Thursday, July 30, 2009

It's that time.... Cross your fingers....

Photo by lanikai92


Hey Alex,

Thank you for submitting your story in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay contest. We wish you the best of luck in getting the chance to carry the Olympic Flame!

What happens next?

Our expert Red Ribbon Panel will review all entries from June 23, 2009 to July 29, 2009. Potential winners will be notified between July 30, 2009 and August 5, 2009.


Maybe if we all cross our collective fingers........

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

This weekend's Races - Something old, something new, city streets, forest trails, 5 miles to 50 Km

Mount Edward Grocery Memorial Run
(Points Race)
Saturday August 1, 2009
5 Miles
Starting Time: 9:00 a.m.
Registration: 8:00 a.m. at Mount Edward Grocery (Find it on the Map)
Fee: $5.00
Sponsor: Mount Edward Grocery
Contact: Tanya Gregory 368-2457
Course Description: Double loop course through Sherwood

Photos from the Mt. Edward Grocery Run 2004-2008


The brand new

Brookvale Ultra Trail Marathon
(click on poster to enlarge)

What distances: Your choice of 10km, 25km or 50km

Where: Brookvale Nordic Ski Park, Brookvale, PE (Find it on the Map)

When: Sunday, August 2, 2009. All race distances start at 8:00 am

Cost: 10km = $10.00 and 25/50 km distances = $30.00

Registration: Preregister on-line at Atlantic Chip On-Line paying by credit card. Or, register in person on race day between 7:00 and 7:45 am paying by cash or cheque only.

Contact: Shawn McCardle at 902-887-3751 or smccardle@live.ca

Course: The 10km course winds you through the Nordic Ski Park. The 25km course uses Brookvale Provincial Park, the nordic ski trails, single-track mountain bike trails, a heritage road, and Provincial Forestry Demonstration Woodlot trails. The 50km route is a second loop of the 25km course.

Aid Stations: Two staffed aid stations are on course, each passed twice during the 25km loop. The stations are stocked with water, Gatorade, soda pop, and a variety of food items. Runners are strongly advised to carry their own water supply (ie. Water bottles, camelback, etc.)

Litter: We are using Forestry and Park land, and will be taking a strong stance against littering. Anyone found littering will be automatically disqualified.

Pacers: Runners in the 50km race will be allowed to have a pacer during their second loop only. Pacers are allowed to run with the competitors and carry supplies for their own run, but cannot carry any food, water or supplies for the competitor.

Awards: Prizes will be awarded to the top three male and top three female competitors in each race distance.

T-Shirts: Short-sleeve t-shirts will be given to competitors registered in the 25km and 50km distances only. Quantities are limited.

Time Limit: There will be a time limit of 10 hours for the 50km race.

Directions to Brookvale: From the Confederation Bridge - take Highway #1 (TransCanada) towards Charlottetown. Turn off at Crapaud and take Highway #13 north towards Cavendish. Brookvale Nordic Ski Park is approximately 9 km from Crapaud. (Find it on the Map)

Accommodations: This is no camping allowed at the race site. For a listing of nearby accommodations log on to tourismpei.com/accommodations


Saturday, July 25, 2009

PEI Triathlon by the Sea & Rendez-Vous Rustico Duathlon Results


Triathlon by the Sea was converted to

the Duathlon by the Sea

due to dangerous surf conditions



PEI Triathlon by the Sea
Stanhope Beach, PEI July 25th, 2009 9:00 A.M.
Weather: Rain and Strong Wind
Timing & Results by Atlantic Chip Event Timing
Full Details
                                   
Olympic Duathlon (1Km Run - 40Km Bike - 10Km Run)


1 1:46:18 Jamie Nickerson
2 1:51:31 Antar Fuentes
3 1:55:49 Billy MacDonald
4 1:56:14 Peter Hammill
5 1:56:55 Peter Goodacre
6 1:59:57 Gaetan Dallaire
7 2:00:02 Marcos Lores
8 2:01:44 Peter Callahan
9 2:07:18 Ron MacDougall
10 2:07:30 Dave Clark
11 2:08:09 D'Arcy Flynn
12 2:08:14 Paul Dalton
13 2:10:19 Luc Plourde
14 2:11:06 James Gardiner
15 2:13:08 Serge Melanson
16 2:13:31 Bradley Wood
17 2:14:18 Maria Profit
18 2:15:09 Patricia Ellis
19 2:15:35 Christopher Hawkes
20 2:16:24 Helen Curran
21 2:18:39 Ellen Sherren
22 2:20:18 Terry Edgett
23 2:20:53 Bonnie Smith
24 2:22:24 Sandi Carson-Mcguire
25 2:24:06 Denise Mader
26 2:25:30 Sonya Wadden-Hughes
27 2:25:55 Jennifer Power
28 2:27:33 Greg Mills
29 2:32:00 Marsha Mader
30 2:32:46 Brenda Houston
31 2:41:36 Sharon Carr
32 Garth Millar
               

Sprint Duathlon (1Km Run - 20Km Bike - 5Km Run)

