B4 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, September 11, 2002 SARAH A. ZIMMERMAN Adventure charengs 2002 They're the champs By SARAH A. ZIMMERMAN AFTER taking on a series of gruelling outdoor events throughout the summer the champions of the first ever Terrace Standard Adventure Challenge have been decided. The series kicked off July 21 with a technical and steep downhill biking race. It was followed the next week by the King of the Mountain footrace which saw runners take on a brutal, root infested course weaving its way over the Terrace Mountain Trail. The Riverboat Days weekend saw participants take on a challenging out- door rock climbing competition as well as a BMX and skateboard com- petition. The last event of the series took place Sept. 1 as participants took on an eight-hour endurance biking event - it was also the only event participants were permitted to enter as part of a team. Adventure challenge competilors accumulated points at each event and those with the most points in the men’s, women’s and under 16 division were crowned champions earaing themselves both bragging rights and big prize packages. Terrace’s outdoor recreational sport super couple Shane and Suki Spencer dominated the summer series compet- ing in each of the five events earning them enough points to clinch first place in the men’s and women’s divi- sion. “It was probably one of the better summers I've ever had in Terrace be- cause of the amount of races that | entered in.” “It was exciting,” says women’s champion Suki Spencer. “It was prob- ably one of the better summers I’ve ever had in Terrace because of the amount of races that | entered in.” While the Spencers have ample ex- perience in biking and rock climbing TERRACE.STANDARD SPOR both say the running race tested their mettle the most. “Probably the running race because I don’t run at all,” laughs Shane Spen- er. “Ht was also one of the funnest events for me because it was so differ- ent.” The junior division proved to be an exciting category to watch as several enthusiastic young athleles took on a variely of events. But it was Travis Yagelniski, 15, who came out on top in the under 16 division after competing in ail but the BMX/skateboard event. Yagelniski is an avid downhill mountain biker but says many of the other sports were new to him. “T guess | thought it would be fun to try some events out and see if [ liked it or not,” he says. And of those new events rock climbing piqued his interest the most. Yagelniski had never been rock climbing before but managed to make it to the top of both the speed and dif- ficulty routes he was challenged with AND THE WINNERS ARE: Junior champion Travis Yagelniski, Women’s champion Suki Spencer and Men's champion Shane Spencer, in that competition. “[ think I'm going to start climbing now. [t was really fun,” he says. It was his participation in the climbing event thal put-him over the | top in the series point standings. Second place junior winner Jesse Sheasby, 14, participated in the down- hill race, the run and the endurance biking event but was unable to take part in the Riverboat Days challenges because he was participating in the B.C. Summer Games in Nanaimo as part of the zone biking team. The series was the first of its kind in the northwest and all the champions say they'll be back again next summer to defend their titles. “Just the energy of competition is something that's nol really around in this area,” says Shane Spencer. “IE you want that type of thing you usually have {0 pO somewhere else - until now.” Bikers’ stamina tested in relay race By SARAH A. ZIMMERMAN NEARING the end of the northwest’s first ever endurance biking event, some riders were calling it eight hours of torture. , Manet twa, three or four mountain bikers battled it out to see who could com- plete the most laps of a 5.9 kilo- metre course in eight hours. Held at the Onion Lake cross country ski trails, riders navigated long flat areas, steep downhilis, rocky sections and muddy, boggy areas. Based on events such as the 24 Hours of Adrenaline race which takes place in Canmore, Alberta each summer, riders compete against the elements, mechanical difficulties and one another. That race sees competitors ride throughout the night while racers here saw roughly one hour of night - riding. Local organizer Mike Christian- sen — who also competed as part of a two-man team — says it’s not just about competilion. “It's not that it’s all the riding or competition. It’s just getting people together having fun doing something they enjoy,” Christiansen said. The event is run much fike a relay. While one rider is on the course the other members of the team wait at the start/finish line talking, working on their bikes and in the case of Sept. 2’s race, warm- ing up and drying off next to a fire. The endurance event replaced an annual cross country race. “The biggest reason we changed from doing a cross country race to an endurance event was to facilitate participation for people who aren't racers who want to just come out and have fun riding,” Christiansen said. He added the beauty of an endur- ance race is as a member of a team The « «MeBike--8- Hours of- Onion- “Lake endurance ride saw teams of THIS: ountain bikers takes off to complete one his many 5.9 kilo- metre laps in the 8-Hours of Onion Lake endurance event Sept. 1. Twenty-six bikers took part. SARAH A. ZIMMERMAN PHOTO one doesn’t have to toil on for hours on end. “It’s not like this death