© Copyright – 2019 – Athletics Illustrated
For the inaugural Fast Days of Summer 5000 road race that took place Sunday, July 28 in Kelowna, BC, race organizers promised one of the fastest courses in Canada. The only problem was the competition.
Most elite distance runners in Canada were competing in either the national track and field championships in Montreal or the masters world track and field championships. Regardless, the course proved to be fast.
Local 18-year-old triathlete Brock Hoel won in the time of 14:50. Michael Mitchell, from Kimberly, BC who attends the University of British Columbia Okanagan campus, was second in the time of 15:27. Kyle Smith of Longmont, CO finished third in the time of 15:52, which represents a six-second personal best.
Brittany Webster, a three-time Olympic cross-country skier from nearby Peachland, BC, won in the time of 18:14. Twenty seconds behind her was Jessica Kaiser of Cochrane, Alberta and third was Meryn Sim of Vancouver in the time of 20:21. Webster and Kaiser competed in the 30-34 age division, while Sim finished first in the 25-29 group.
“Race conditions were excellent,” said director Delilah Topic. “Hoel ran well and the top-3 master men finished within two seconds of each other.”
The master men Jeff Vogt, David Guss and Ian Sharp all of Kelowna finished in 16:38, 16:39 and 16:40, respectively. Guss is the oldest of the three at 55-59.
“All pacers are members of the UBCO cross country team. I am assistant coach, so asked them to do it. It was so wonderful seeing the younger generation pacing our budding running community here in Kelowna,” added Topic.
The race is a new fixture in the Canadian Tire Race Series and the primary intention to starting the race by Topic and co-race director Dustin Quigley was to produce personal bests for all abilities.
Full results are available here>>
