The open men division of the Yukon 10 Kilometre Road Race Championships on Tuesday was stacked with fast runners.
Despite the fierce competition, Whitehorse’s Rodney Hulstein took back the men’s title with a time of 35 minutes and 10 seconds.
Hulstein, who is working on his master’s in Thunder Bay where he spent the school year training with the Lake Head Running Club, placed second last year after winning in 2010 and 2009.
“It was good. It’s not nearly as good as how I ran in the spring when I was down in Thunder Bay,” said Hulstein. “I haven’t been training as much, but it was pretty good considering the amount of training I’ve been doing.”
Hulstein also won the Yukon Five Kilometre Road Race Championships in July and last year. He won the half-distance events at the 2011 Skagway Marathon and the 2010 Yukon River Trail Marathon, and placed ninth in the half distance at the 2010 Victoria Marathon.
Taking second was Ray Sabo, the winner of the open division at last year’s Yukon Cross-Country Championships, with a time of 36:01.
Logan Boehmer, who was on Team Yukon for athletics at the 2011 Western Canada Summer Games, came third at 36:54.
Mike Richards, the winner of the 2010 and 2011 Yukon River Trail Marathon and the half distance in the Skagway Marathon in June, was fourth at 37:20.
Ian Parker, who won the half distance in the Yukon River Trail Marathon earlier this month, ran to fifth with a time of 39:20.
“It was a good group of guys - it was great to see that many people out,” said Hulstein. “Some of the guys were a little faster than expected. Heading out that fast is what fueled a better result than I was originally hoping for.
“Some of the guys are doing the (Klondike Trail of ‘98) Road Relay, and I’m not going to be able to be a part of it again this year, but it’s good pre-emptive race for road training.”
Other division winners include Aiden Bradley, taking first for junior males with a time of 40:29. Bradley represented the Yukon in athletics at the 2011 Western Canada Summer Games and won two bronzes and a silver in snowshoeing at the Arctic Winter Games in March.
Thomas Tetz placed first for males 40-49 with a time of 41:13. Tom Ullyett first for males 50-59 in 41:49. Athletics Yukon running coach Don White won for males 60-69, crossing the finish line at 43:59.
Margeret Mundell snagged first for women 50-59 with a time of 51:21 and was the fastest female runner on the day.
Haley Henderson won for females 40-49 with a time of 52:04.
In the five-kilometre race, Thomas Bakica was first for males at 22:17. Sam Mather placed second (22:29) and Luke Bakica third (25:52).
Natalie Dugas won for females with a time of 23:04. Emily Wale ran to second in 25:57 and Coralie Ullyett third in 26:55.
Mathilde Roldan won the four-kilometre event at 24:35. Jane Haydock was the fastest walker with a time of 38:02.
The championships had a last-minute change of location due to construction work at F.H. Collins Secondary blocking the sidewalk in front of the school at the start line. So organizers moved the event to the original 10-kilometre course, starting downtown on the Millennium Trail, going past Roberts Service Campground, up Miles Canyon Road to the Alaska Highway and back.
A total of 34 runners and walkers participated.
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com