1 1:00:25 Mike Freeman
2 1:00:25 Darcy McCourt
3 1:00:59 Menno Arendz
4 1:01:12 Liam McInerney
5 1:02:28 Luke Dunphy
6 1:02:39 Miguel Arsenault
7 1:03:19 Kris Wood
8 1:04:47 Doug Cochrane
9 1:06:00 Joey Murphy
10 1:06:29 Scott Mackay
11 1:06:29 Shane Hawkins
12 1:06:46 Angela Ripley
13 1:07:00 Sarah Tennant
14 1:07:05 Andrew Ing
15 1:07:15 Tom Crowell
16 1:07:16 Arend Teraa
17 1:07:30 Michael Bedard
18 1:07:48 Alex Nelson
19 1:07:55 Sean Borden
20 1:08:48 Rob Trainer
21 1:09:12 Steven Black
22 1:09:14 Mark Generoux
23 1:09:39 Michael Carter
24 1:10:10 Troy Van Dandellen
25 1:10:14 Sean Flemming
26 1:10:26 Sean Flanagan
27 1:12:49 Peter Comeau
28 1:13:07 Kylie Muio
29 1:13:07 Kent Sheen
30 1:13:46 Emily Coady
31 1:14:26 Dylan Carr
32 1:14:42 Bobby MacLeod
33 1:15:19 Sandie Morrison
34 1:15:30 Janice Ployer
35 1:15:53 Brenda Benson
36 1:15:53 Carolyn Rowe- Turner
37 1:15:59 Ray Murphy
38 1:16:43 Suzanne Plamondon
39 1:17:11 Chris Jordan
40 1:17:24 Sheila Bell
41 1:17:24 Patty Dexter
42 1:18:23 Johannah Profit
43 1:18:23 Dave Beaton
44 1:19:26 Nathan Archibald
45 1:19:36 Tony Sturz
46 1:19:57 Meghan Bonnell
47 1:20:20 Karen Bedard
48 1:22:32 Cindy Howard
49 1:22:34 Alison MacDonald
50 1:32:48 Becky Kilcup
51 1:36:28 Crystal Huntington
52 1:38:53 Ericka Sutherland
53 1:54:28 Sabrina Giddings
54 1:57:27 Seana Evams-Renaud
                                                                              

Team Duathlon

1 2:43:35 Joy Gallant Houston Pacquet Joy Gallant Houston Pacquet
2 2:52:47 Diane Houston Diane Houston Bill Fenton Diane Houston


Rendez-vous Rustico Duathlon
Results

A wet & windy Cox and Palmer Run


It was cloudy and rain and windy and 16 degrees.

The Cox and Palmer Run at Old Charlottetown and Victoria Park.

I wore the shoes from last year prize at the Cox and Palmer run.

Rob Mackenzie won the race and Rebecca Pike for the top female.

Connor McGuire won the 5km race and Alannah MacDonald for the top female.

I finished in 43:05, beating 16 seconds from last year and came in 12th out of 46 runners.

Mark McCosham at Victoria Park for last 2km of race after he finish his 5km.

More Photos (Sorry about the many blurry photos, I think my camera was trying to focus on the raindrops between me and the runners!)

Official Result: 12th out of 46
10K in 43 minutes, 5 seconds
Cox and Palmer Run 2008
Cox and Palmer Run 2007





Cox and Palmer Run Photos 2007-2009

Running For Autism
Not Against It
acceptance, inclusion, awareness

Thursday, July 23, 2009

P.E.I. Special Olympians shine at Nova Scotia Provincial Games

http://www.journalpioneer.com/index.cfm?sid=271727&sc=119
P.E.I. Special Olympians shine at Nova Scotia Provincial Games

Kolton Doucette of Summerside competes in powerlifting at the Nova Scotia 2009 Provincial Summer Games. Submitted Photo

Kolton Doucette of Summerside competes in powerlifting at the Nova Scotia 2009 Provincial Summer Games. Submitted Photo

The Journal Pioneer

HALIFAX — Special Olympics P.E.I. took a team of 38 athletes and 12 coaches to the Nova Scotia 2009 Provincial Games here recently.
This provincial competition was a qualifying event for next year’s 2010 National Summer Games. Team P.E.I. had an exceptional weekend, with quality competition being at the forefront. Team P.E.I.’s athletes and coaches exemplified true sportsmanship, dedication and passion for sport and as a result, Team P.E.I. came home with an abundance of gold, silver and bronze medals.
Special Olympics P.E.I. participated in softball, powerlifting, aquatics and athletics. Here are the highlights from each sport:

Softball
The P.E.I. Stars played two games against the Lunenburg Nicks and were undefeated in their quest to bring home a gold medal.
Glendon Arsenault pitched for P.E.I. in the first game, which featured some hard hitting and fast running. The highlight of P.E.I.’s 10-0 win was a triple-play by P.E.I.’s Blair Burns.
Arsenault and Shawn Mitchell pitched in the second game, a 9-6 P.E.I. win.

Powerlifting
For the first time in Special Olympics P.E.I. history, SOPEI competed in powerlifting at the Provincial Summer Games.
Kolton Doucette and Jarred MacNeil are no strangers to the world of powerlifting, but it was their first time competing at a Special Olympics event. The newcomers to SOPEI proved their experience and expertise to the sport, each bringing home a gold medal. Some highlights of their first-ever Special Olympics competition were:
— Official CPU officials on hand doing a fantastic job.
— Doucette getting to wear official Inzer powerlifting gear.
— MacNeil’s 308-pound deadlift and Kolton’s 200-pound deadlift.

Athletics
Team P.E.I. athletics featured 12 athletes from Charlottetown, Summerside and Souris. Every athletics athlete was proudly wearing a medal around their neck as they loaded the bus for home. Some athletes even medalled in several events.
Lorne Blackett won a gold or silver in all four events he competed in. Other highlights included P.E.I. athletes winning 11 gold medals, eight silver and two bronze.

