seniors on the hillier 5.8-k trails.
RELATED: Vernon Tri Monsters primed for Summer Games
RELATED: VIDEO: Vernon Rotary honours finest high school athletes
Seaton Sonics runners won both the ‘Fastest Guy’ and ‘Fastest Gal’ Starting Block gift certificate prizes for the seniors’ race with Braden Kersey (22 minutes, 48 seconds) and Annika Ariano (23:06) both repeat winners from 2017 who made significant improvements to their times.
Ben Van Bergeyk of the Salmon Arm Golds placed second in the senior boys’ race in 23:02, followed by teammate Stephen Moore, at 23:05. Ian Oliphant of the Sonics was fifth in 23:42.
Kate Milne of the Golds was runner-up in 26:41, followed by teammate Maggie Beckner in 26:59.
Finn Rodwell of Salmon Arm won the junior boys race in 14:48, two seconds ahead of Vernon Panthers’ Carter Leahy. Toren Andrews of Seaton was third in 15:22, followed by Brody Wright of VSS in 15:22, Jack Screen of Seaton in 15:27 and Gage Stoll of Seaton in 15:36.
Alexandra Luxmoore of the Revelstoke Avalanche topped the junior girls run in 16:59.
“A big thank-you goes out to the 22 VSS staff, parents, students, and friends who were so essential in marshalling the courses and managing the finish line, and to our prize-sponsoring business, The Starting Block, for their continued support,” said meet director Mark Bendall.
The next North Zone meet is Wednesday in Revelstoke with the Zone championships set for Wednesday, Oct. 17 in Salmon Arm. The Okanagan Valley championships go Tuesday, Oct. 23 in Kamloops followed by provincials, Saturday, Nov. 3, in Nanaimo.
@VernonNews
sports@vernonmorningstar.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.