There are many signs of spring in Whitehorse this time of year. One of them is the annual Law Day Charity Fun Run and Walk, held last Friday over the lunch hour.
Two-hundred and twenty walkers and runners took part in this 17th annual fundraising event.
Many active people participate in this perennial event just to get their legs and lungs going for another season of running, walking, soccer, cycling and even golf.
Still, Yukon’s fastest runners and walkers always show up at this event. This year was no different and the fleet of foot left many in awe with their speed. The machine-like Ryan Leef owned the five-kilometre course covering it in 17:47, more than a minute faster than the next runner.
The old lion Bill Parry, who has as many running awards as Wayne Gretzky has NHL records, was second fastest at 18:57. Not far behind Parry was Chuck Hendry (19:27).
On the female side, veteran runner and former high school track star Sue Bogle showed all female competitors that she’s back, being the first across the finish line at 21:34 just months after having her third child.
Bogle was closely followed by Leslie Renden (21:44) and the smooth running Tina Sutherland (23:01), an Ontario provincial running star a few years back.
Most of the elite of the walking community showed up, outnumbering the runners for the first time this year (120 to 100) – and proved that the fastest walkers are quicker than some runners.
A couple of Skagway Road Relay walking-team teammates, Bonnie Love and Tanya Astika, chased each other in the last kilometre with Love finishing first at 38:36 and Astika five seconds later (38:41). Cross country skier Catherine Simpson was the third fastest walker (39:18).
Starting as usual at the Law Courts on Second Avenue in downtown Whitehorse, this year’s event was part of the Law Week activities across Canada and commemorated the 25th anniversary of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The route was changed at the last minute from the very popular River Trail-Millennium Trail route to a course run on downtown and Riverdale streets because the trail route still had snow on it.
All participants, including some students from Takhini Elementary School who ran in a satellite run near their school, received a fashionable black T-shirt with the text of the Charter’s equality clause on the front of it.
The run has been hosted by the legal community since 1991 under the banner of the Yukon Branch of the Canadian Bar Association.
This year’s event raised an estimated $3,000 for the CAIRS society.
Whitehorse Recreational Hockey League
Thursday results:
Narrow Gauge 2
Alkan Air 1
Alex Vautour and Adrian Bergman scored for Narrow Gauge, with assists from Andrew Johnson and Kris Kostelnik.
Huy Chau scored the lone Alkan goal.
Kluane Drillers 7
Game 7 Sports 6
Doug Roberts led the Drillers with three goals and two assists, as they edged past Game7. Tyler Murray netted two goals, and Matt Gamble and Adam O’Dell added singles. Daniel Murray, Craig Hampton and Edwin Vanderkley helped out with assists.
Danny Johnson scored two for Game7, as did Kristian King and Ben Cole. Mike Beauchamp, Danny Crawford, Jeremy Kovac, Myles Carlick and Logan Freese were in on the scoring plays with assists.
Saturday results:
Narrow Gauge 4
Kluane Drillers 3
This close playoff match came down to the shootout, with Adrian Bergman and Yves Paradis scoring to lead Narrow Gauge to victory. Bergman scored two goals in regular time as well, and Phillip Harry scored a single.
The Drillers had goals from Tyler Murray, Daniel Murray and Andrew Zinck, and Rob Piztel had one in the shootout.
Sunday results:
Environmental Dynamics 3
Narrow Gauge 2
The Dynamics managed to skate away with a win in this B-division playoff match, despite spending a significant amount of time in the penalty box. Dave Richard netted a pair for E.D., and Jeremy Hookham added a single.
Alex Vatour and Dan McDonald scored for Narrow Gauge.
Boston Pizza/Yukon Rad 7
Whitehorse Mustangs 4
The Pizza/Rad team ran the gamut this weekend during the A-division playoffs, losing to the Mustangs on Friday, bouncing back to wallop the Southern Tutchone Storm 13-1 on Saturday, and getting revenge on the Mustangs on Sunday.
Mike Young and Derek Johnstone led the Pizza boys with a pair of goals each, and Jay Massie, Lance Brown and Barry Blisner added singles.
Mustangs goals were scored by Colin Dendys, Lowell Johnston, Kane Dawe and Robbie Stuckey.
Indoor soccer
Over-35 league (Saturday)
Pepsi 6
Klondike 3
Pepsi won this semifinal, led by scorers Sean Kitchen and Renzo Ordonez, each with two, and Roddy Dale got one, to go with a goal Klondike scored on themselves.
Mehrdad Tirgar scored two for Klondike Copier, and Jeff Zaparinuk scored one. Pepsi now moves on to the championship game April 28, 11:45 a.m. at the Canada Games Centre.
Pine Plumbing 6
Assante 2
Pine Plumbing won over Assante, with Mo Sahid scoring twice, and Franz Paulkner, Herman Garcia, Darren Stadel, and Adil Khalik all scoring as well.
Kevin Brewer and Terry Markley scored for Assante goals.
Pine Plumbing now meets Pepsi in the championship game.