Swimming
P.E.I. Special Olympics aquatics team of eight swimmers had amazing results. In front of many P.E.I. fans and family members, they captured 25 medals in the 38-event swim competition.
Many personal bests were achieved, along with topping off the competition by winning gold in two relay events.
Highlights included Charlottetown athlete Melissa MacDonald winning gold in the 25-metre freestyle; Charlottetown swimmer Amber Metcalfe earning a medal in every event she competed in, and swimming coaches Debbie Metcalfe, Melissa MacKay and Alysia Angus-Lund losing their voices from all the screaming and cheering during the day-long competition. It was MacDonald’s first medal in an aquatics event.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Summer Schmoozing


Mark Arendz
Mark Arendz
The Guardian

July 21, 2009
It is the middle of July and only this week has the weather started to feel like a real summer. The upcoming week looks amazing in Canmore, with sunny skies and temperatures reaching the 30s (in degree Celsius). The only relief is the always-present breeze up at the Canmore Nordic Centre, but of course it can make shooting a challenge on certain days.
The past few weeks have been pretty busy. As I am not taking any courses during the summer this is the time where I can get some sponsor engagements and media appearances before the more critical training starts in the fall.
First was an awesome event at the Vancouver Airport on July 8. Air Canada launched a special elite program for athletes, coaches and support personnel of the Olympic and Paralympic Teams. After that came the very exciting unveiling of the Vancouver 2010-themed Boeing 777. The outside is painted with a mural of several winter sports.
Personally the most exciting was the fact that one of the athletes on the plane is an edited image of me. It is pretty cool to think I’m painted on the side of a plane.
The remaining part of the event was an opportunity for the families of Air Canada employees to have their photos taken with two of the Olympic or Paralympic athletes in attendance. The photos were printed within moments of taking the picture and they were all signed by the athletes. This was so much fun and a great way to connect with everyone there. I was with a great group of athletes, which made the event so memorable.
The next event came two days later with an appearance for General Motors at the Calgary Stampede. Met some very interesting people. Again an opportunity to connect with the community by creating awareness about the sport and signing autographs.
But with this busy schedule, I needed some time to relax and recharge. So only six days after being in Vancouver, I flew back to Prince Edward Island for a quick four-day visit with family and friends.
It just so worked out that the day after I arrived so did my grandmother from Holland. It was great to see the whole family.
I quickly learned the extreme difference between the dry Alberta atmosphere to the very humid atmosphere of P.E.I. I used this to my advantage as another condition that I demanded my body to quickly adapt to and it turned out as a great added challenge. It was great to be able to train with my brother (Menno); it has been a long time since we were able to train together.
I was able to sneak into Charlottetown one afternoon to look at the brand new, at most 12 days old, athletics track that will later this summer play host to the best in Canada at the 2009 Canada Summer Games. I also took this opportunity to watch some of the junior track nationals that were taking place that weekend. It so worked out that I was able to do a radio and television interview while I was on the Island, another bonus.
As I mentioned before with summer finally starting here in Canmore, I almost - but not really - feel bad about having to think that I only have two weeks here before I head way down south to New Zealand.
On August 1, I go to New Zealand for a demanding four-week training camp. This one camp has made huge impacts on my performance over the past two seasons and I hope this continues and is able to springboard me to the level I need in order to achieve my Paralympic goals.
This year is a little different as the entire Canadian cross country team will be down in New Zealand for almost three weeks, training and competing together at the Snow Farm.
With the countdown to the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Paralympic Games only a short 234 days away the training, the media, the pressure and the excitement all build to what I hope are the best ever Paralympics for Team Canada.

This weekend's Races - Runs, Duathlons & Triathons

Cox & Palmer Run/Walk
Points Race
Saturday July 25, 2009
5K and 10K runs, 5K walk

Starting Time
: 9:00 a.m.
Registration: 8:00 a.m. at Cox & Palmer Law Office, corner Water and Great George Streets, Charlottetown (Find it on the Map)
Fee: $10.00 person/$15.00 family.
Sponsor: Cox & Palmer
Fundraiser: P.E.I. Prostate Cancer
Contact: Ron Profit 902 629 3908 rprofit@coxandpalmer.com
Tanya Gregory 902 629 3920
Special Instruction or Notice: Awards and draw prizes to follow run/walk
Course Description: Run/walk along Charlottetown waterfront and historic downtown.


22nd Annual Potato Blossom Run
Saturday July 25, 2009
5K and 10K
Starting Time: 9:00 a.m.
Registration: 8:00 a.m. at Aquaplex at Mill River Resort (Find it on the Map)
Sponsor: Rodd Hotels and Resorts, Pepsi
Contact: Carly Cadoo 902-859-1575 ccadoo@roddhotelsandresorts.com
Course Description: 5K - Beginning at the Aquaplex out of Mill River Resort turn left onto Mill Road to the 2.5k mark and come back.
10K - Beginning at the Aquaplex out of Mill River Resort turn left onto Fortune Cove Road to the 5k mark and come back.
Fairly Flat with a couple of small gradual hills.



Rendez-vous Rustico Duathlon
(Click on poster to enlarge)




Triathlon By the Sea
July 25th, 2009 at 9:00 AM
Location: Stanhope Beach

Olympic Triathlon
1500m swim, 40k bike, 10k run

Sprint Triathlon
750m swim, 20k bike, 5k run

Duathlon
10 K run, 40 K bike, 1 K Run

Registration and more details at
Atlantic Chip Timing

**THERE WILL BE A MANDATORY RACE MEETING AT 8:30 RACE MORNING IN THE TRANSITION AREA**

750m swim course, 20k bike course, and 5k run course.
Olympic does loop twice.
Water station at turnaround of 5k run at 2.5k.

