Oak Bay High has a new banner to hang on the gym walls after the 2022 cross-country provincials.
Royal Roads University grounds offered a beautiful backdrop as the small Oak Bay team tackled the trails, with the junior boys bringing home a banner and a couple of runners winning their races.
“Our athletes all did incredibly well, with some of our athletes finishing in the top 25 in their division against 250 of the top athletes in B.C.,” said coach Tessa Kubicek.
Nearly 1,000 athletes from across the province ran the trails at Royal Roads University in Colwood Saturday (Nov. 5) for the B.C. High School Cross-Country Championships. Two Oak Bay High runners topped the podium. Charli Mlotshwa won the junior boys and teammate Tyler Browne won the senior boys.
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The senior girls team finished sixth and the senior boys team placed fifth overall.
Ronan Weins of J.L. Jackson Secondary School in Salmon Arm took home gold in the para-athlete category, Alexa Dow of Frances Kelsey school won the junior girls race, and Ruby Broadbent of Parkland Secondary in North Saanich took home gold for the senior girls.
Find the full results at startlinetiming.com/en/races/2022/bchsxc.
The event has not been held on Vancouver Island since 2014, and in honour of its long-awaited return, a special course allowed athletes, coaches, family, and friends to cheer on the runners.
“This may be the most stunning setting ever for a B.C. championships, with the vistas of the Juan de Fuca Strait and the Olympic Mountain range and the beauty of Hatley Castle. This will also be one of the most spectator-friendly courses as spectators will be able to cheer the athletes on over two creek jumps, multiple challenging corners, steep climbs, and a long straightaway for exciting finishes,” course designer Jeff Hunt said in a news release. Thousands of spectators turned out.
christine.vanreeuwyk@blackpress.ca
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