It was another picture-perfect day for racing on September 28, when the Georgian Bay Coyotes Track Club played host to over 300 racers from the surrounding area. This free race, open to all school-age children and beyond, marked its 13th successful event. Spectators were able to enjoy some thrilling races, and cheer on some outstanding athletes.
The first event of the day was the Junior and Senior Kindergarten race which included sixteen adorable young racers, all of whom completed the 800m challenge. The first-place male finisher, Charlie Kelly, ran a strong race and made his way through the course in only 4:50.3.
In the Grade 1/2 girls’ race, there were forty-three participants and Coyote Ella Cleland ran with confidence and led the field of racers to the finish line with a 25 second lead.
In the first of the 2km races, the Grade 3/4 girls had a large contingent of 53 racers. They all worked hard to make it through the two laps of the course. The top three finishers flew out of the bush. Coyote Dani Adair was in the lead with Evelyn Scholl and Coyote Madeline Armstrong sprinting hard to catch her. The finishing order remained the same, but spectators were witness to some beautiful finishing sprints.
In the Grade 3/4 boys’ race, Coyote Bennett Hustwitt took first place. His race strategy included taking an early lead and he pushed the pace throughout the two kilometres, making the rest of the runners work hard to keep him in their sights. Teammate Ludo Menard worked hard to finish in the top ten as did Georgian Bay Community school students Hezzy Lowes and Bryce Anderson.
In the girls’ Grade 5/6 category, Coyote coaches were proud to watch nine Coyote runners make this race a challenge for their competitors. Coyotes Mila Dolan, Nyla Dubeau and Madelyn Moores took the top three positions and seven Coyote girls finished in the top eight.
The boys’ Grade 5/6 race got off to a blistering start. Coyotes Caleb Cleland and Sam Elkins played it smart and paced themselves well, taking over the lead of the group by the first climb of the Coyote hill. Caleb Cleland took first place by over 15 seconds, Sam Elkins took second and Luke Simard finished strong, taking third place.
Following this, the challenge was increased for the Grades 7 and 8 runners to a distance of 3km. With a smaller field of runners, the girls and the boys were put on the starting line together. Ben Burnett-Scott took command of this race and placed first in the boys’ division. Liam Law and Richard Saunders both put forth strong performances placing second and third respectively. Isla Tomko was the winner of the girls’ race, with Coyotes Chloe Burgess and Maelle Edwards claiming second and third.
The final event of the day was the open category 4km race. Only five females and eight males were brave enough to conquer this challenge but conquer it they did. The top time, posted by racer Eli Bouius, was a very fast 12:15.3.
“Overall, the day was an amazing success. It wasn’t just the running talent on display that wowed the crowds though. Many youths from our community took on the responsibility of rabbiting and turtling the races, warming up and organizing racers and most importantly, encouraging racers of all ages and abilities. They were amazing ambassadors of the spirit of sport and kindness, and they displayed a genuine understanding for giving back to the community; it was a thrill to be a part of,” said organizers. “Behind the scenes, the club had a huge number of hardworking volunteers, and a long list of supporters from within the community. Many thanks go out to the Meaford Rotary Club, the Clarksburg Legion, the Thornbury Turkey Trot, Scheifele, Erskine and Renken, Eagles Weed Control & Lawn Service, A1 Toilet rentals, Godard’s Independent Grocer, Co-operators, and Grandma Lambe’s.”
For complete race details, or to find out more about the team, please visit their website: www.georgianbaycoyotes.com.