Cost is $45 or $55 day of with same day registration starting at 7am. Cost includes finisher medal for all finishers and giveaway. Prizes for top 3 finishers in each category male and female and lots of draw prizes. Drinks and snack food provided after race. Photos will be available on the Cycling PEI website.


Busy Saturday on PEI!
We'll be at the Cox & Palmer Run

Track athletes tune up for Games at nationals

Track athletes tune up for Games at nationals
Smith and McGuire both like the new athletics facility in Charlottetown
CHARLES REID
The Guardian


What if?
It’s a popular question for most athletes.
Islanders Spencer Smith and Conor McGuire asked it following their results at the 2009 Canadian junior track and field championships held recently at the new UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place in Charlottetown.
But often the answer is less of what they didn’t do and more of what they can do better.
“I feel fairly good about my performance in the 5,000-metre,” said McGuire, who finished 10th with a time of 15.51.95. “However, I feel if I would have kicked (picked up the pace) earlier in the race I would have been able to catch one or two more people.
“My goal was to break 16 minutes . . . and I did reach this goal. However, I did have some energy left at the end so I feel I could have taken another 10 to 15 seconds off my time.”
The 18-year-old McGuire, a Summerside native, now ups his training for the 2009 Canada Summer Games next month in P.E.I. where he will race at the same stadium.
The national junior championships were used a warm up for the Canada Games and a test of the facility.
The $6.8-million track and field venue features a 400-metre, eight-lane synthetic oval track, a water jump for steeplechase, a facility for long and triple jump, pole vault, discus and hammer throw, javelin throw and shot put, a warm-up track, storage facilities, washrooms and spectator seating.
The championships were originally scheduled for Moncton, but organizers moved the event to Charlottetown because the Moncton facility wasn’t ready.
It also served as a qualifier for the Pan American junior championships later this month in Trinidad and Tobago.
Athletes’ complaints of the new stadium ranged from lack of warmup space to skimpy wind barriers on the fences bordering the track to a soft running surface.
McGuire said he’s heard the beefs but doesn’t agree with them.
“The facility seems to be quite amazing and everything was very well organized,” he said. “Some people were complaining about the track being too soft, (but) I believe it was just the right firmness and the traction was unbelievable with spikes.”
Smith, 17, saw little to gripe about, either.
“I thought the facility was great. I heard some complaints about a few different things, but I thought it was organized very well,” he said.
The Ten Mile House native finished in 50.95, good for 11th place over in the men’s 400-metre finals and set a personal-best time of 50.69 in qualifying.
Like McGuire, Smith has the Canada Games in his sights, but first he stops at the Atlantic outdoor championships, Aug 1-2, in Oromocto, N.B.
“Overall, I was pleased with my performance. I didn’t quite get the time I was hoping for, but I still got a few more things that I can improve on and help to better my time,” he said. “I was fairly close to reaching my goals.”
Other Islanders who competed at the meet included Lauren Hurry, who failed to qualify for the women’s long jump final, Megan Boswell, who finished 21st overall and did not advance to the women’s 200-metre final, and Dylan Arsenault, who failed to qualify for the men’s 100-metre final.
(creid@theguardian.pe.ca)

Monday, July 20, 2009

The Dunk River Run - a PB - and more volunteering at the Canadian Juniors


It was cloudy and 20 degrees.

The Dunk River Run on the 7.22 miles loop course on Freetown and Dunk River.

Alex Coffin won the race for the 3rd time and Jennifer Perry for the top female.

I finished in 51:12, came in 16th out of 64runners and 3rd place of 20-29 and a personal best by 2 seconds.

More Photos (sorry there aren't more, we left when Alex finished to return to volunteering at the Canadian Junior Track & Field Championships)

Official Result: 16th out of 64
11.667Km/7.25 miles in 51 minutes, 12 seconds

2008 Dunk River Run
2007 Dunk River Run
2006 Dunk River Run
2005 Dunk River Run
2004 Dunk River Run







http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=270990&sc=99

Coffin, Perry repeat winners at Dunk River road race
The Guardian

CENTRAL BEDEQUE — Alex Coffin and Jennifer Perry repeated as winners of the 32nd annual Callbeck's Home Hardware Dunk River Run Sunday.
Coffin was the race’s overall winner in 40 minutes, 18 seconds while Perry was the top female runner, finishing 13th overall in 50:13.
“My whole strategy was to run a very fast first 5K,” said Coffin, 40.
Coffin jumped out to an early lead and 18-year-old Connor McGuire of Summerside stayed with him for about the first two miles.
“I watched him (McGuire) run at the Canadian juniors (Saturday in Charlottetown), and I knew he was running back-to-back races,” said Coffin, explaining his reason for a fast start. “I figured I’d take it out quick and it’s tough to run back-to-back. I figured that was the right strategy today.”
Mike MacKinnon finished second overall in 41:37, McGuire was third in 43:07, Scott Clark came fourth in 43:09 and David Gallant rounded out the top five in 44:44.
Coffin is from Saint John, N.B., but his wife, Connie (Perry) Coffin, is originally from St. Nicholas. He has become a familiar face at P.E.I. races over the years.
Hannah Walker, 19, was the second female to finish behind Perry in 52:54 and 21st overall.
Perry, 32, led the female field from the start of the race.
“I found the pace very fast at the beginning,” said Perry, who resides in Greenmount. “I haven’t done a lot of hill training and I anticipated the hills to keep my pace steady.”
Perry added she doesn’t find the 7.25-mile course that begins and ends in front of the Bedeque Area Recreation Centre all that hilly.
A total of 64 runners participated.


