The 2019 Yukon Orienteering Championships continued with the sprint event on June 12 starting and finishing at Elijah Smith School in Whitehorse.
Heavy rain in the lead up to the race did little to discourage participants, as approximately 70 athletes took part in the race.
Sprint races are typically held in urban environments, and athletes need to be equally fast on urban and forest terrain to place well.
Six women and 12 men took part in the expert races, with each race decided by mere seconds.
In the women’s expert race, Emilie Stewart-Jones finished first in 21 minutes and 36 seconds. Second place went to Jennifer Mackeigan with a time of 21 minutes and 51 seconds, while Pia Blake finished third in 22 minutes and 58 seconds.
Colin Abbott won the men’s expert race with a time of 15 minutes and five seconds. Close behind Abbott was David Bakker in second with a time of 15 minutes and 15 seconds, and Leif Blake in third with a time of 15 minutes and 45 seconds.
Times were just as close in the advanced races.
Judith van Gulick was the winner in the women’s 10-person field with a time of 15 mintues and 26 seconds. In second place was Philippa McNeil with a time of 16 minutes and 37 seconds, while third went to Rima Khouri with a time of 19 minute and six seconds.
The men’s advanced winner was Jeremy Johnson with a time of 15 minutes and 25 seconds — just one second ahead of van Gulick.
Second place in the men’s race went to Craig Brooks with a time of 32 minutes and 27 seconds.
Two advanced groups also competed. Martin Slama and Anne-Marie LeBlance were first with a time of 18 minute and 58 seconds, and Peter Embacher and Sarah Johnson were second with a time of 25 minute and 53 seconds.
Six women, four men and five groups competed in the intermediate races.
First place in the women’s race went to Pauline Gallinat who finished in 16 minutes and 12 seconds. Wendy Nixon was next to finish, ending with a time of 17 minutes and 59 seconds, followed by Adney Karais with a time of 18 minutes and 17 seconds.
Stian Langbakk was the men’s winner with a time of 16 minutes and 29 seconds. Behind Langbakk, Kieran Horton finished in 19 minutes and 24 seconds for second place and Johannes Benkert was third with a time of 19 minutes and 37 seconds.
The fastest group was Selena Boothroyd and Scott Williams with a time of 15 minutes and 40 seonds.
Erik and Kevin Embacher were second, finishing in 25 minutes and 22 seconds, and Henri and Dave Rogers were third with a time of 26 minutes and 47 seconds.
Rounding out the sprint results were the two women, four men and four groups that completed the novice races.
The fastest woman was Iliana Koh with a time of 28 minutes and 59 seconds. Second spot went to Maura Glenn with a time of 51 minutes and 14 seconds.
The men’s podium was a rework of the intermediate results.
First place went to Benkert with a time of 11 minutes and 21 seconds, followed by Horton with a time of 11 minutes and 36 seconds and Langbakk with a time of 16 minutes and 29 seconds.
Jason and Oliver Sequin were the fastest group with a time of 23 minutes and 54 seconds. Emily Kralisch-Sequin and Anett Kralisch were next with a time of 26 minutes and 48 seconds. Rounding out the top three was the group of Eva Benkert, Mallory Horton and Brian Horton, with a time of 28 minutes and seven seconds.
The Yukon Orienteering Championships conclude with long-distance races in the Hidden Lakes area on June 19 starting from the Magnusson ski trails parking lot on Grey Mountain Road.
Contact John Hopkins-Hill at john.hopkinshill@yukon-news.com
Yukon Orienteering Championships sprint results
Expert - female
1 Emilie Stewart-Jones 21:36
2 Jennifer Mackeigan 21:51
3 Pia Blake 22:58
4 Barbara Scheck 23:05
5 Sabine Schweiger 25:02
6 Jane Hollenberg 27:45
Expert - male
1 Colin Abbott 15:05
2 David Bakker 15:15
3 Leif Blake 15:45
4 Forest Pearson 16:13
5 Caelan McLean 16:27
6 Benoit Turcotte 18:03
7 Darren Holcombe 18:57
8 Afan Jones 19:44
9 Ben Hancock 23:00
10 Dave Hildes 23:06
11 Erik Blake 24:07:00
12 Bob Sagar 24:40:00
Advanced - female
1 Judith van Gulick 15:26
2 Philippa McNeil 16:37
3 Rima Khouri 19:06
4 Bryn Knight 20:09
5 Kristina Gardner 20:11
6 Julianna Scramstad 22:02
7 Krystal Karais 22:15
8 Sara Nielsen 22:41
9 Lara Melnyk 23:14
10 Nesta Leduc 38:06:00
Advanced - male
1 Jeremy Johnson 15:25
2 Craig Brooks 32:27
Advanced - groups
1 Martin Slama and Anne-Marie LeBlanc 18:58
2 Peter Embacher and Sarah Johnson 25:53
Intermediate - female
1 Pauline Gallinat 16:12
2 Wendy Nixon 17:59
3 Adney Karais 18:17
4 Emma Seward 18:43
5 Deb Kiemele 19:04
6 Ev Pasichnyk 23:44
Intermediate - male
1 Stian Langbakk 16:29
2 Kieran Horton 19:24
3 Johannes Benkert 19:37
4 Phineas Pearson 33:04
Intermediate - groups
1 Selena Boothroyd and Scott Williams 15:40
2 Erik and Kevin Embacher 25:22
3 Henri and Dave Rogers 26:47
4 Aurelia and Glenda Koh 27:21
5 Dianne and Dave Hart 28:42
Novice - female
1 Iliana Koh 28:59:00
2 Maura Glenn 51:14:00
Novice - male
1 Johannes Benkert 11:21
2 Kieran Horton 11:36
3 Stian Langbakk 16:29
4 Carl Turcotte 25:20
Novice - groups
1 Jason and Oliver Sequin 23:54
2 Emily Kralisch-Sequin and Anett Kralisch 26:48
3 Eva Benkert, Mallory Horton and Brian Horton 28:07
4 Maya Poirier and Valerie Bussieres 31:04