Cool, wet conditions greeted more than 350 participants in the Hatley Castle 8k on Sunday.
Two new champions were crowned – former UVic Vikes athletes Matt Noseworthy and Julia Tschanz – during the third race in the Vancouver Island Race Series.
Noseworthy had some competition from last year’s winner Shelby Drope and Jonathan Behnke, both from Bastion Run Club in Nanaimo.
“I was with Shelby for the first couple of kilometres but I saw the up hills when I arrived and so decided to dial back,” he said. “I was happy to win – it was such a cool course.”
Drope and Behnke were left to battle it out for second and third place, with Behnke inching ahead. The top male master was Shane Ruljancich.
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The women’s race was dominated by Tschanz who led from the start.
“I didn’t have a goal in mind, I just wanted to run strong,” she said. “I love this course with the combination of road and trail.”
Her time of 30:21 was over a minute faster than 2018 winner Melissa Ross and Prairie Inn Harrier Patricia Roney, who recorded identical times of 31:29. Ross edged out Roney at the finish to come second. Top female master was Tara Tudor finishing in 34:08.
In the club championship standings, the Prairie Inn Harriers lead with 1,708 points. Second is Bastion Run Club (1,198 points) and third is Ceevacs Roadrunners (1,017 points).
Race results are online here.
The series continues with the re-scheduled Cedar 12k on March 3, Port Alberni Paper Chase 15k on March 10, Comox Valley RV Half Marathon on March 24, TriStars 10k on April 7 and the Synergy Health Management Bazan Bay 5k. The Series Awards are April 14.
To register for any of the races visit www.islandseries.org online.
c.vanreeuwyk@blackpress.ca
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