At Canadian Jr. Track and Field Championships I working at results and timing.

I take the results from result room to Technical Information Centre.

At the TIC they photo copy the result post them.

I watching the steeplechase race, 200 metre dash and relays when were not working.

I saw lot from where i work.

It was a good time.

My mom worked at shot put, high jump and javelin.

Our photos (over 1,000)


Running For Autism
Not Against It
acceptance, inclusion, awareness

Canadian Junior Track and Field Championships news coverage


http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=270087&sc=99


Running at home
Islanders are looking to do well at the junior track and field nationals
CHARLES REID
The Guardian


Charlottetown’s newest sports facility gets a good workout this weekend when the Canadian junior track and field championships come to the city.
And two Island athletes are hoping the UPEI Alumni Canada Games Stadium will give them a home-track advantage.
Spencer Smith of Ten Mile House, who will run in the men’s 400 metres, and Summerside’s Connor McGuire, who will run in the men’s 1,500 metres, begin racing today with event semifinals at 6:05 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. respectively. The finals are Saturday at 12:25 p.m. for the 1,500 metres and 12:55 p.m. for the 400 metres.
“I ran my fastest times on the new track and I definitely think there is a home-field advantage,” said Smith, 17. “It’s nice seeing some familiar faces in the crowd.”
McGuire, 18, who ran on the new surface at the recent provincial championships, echoes Smith.
“I have also been training on the track weekly so I have a feel for exactly how fast it is and at what points I should try and push harder.”
Other Islanders entered in the nationals are Lauren Hurry (women’s long jump) and Megan Boswell (women’s 100 and 200 metres).
The nationals are a warmup to the 2009 Canada Summer Games next month in P.E.I. and a test of the facility.
On the line are spots for Team Canada at the Pan Am junior championships later this summer in Trinidad and Tobago.
About 450 athletes representing athletics clubs from every province are expected to compete.
McGuire, a member of P.E.I.’s Games team, is aiming for the 1,500-metre final and breaking the four-minute mark, but he admits it won’t be easy.
“I have always enjoyed the metric mile as it is a mixture of pure speed, endurance and strategy. It is one of the more difficult distances, in my opinion, in track and field and there are always strong competitors who push you to run your best,” he said.
Smith has his own goals.
“I choose to do the 400-metre because it is the event I am strongest in, but I also do it because it is a challenging race,” he said. “My goal . . . is to bring my 400-metre time down to about 50 seconds or to go sub-50.”
Hosting duties for the meet belong to the City of Charlottetown and Athletics Canada. Admission is free.
(Schedule and results available at www.athletics.ca/Charlottetown2009)
*****
Some of the athletes featured at the Canadian junior track and field championships will include members of the national team that competed at the 2008 world junior championships in Poland.
They include: Mohammed Ahmed of St. Catherine’s, Ont.; Ariane Beaumont-Courteau of Montreal; Kendra Schaaf of Craven, Sask.; Jessica Furlan of Regina.
Ahmed placed 9th in the men’s 10,000m, Beaumont-Courteau was 12th in the women’s pole vault, Schaaf placed 7th in the women’s 5,000m and Furlan 9th in the women’s 3,000m.

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=270323&sc=99

P.E.I. track athletes compete at junior nationals
The Guardian

There are athletes from Prince Edward Island competing at the Canadian junior track and field championships underway at the UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place in Charlottetown.
Spencer Smith of Ten Mile House has advanced to the men’s 400-metre A?and B final today at 2:55 p.m.
Smith qualified for the final after finishing sixth in his preliminary heat on Friday. His time of 50.69 seconds was good enough for 15th overall.
The top 16 finishers in preliminaries advanced to the final.
Joseph Triumbair of Ontario won Smith’s heat in 49.20. Michael Trnkus, also of Ontario, had the best overall qualifying time of 48.59.
Dillan Arsenault of Tignish finished sixth in his men’s 100-metre preliminary heat with a time of 11.40 seconds.
Arsenault finished 31st out of 34 runners overall and did not advance.
Wyndale Bennett of Ontario won Arsenault’s heat with the best overall time of 10.60.
P.E.I.’s Lauren Hurry fouled out in the women’s long jump preliminary round on Friday.
Connor McGuire of Summerside was expected to compete in the men’s 1,500-metre preliminary but was not listed in the results.
P.E.I.’s Meghan Boswall will run in today’s women’s 200-metre preliminaries at 5:35 p.m.
(Full results and schedule available at www.athletics/ca/Charlottetown2009)

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=270322&sc=99


Shona Dunkley of Toronto leads the field in a preliminary heat of the women’s 100-metre hurdles during the Canadian junior track and field championships Friday at the UPEI?Alumni Canada Games Place in Charlottetown. (Guardian photo by Nigel Armstrong)

Shona Dunkley of Toronto leads the field in a preliminary heat of the women’s 100-metre hurdles during the Canadian junior track and field championships Friday at the UPEI?Alumni Canada Games Place in Charlottetown. (Guardian photo by Nigel Armstrong)

Track's big test
Canada Games official confident nationals
will get new facility off on the right foot


The Guardian

A new Canada Games facility is getting a test run this weekend.

