Port McNeill RCMP Sergeant Craig Blanchard was the fastest finisher among the 29 North Island entrants in Sunday's annual Times-Colonist 10K run in Victoria.
Blanchard, competing in the men's 45-49 age group, clocked 44 minutes, 40 seconds, an average pace of 4:28 per kilometre.
Nelson Stanley of Woss, running in the men's 20-24 age group, was close by with a 45:01 clocking.
Margaret Waldstein of Port Hardy was fastest among the North Island's women, finishing in 47:18 and cracking the top-20 in her 20-24 age group.
The youngest local participants were a quartet of classmates from Sointula's A.J. Elliot School — Robert Burgess-Griffith, Bessy Prevost, and siblings Dexter and Molly Lash-Burrows. The oldest was Port Hardy's Dennis Dugas, who ran in the men's 60-64 class.
RUNNING
2013 Times-Colonist 10K Run
Sunday, Apr. 28
At Victoria
North Island results
Men
19-under: 274. Robert Burgess-Griffith, Sointula, 57:41; 275. Dexter Lash-Burrows, Sointula, 57:42.
20-24: 45. Nelson Stanley, Woss, 45:01.
25-29: 394. Adam Farrell, Port Hardy, 1:08:20.
45-49: 36. Craig Blanchard, Port McNeill, 44:40; 346. Gordon Glover, 1:42:02.
50-54: 133. Brad Nelson, Port McNeill, 53:27; 188. Ken Lande, 59:57.
55-59: 256. Jim Corbett, Woss, 1:30:24.
60-64: 41. Dennis Dugas, Port Hardy, 53:04.
Women
19-under: 269. Bessy Prevost, Sointula, 1:07:33; 274. Molly Lash-Burrows, Sointula, 1:07:49.
20-24: 19. Margaret Waldstein, Port Hardy, 47:18; 348. Serena Geske, Port Hardy, 1:08:20.
25-29: 110. Adelle Harrison, Port Hardy, 53:53; 468. Jenna Dixon, Port McNeill, 1:05:19; 474. Amber Aleksich, Sointula, 1:09:38.
30-34: 338. Lynelle Bachmann, Port McNeill, 1:02:23; 480. Melissa Cartner, Port Hardy, 1:13:14.
35-39: 326. Karin Sinclair, Woss, 1:11:00; 449. Shelley Quist, Port Hardy, 1:21:12.
45-49: 252. Michelle Von Schilling, Port Hardy, 1:08:50; 271. Jennifer Lash, Sointula, 1:10:59; 449. Ada King, Port McNeill, 1:39:17.
50-54: 329. Leanne Farrell, Port Hardy, 1:24:21; 407. Marie Duperreault, Port McNeill, 1:37:46; 423. Noramay Isaac, Port McNeill, 1:39:18.
55-59: 247. Bev Wishart, Port Hardy, 1:24:34; 252. Louise Dugas, Port Hardy, 1:25:06.