The territory’s orienteering runners had a busy three weeks as the Yukon Orienteering Association held its three championship races. The three events were a sprint, middle distance and long distance race.

The championships kicked off July 14 with a sprint race at the Robinson parking lot off South Klondike Road. It was originally scheduled to be the second race in the championship series, but the COVID-19 outbreak in early July forced the postponement of the first race.

Each of the three championship races was divided into four categories, novice, intermediate, advanced and expert.

Sprint results:

Oliver Kralish-Seguin hit all the controls to win the novice sprint in 14 minutes and 25 seconds.

Second to fourth, with Scott and Tegryn Williams and Selena Boothroyd all finished with a time of 26 minutes and 12 seconds.

The intermediate race saw the top three go to a family, or at least three people who share a last name.

Anneke Aasman took the first intermediate place in 19 minutes, 47 seconds. The second and third were only three seconds apart with Lucy Aasman, 22 minutes, 53 seconds, taking the lead over Esther Aasman.

Jeremy Johnson got away with the advanced category, hitting all the controls in 18 minutes and 50 seconds.

Melissa Halpenny took second place in 26 minutes, 57 seconds and Sabrina Bouayad got third place respectively.

Emma Waddington was ahead of the 10 other orienteers in the expert category to obtain the first place. Waddington’s time was 16 minutes, 11 seconds. Leif Blake was second in 17 minutes and 44 seconds and Jennifer MacKeigan third.

Middle distance results:

The middle distance championship has been postponed to July 28. He started at the ATCO pumping station off Fish Lake Road.

It was a sunny evening which brought 27 orienteers to the last day.

“The land has a billion boulders, numerous mounds, old mining pits, and indistinct cut lines,” the course description said. “It also offers great views of a small canyon as well as a fun challenge for all orienteers of all skill levels.”

Kralisch-Seguin got another best time in the novice division. They completed the 1.4 kilometer course in 16 minutes 40 seconds. Maura Glenn and Elvira Knaack tied for second in 31 minutes and 36 seconds.

The intermediate course was 1.7 km long and included 12 checks. Jess O’Reilly, 18 minutes, two seconds, edged Anneke Aasman, 20 minutes, 12 seconds. Lara Melnik finished third.

Advanced orienteers and experts took a “technical course which required detailed navigation with a careful run near old mining pits and small cliffs.”

Phillipa McNeil was the only advanced orienteering specialist to keep a time of less than an hour. They finished in 46 minutes 32 seconds. Sabine Schweiger and Nicky Rosenberg placed second and third respectively. The course was 3.2 km and included 16 controls.

Blake completed the expert course of four kilometers, 21 drives, in 40 minutes and 17 seconds. Waddington was around four minutes behind to finish second and Caelan McLean third.

The long-distance results had not been released in time for publication.

The Yukon Championships may be over, but the Yukon Orienteering Association will still be running regular races until the end of September.

Contact John Tonin at [email protected]

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