Some of top 19-and-under track and field athletes in the country are in Charlottetown competing at the new UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place for the Canadian junior championships.
This is the first major track and field meet of this kind to be held on P.E.I. and serves as a test run of the new facility for next month’s 2009 Canada Summer Games.
The athletics portion of the Games will run during Week 2, Aug. 24-28.
“The 2009 Canada Games Host Society is excited for this opportunity to see UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place in action this weekend for such a major Athletics event,” said Joseph Spriet, 2009 Canada Games President. “This is a great chance to give this venue a trial run and give a number of our volunteers an opportunity to train at a major event just weeks before our Games begin.
“I know the Canadian junior track and field championships will open our UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place on the right foot.”
Canada Games equipment for the August event will be used this weekend and more than 50 Games volunteers will pitch in to help out.
The Canadian championships include close to 450 athletes representing athletic clubs from across the country.
Admission to the meet is free to the public.
Hosting the Canadian championships involves joint efforts from the City of Charlottetown, Athletics Canada and the Moncton 2010 World Junior Championships Organizing Committee.
The national event was originally scheduled to be held in Moncton exactly one year before the IAAF world junior track and field championships being held there next July, but organizers had to move the event to the Island as the Moncton facility was not ready.
“This is a unique meet in that it is totally organized by the Moncton 2010 World Junior Championships Committee, but is being hosted at our UPEI Canada Games facility,” says Lyall Huggan, sport director (athletics) for the 2009 Canada Games.
He said it is very unusual to have both the Canadian juniors and the Canada Games competition at the same facility.
“It is not only the first Canadian track and field championship ever to be held in P.E.I., but it also serves as a very important test for our upcoming Games. The meet promises to produce many outstanding performances, on a track which is considered to be one of the fastest (if not, the fastest, outdoor track) in the nation.”
This weekend’s meet also serves as the qualifier for the Pan American Junior Championships, July 31-Aug. 2, in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=270598&sc=99


P.E.I.’s Meghan Boswall competes in the women’s 200-metre preliminaries during the Canadian junior track and field championships Sunday at the UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place in Charlottetown. Boswall finished 21st overall and did not advance to the final.(Photo special to The Guardian by Geoff Robins/Mundo Sport Images)

P.E.I.’s Meghan Boswall competes in the women’s 200-metre preliminaries during the Canadian junior track and field championships Sunday at the UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place in Charlottetown. Boswall finished 21st overall and did not advance to the final.(Photo special to The Guardian by Geoff Robins/Mundo Sport Images)

Reviews are in
Canada Games athletics venue draws mixed reaction from national junior competitors

NATHAN ROCHFORD
The Guardian


Despite having a successful weekend hosting the 2009 Canadian junior track and field championships, the UPEI Alumni Games Place appears to have a few kinks to be worked out before the 2009 Canada Summer Games next month.
Some athletes complained Sunday the track at the Charlottetown facility was too soft, the athletes’ control centre was too small and too far away from where the actual events were taking place.
They also pointed out the wind barriers surrounding the track were not up to par with what many competitors were used to.
“The (athletes’ control centre) is so far away from the track and athletes have almost no space to warm up,” said competitor Aidan Kennedy of Ottawa. “It’s not too fun when you’re trying to do your warm-up before your race.”
Kennedy added while doing well in his events, he found the wind barriers were doing little to protect runners from fighting strong headwinds over the weekend.
“Elsewhere I’ve been the tracks are better protected,” he said, explaining for any sort of race a strong headwind can make a big difference to a competitor’s performance.
Anthony Romaniw of Hamilton, Ont., expressed similar sentiments about the venue, adding the track seemed to be soft in spots, which can cause problems.
However, while there were issues with the venue, there was also a great deal of praise for the newly-opened track.
Distance runners enjoyed the long straight-aways and, as a whole, competitors felt the meet was well managed.
Lyall Huggan, sport director (athletics) for the 2009 Canada Summer Games, said for a first-time event the weekend was practically flawless.
“After three days we were only one minute behind schedule, which is amazing,” said Huggan.
He said the Canada Games Host Society is happy with the track and venue, adding there will be minor changes made prior to the athletics portion of the Games, Aug. 24-28.
“We’re very happy with the track,” he explained. “There are a number of minor equipment issues that need to be addressed. The (athletes’ control centre) will be a little bit bigger. That is amongst many other minor changes we will be making for the Canada Games.”
Huggan added the weekend was a learning opportunity going into the Games.
“It provided invaluable information for the Canada Games and the World Junior Athletes Organizing Committee,” he said.
The championships were originally scheduled to be held in Moncton, which will be hosting the IAAF world junior track and field championships next July.
Organizers had to move the event to Charlottetown as the Moncton facility was not ready.
The national meet also served as the qualifier for the Pan American junior championships, July 31-Aug. 2, in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
(Top finishers and P.E.I. results available in The Guardian newspaper; full results available at www.athletics.ca/Charlottetown2009)

