Editor's note: For the last couple of years students have taken over the coverage of the annual Cowichan Valley Schools Cross Country Series. It gives students some experience in the behind-the-scenes work that goes into hosting sporting events and also gives those interested in journalism a taste of sports writing and photography. It's been a partnership Citizen staff have come to look forward to annually.
A soggy Sept. 26 kicked off the first race of the Cowichan Valley Schools Cross Country Series. Runners from nine different schools from the valley and beyond persevered through the rainfall and slippery paths at Bright Angel Park. The small but mighty group of Grade 8 boys and girls completed the 1.8 km loop.
First place went to Taylor Grieve (Aspengrove) in the boy's division with a time of 7:03. Pasley Hayden (Gulf Islands) crossed the line at 7:43 to win the girls division.
The second through eighth Grade 8 boys finishers were: Max Wilson (Aspengrove), Ledger Hardgrove (Shawnigan), Oliver Li (Shawnigan), Maurico Sargis Saurez (Gulf Islands), Noral Yang (QMS), and Justin Kendall (Kelsey) while the second through eighth place Grade 8 girls were: Shiny Wang (Aspengrove), Emily Learmonth (Aspengrove), Brooklen Holmes (Brentwood), Camilla Villalobos (Brentwood), Yuyu Yamamoto (Quamichan), Madelaina Goncalves (Quamichan), and Caris Mcintyre (Quamichan).
The junior boys and girls, consisting of runners in Grades 9 and 10, completed a 3.6 km run in increasingly muddy and unfavourable conditions.
The conditions didn’t stop Will Cram (Ladysmith) from finishing with a time of 14:31, some 10 seconds ahead of his competition. Charlotte Gough (Kelsey) finished first in her division with a time of 15:09.
The second through eighth place junior boys included: Nirav Nayak (Brentwood), Nolan Smith (Ladysmith), Aaron Patel (Aspengrove), Ryder Henwood (Ladysmith), Agustin Paparini (Brentwood), Ethan Rigler (Shawnigan), and Oliver Mottershead (Brentwood).
“Running taught me about hard work and consistency,” said Nayak, who who finished second with a time of 14:41. He congratulated all the runners for participating in the race with special applause to the winner from Ladysmith.
The second through eighth place junior girls were: Skyla Lewis (Ladysmith), Renee Hayden (Gulf Islands), Cassia Riendl-Ling (Aspengrove), Sophie Johnson (Ladysmith), Miller Wilson (Aspengrove), Sophie Delphwhite (Aspengrove), and Seren Henwood (Ladysmith).
A much bigger group of senior girls and boys ran a 5.4 km course. By this time the rain had really picked up and was pouring down. In an exciting finish, Emmerson Hayden (Gulf Islands) won the boys race with a time of 21:26 while and Alexa Dow (Kelsey) completed her final race at Bright Angel in a winning time of 23:51.
The second through eighth place senior boys included: Linus Hartenfels (Kelsey), Yunus Orzesek (Kelsey), Cole Curtis Chesters (Brentwood), Matthew Ruiter (QMS), Mike Chen (QMS), Tristan Chen (Shawnigan), and Malcom Blackburn (Quw’utsun). The second through eighth place senior girls were: Layla Reynolds (Brentwood), Veronika Lam (Brentwood), Nita Qiu (Brentwood), Frankie Swannell (Kelsey), Lotta Schmidt (QMS), Lara Tarlatt (QMS), and Annette Blumel (Quw’utsun).
Jordan He, who participated in the senior girls race, had fun and said she would do it again.
“It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be,” he said, still soaking wet from the rain.
Sofia Becerra Wilson is a Grade 12 student at QMS
