CANORA - Over a dozen of the student-athletes from Canora Composite School achieved their best times of the 2024 season, and in some cases even their best times ever, at the district cross-country meet on Oct. 2, held for the first time at Jaycee Beach in Yorkton. The new location was popular with competitors, according to Canora Coaches Thomas Lowes and Leona Kitchen.
“The district race was a little windier and cooler than the previous races but the location was great,” reported the coaches. “This was the first run at Jaycee Beach and the path through the trees was quite sheltered and beautiful.”
For the U10 and U11 competitors, the run covers 2 km.
In the U10 girls run, season-best results were posted by Riley Roberts, finishing in 10:42 for 21st place, and Ashton Lamb at 11:21, good enough for 31st in a field of 49 runners.
Out of 44 runners in the U11 boys event, Connor Pozniak placed 23rd in a season best time of 10 minutes even.
The U11 girls field involved 36 runners. Olivia Owchar finished 10th with a season best 9:41 result, while Cora Tomcala came in 15th in a personal best time of 9:59. Each running season best times, Antonia Gallego placed 27th (10:42) and Rayna Edison was 31st (11:51).
Starting at the U12 age category, the race distance goes up to 3 km.
In U12 boys, out of 31 competitors, Drew Kitchen posted a personal best time of 13:17, good enough for a fifth-place finish. Camryn Burym placed 28th, also in a personal best time (16:39).
For the second race in a row, CCS had three racers crack the top 20 in U12 girls, all with personal best times. Talia Collingridge led the way in third (14:14), Hannah Dutchak followed in 14th (16:18) and Rachel Mentanko was close behind in 16th with a time of 17:15.
The U13 boys event included 23 runners. Karter Shukin broke into the top ten with a ninth place finish in a time of 13:19. Isaiah Crow was 20th (17:06) and Raphael Rollin finished 22nd (19:33).
In a field of 14 runners in U13 girls, Angel Sliva finished eighth (14:49) while Maggie Lemaigre placed 14th (18:04).
Fifteen runners were featured in the U14 boys event. Reid Kitchen placed 14th in a time of 16:54.
The 12 runners competing in U14 girls included two CCS athletes. Madison Dutchak posted an eight place finish (16:55) and Tessa Prychak achieved a personal best time of 20:19 for eleventh.
William Sliva finished eleventh in a season best time of 14:41 to qualify for U15 boys provincials in a field of 11 runners.
Out of 15 runners, in a personal best time of 18:34, Danielle Dutchak placed eleventh in U15 girls.
Beginning in the U16 age group, the race distance increases to 4km.
Kayden Harder qualified for provincials in U16 boys, placing sixth with a personal best time of 17:20 in a field of nine runners.
Harder and William Sliva were scheduled to compete in provincials at Humboldt on Oct. 12.
Coaches Lowes and Kitchen said one of the great things about competing in cross-country is that it teaches valuable life lessons that continue to pay off long after the competitions have ended.
“Persistence, determination, commitment, and perseverance are just a few that can be developed when participating in cross-country or any sport for that matter. It is always fun and exciting to win a medal or ribbon by placing in the top ten, but at the end of every season, it is our hope that we are instilling ‘fitness for life.’ We want our students to be the healthiest they can be and to continue to be active for the rest of their lives. We are very proud of all of our runners and their personal improvements this season!”
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