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

This weekend's Race - The 32nd Annual Dunk River Run

32nd Annual Dunk River Run
(Points Race)
Sunday July 19, 2009
7.22 Miles (11.6 K )
Starting Time: 9:00 a.m.
Registration: 8:00 a.m. at Central Bedeque Arena
Contact: Paul Wright (902) 887-2431 xcskinutpw@pei.sympatico.ca
Course Description: Scenic loop around the Dunk River
Sponsor: Callbeck's Home Hardware -- Title Sponsor

http://www.journalpioneer.com/index.cfm?sid=269029&sc=119

Dunk River Road Race goes Sunday morning
The Journal Pioneer

CENTRAL BEDEQUE -- The Callbeck's Home Hardware Dunk River Road Race will be held Sunday.
The 32nd edition of the event will follow its traditional course, starting at 9 a.m., at the Bedeque Recreational Centre, with the finish line at the same location.
Registration goes from 8-8:50 a.m.
Coffee mugs will be presented to the first 68 registered runners, with awards to follow post race.
Course records belong to Matt Sheffield (37:42), male and overall, set in 2006, and Janice Ashworth (42:57) female, from 2005. Both were Halifax residents.
The 2008 male champion was Alex Coffin of Saint John, N.B., while the top woman was Jennifer Perry of P.E.I., who at 55:12, placed 19th overall in a field of 62.
For more information, contact event organizer Paul Wright by phone 887-2431 or 888-9831, or by email at xcskinutpw@pei.sympatico.ca.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Shiny new Games complex officially opens at UPEI


Shiny new Games complex officially opens at UPEI
The Guardian

Federal Minister of Fisheries Gail Shea, from left, joins UPEI President Wade MacLauchlan; Carolyn Bertram,Minister of Communities, Cultural Affairs and Labour; Joseph Spriet, president of the 2009 Canada Games Host Society and Charlottetown Mayor Cliffod Lee at the naming of the new track and field centre.
UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place officially opened today, located on the UPEI campus adjacent the CARI complex. It features a 400-metre, eight lane, oval synthetic track, a water jump for steeplechase, a facility or long and triple jump, pole vault, discus and hammer throw, javelin throw, shot put, a warm-up track, storage facilities, washrooms and spectator seating.Align Center

The 2009 Canada Games are just a few short weeks away and the modern, multi-functional athletics facility that will greet competitors from across the nation was officially opened today.
Gail Shea, minister of Fisheries and Oceans, and Carolyn Bertram, minister of communities, cultural affairs and labour, were joined at UPEI today by Charlottetown Mayor Clifford Lee, Joseph Spriet, president of the 2009 Canada Games Host Society, and Wade MacLauchlan, president of UPEI, to get a first-hand look at one of the Games’ premier attractions, which is adjacent to the CARI complex on the university’s campus.
“Hosting the Canada Games will benefit Prince Edward Island in many important ways including the national exposure it provides to our Island economy and the legacy of top flight recreational facilities that will serve our communities for years to come,” said Shea. “In addition, these facilities enhance our ability to attract and host other sport initiatives and the economic benefits that flow from those events.”
UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place, the venue for track and field competitions for the 2009 Games as well as the closing ceremonies, features a synthetic, 400-metre, eight-lane oval track; a water jump for steeplechase; a facility for long and triple jump, pole vault, discus and hammer throw, javelin throw and shot put; a warm-up track, storage, washrooms, and spectator seating and viewing.
The facility is situated on land provided by UPEI, and, through its name, it recognizes the university's alumni for their significant financial support of this athletics venue.
"The Canada Games has a long history of infrastructure legacy across the nation. This year the Province of Prince Edward Island was proud to contribute over $4 million for this 2009 Legacy Facility, the UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place," said Minister Bertram.
Mayor Lee said the City of Charlottetown is pleased to partner with the federal and provincial governments and the University of Prince Edward Island in developing the athletics facility.
“This complex will leave a lasting legacy in our community, and finally our athletes whose sport is track and field will now have a first class location to develop their skills."
The organization of the Canada Games is made possible through the dedication of the local Host Society, and the contribution and support of the federal, provincial and host municipal governments, and the Canada Games Council.
Spriet said the 2009 Canada Games Host Society will be proud to unveil the state-of-the-art athletics facility to the rest of the country next month.
"The opening of the UPEI Alumni Canada Place makes P.E.I. a major player in the national athletics community and will continue to stand as an athletic pillar of excellence for our Island community long after the closing ceremony."
UPEI president Wade MacLauchlan said the UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place is a tremendous asset to sport and recreation for the entire Island community, with the potential to attract top athletics events from outside P.E.I.
“We are honoured to partner with government and our community to provide this high-profile platform for provincial and regional athletic competition and success.”
UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place was funded through the Canada-P.E.I. Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (MRIF) with contributions from the Government of Canada, the Province of Prince Edward Island and the City of Charlottetown. The University of Prince Edward Island is responsible for maintaining and operating the facility once the Canada Games are over.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

PEI Marathon Early Bird Registration

Prince Edward Island Marathon

Register by Tuesday, July 14, 2009 to take advantage of early bird pricing!!

Register Here


Race Early Bird Early Bird Standard Rate

Before
July 14, 2009
Before
Sept 14, 2009
Beginning
Sept 15, 2009
MRSB Marathon $70 $75 $80

Friendly Pharmacy Half Marathon $60 $65 $70

Confederation Bridge 10K Run $40 $45 $50

Gemini Half Marathon Walk $60 $65 $70

Heart & Stroke 10K Walk $40 $45 $50

Nordic Half Walk $60 $65 $70

Nordic 10K Walk $40 $45 $50

Bens Smart 5K Run $20 $25 $30

Bens Smart 5K Walk $20 $25 $30

Kids Spud Run presented by
The PEI Potato Industry
FREE FREE
FREE

* Brown's Volkswagen
Corporate/Team Relay
$500
(plus GST)
$500
(plus GST)
$500
(plus GST)

Monday, July 6, 2009

PEI Track & Field Championships Results



Click on images below to enlarge & read

















<--- Connor McGuire 5,000m (5Km) 16:23:21

Sobey among P.E.I. track and field winners at nationals


Sobey among P.E.I. track and field winners at nationals
The Guardian

In preparation for the Canada Summer Games next month in P.E.I., 10 Island athletes represented the province at the recent Canadian track and field championships and world trials in Toronto.
Susan Sobey, Jared Connaughton and Kurt McCormack brought home medals.
Sobey won silver in the women’s 4x100-metre relay, running the lead leg for Team Atlantic which included Alicia Dobranowski and Juliana Blois of Nova Scotia, and Allyson Howatt of New Brunswick. Sobey also finished 23rd in women’s 100-metre (12.62) and 33rd in the 200-metre (25.90).
Kaitlin Richard finished 10th in women’s hammer throw at 40.81 metres while Matthew Caseley finished 13th in the men’s hammer throw at 54.10 metres.
Jennifer Bursey finished 17th in the women’s 100-metre hurdles in 15.66. Stephanie Sobey placed 34th in the women’s 100-metre (13.17).
Also in the 200-metre, Lauren Hurry finished 37th in 27.10 and competed in the women’s long jump.
Connaughton won silver in the 200-metre and bronze in the men's 100-metre men’s sprints while McCormack earned bronze in triple jump.
Gerry MacAdam, who finished 31st (11.64) in his 100-metre heat and 27th (23.24) in 200-metre qualifying, and Anthony Bernard, who jumped 7.02 metres in the men's long jump rounded out the P.E.I. contingent in Toronto.

Friday, July 3, 2009

Highs, lows of track and field - Connaughton and McCormack ponder results at the national championships


Highs, lows of track and field
Connaughton and McCormack ponder results at the national championships
CHARLES REID
The Guardian


One’s up, one’s down, both are dissatisfied.
Such is the nature of Jared Connaughton and Kurt McCormack after the 2009 Canadian track and field championships and world trials recently in Toronto.
McCormack, a Souris-born triple jumper is feeling up.
He finished with a bronze medal in the event jumping 15.02 metres, a 10th of a centimetre off his personal outdoor best, and rose seven places and 62 centimetres from last year’s nationals.
He ran his first national 200-metre race ending up with a 22.95 in the preliminary but didn’t qualify for the final.
“Overall, I guess, I can’t be too unhappy with the bronze medal. (I was shooting) for a personal best. In all honesty, I was going for gold,” said McCormack, who’s back in P.E.I. recovering from a back injury suffered at the triple jump final. “I was in a pretty fast heat (in the 200-metre). I wasn’t satisfied with my time. It was raining real heavy when I was running.”
The injury forced him to pass on his fifth jump and reduced his last attempt to 14.26.
McCormack said he will do light workouts with coach Dave MacEachern and rest for four weeks before resuming jumping and heavy training for the 2009 Canada Summer Games next month on P.E.I.
Enter Connaughton, a 2008 Olympic 200-metre semifinalist who went into Toronto as the defending 200-metre champ.
The New Haven native is feeling down after winning silver in the 200-metre and bronze in the 100-metre (10.47).
“Not as good as I expected to be honest. I’m a pretty competitive athlete,” he said before leaving for his training facility in Arlington, Texas. “I went into the meet in good shape and I was disappointed.”
Connaughton finished first in his 200-metre qualifier (20.95) and fourth (10.73) and third (10.41), respectively, in the 100-metre qualifying races in Toronto.
For many runners those are encouraging results.
For Connaughton, who ran a 10.26, 100-metre race earlier this year and his 10.15 last year proved the fastest time in Canada, it’s a conundrum.
“I was trying too hard and didn’t let the race happen. Last year was a real breakthrough. I wasn’t really expecting to do as well as I did. This year I had real high expectations of myself.”
So, like McCormack, he’s returning to his training roots.
For him, it’s Texas with his coach Monte Stratton to refine his technique and form.
He spent five years with Stratton at the University of Texas at Arlington.
“I’m comfortable there. Just knowing that I have people there on my side with no reservations.”
Neither Islander qualified for the world track and field championships in Berlin next month.
Only four Canadian athletes reached the marks and few chances remain.
One of those is a meet in Ottawa in mid-July.
Connaughton will be in Berlin as a member of Canada’s 4x100-metre men’s relay team, which finished sixth at the Beijing Olympics last year, but needs a 20.59, 200-metre time and a 10.34, 100-metre time in Ottawa to meet the standard at the worlds.
“I don’t like the idea of chasing standards, but that’s the reality right now.”
McCormack won’t be in Berlin, yet.
But it and larger Games are in his sights and he said progress is measured in centimetres and patience.
“I’m not really looking for worlds. I’m aiming for (the) 2012 (Olympic Games) in London. It’s track and field and it’s just the way it is,” said the 19-year-old, whose parents, Myrtle and Tommy McCormack, were pit-side in Toronto to cheer him on. “If you’re good enough to compete at that level, it’s not frustrating. It just takes time.”
Other Islanders at the nationals included Gerry MacAdam, who finished 31st (11.64) in his 100-metre heat and 27th (23.24) in 200-metre qualifying, and Anthony Bernard, who jumped 7.02 metres in the men’s long jump. Neither advanced to the finals.
****
Their results at the track nationals:
* Jared Connaughton
100-metre men’s sprint: preliminary, 10.73 (fourth); semifinal, 10.41 (third); final, 10.47 (third).
200-metre men’s sprint: preliminary, 20.95 (first); final, 20.78 (second).
* Kurt McCormack
200-metre men’s sprint: preliminary, 22.95 (23rd); final, did not qualify.
Triple Jump: preliminary (best-of-three attempts), 14.81 (fourth); final, 15.02 (third).