march for the guys who want to do the whole thing,” he said. Four senior teams (made up of people over 16) and four junior teams took part in the event. Only one person was brave enough to tackle the entire event as a solo rider. While the top team in the event logged 24 laps between three riders, Prince Rupert’s Jeff Dyck managed to log 16 laps all by himself, That’s nearly 100 kilometres of ri- ding over rough, rocky and often muddy terrain in just eight hours. “It wasn't too bad,” says the modest 33-year-old. “With not hav- ing any competition I wasn’t really having to push myself too hard against anybody.” Dyck says since May he’s cycled on average 300 kilometres per week on his road bike, so his body was fairly well conditioned. Lucy and Ray Praught, a husband and wife cycling duo, joined up with Scott Damstrom fer the event. Lucy Praught says she took part for the challenge of a Jong event and for the sheer joy of riding. “First of all, I have lost a lot weight this year — like 110 pounds — and | was tired of handing Ray water battles,” Praught said. “fam addicted to mountain bik- ing. I love just the feeling you get from the exercise and. fresh air and hanging out with people.” Praught’s team managed to log 20 laps mm com- ing in third in the se- nior divi- sion. The top se- nior team consis- ted of dyna- mite teen riders Olivier Jeff Dyck Drouin, Tyler Sheasby and Kristian Gough who logged a total of 24 laps. The event also saw a slrong showing of under-16 riders who are putling a good scare into their older counterparts. Jeff Chapman, Jesse Sheasby and Skye Jones placed third in the junior division logging a whopping 23 laps. Christiansen said the event ex- ceeded his expectations and he plans on holding the race again next summer. “The fun that we had in the event was far greater than IT ever anticipa- ted, Without question,” Christiansen said. “L already have a bunch of people who are kicking themselves for not doing it this year and want to next year.” Riders gearing up for invitational gymkhana By MARTY COX THE FALL Fair’s annual pymkhana was a busy one with all seven events being run with the Heavy Horse pull in the middle. Lyn Lavoie and Danita Petch set two fastest times of the year with Lyn pet- ting 18.989 in Figure 8 and Danita weaving the Poles in 23.915. ee The hi point ride "hs Seniors went down to" tie-breaker with Marty Bis. ner and Lyn Lavoie facing off making the turns around the Figure 8 course. Eisner went on to win the hi point senior rider. Other hi point riders were Margie Rempel in Mas- ters on Mr. Mike, Junior A Rachel Muller on Skip, Junior B was Neoma Pat- terson on Chance, Junior C Michalla Heighington on Triton, and Junior D was split between Shelby Sni- der on Babe and Jaclyn Oleskowich on Nadia. The Lead Line was also split between Amanda Stella on Raffi and Jenni- fer Rempel! on DJ. Neoma Patterson was the only rider to take first place in all seven events — quite an accomplishment. Two riders from the Smithers area, Kate Hep- burn and Jenny Farrell also competed. and will be coming back to Terrace for the 2002 Northwest Invita- tional on Sept. 14. DANITA PETCH races back from the keyhole dur- ing the annual gymkhana at the Skeena Valley Fall Fair. SARAH A. ZIMMERMAN PHOTO The TSC earned the right to host the invitation- al event because they won top team at last year’s event which was hosted in Kispiox. Riders and horses take Sports Scope Hockey try-outs FULL CONTACT hockey is taking off this winter as Kitimat’s [ce Demons join the Central Interior Hoek- ey League for the 2002-03 season. Seniors slowpitch team wins gold By SARAH A. ZIMMERMAN WHEN it comes to sports in the northwest Terrace’s seniors definitely have what it takes to rise to the top of their fields. Dozens of senior ath- Jetes from Terrace and other cities in the north- west recently returned from the B.C. Seniors Games in Prince George. The northwest team earned 65 medals all told - 45 of which were picked up by Terrace-based ath- letes, The big surprise this year came when the un- derdog mixed -slowpitch team nabbed medal. “Our zone hasn’t won a game for about four years,” said team coach Fred Martens. “We've been getting a few new players every year and this year we were successful.” The zone slowpitch team is made up entirely of Terrace players who amazed spectators and op- posing teams with the per- formance they put in at the Prince George event. The Terrace team went 3-1 in the round robin defeating Cranbrook, Van- ‘couver and Port St. John. the gold The wins against Cran- brook and Vancouver were tough to earn with Terrace winning only by two and three point margins in each of those match-ups. Their only round robin loss was against Quesnel - the team they met in the gold medal game. With 300-400 spectators watching the final Martens said Terrace had (remen- dous fan support. “{ would say about 90 per cent were cheering for Terrace,” Martens swid. “Because we were pretty much an underdog team there, we got a lot of sup- port from the other teams as well.” The support — and a lot of preparatory work prior to the games — paid off. Ter- race beat Quesnel 9-4 earning the gold medal. “We were really exci- ted,” Martens said. “Il was very much a team effort.” Martens said the team ° came together with solid hitting and great defence adding this year’s senior games experience was one of the best he’s ever had. He said the entire event was very well organized making it a truly memor- able experience. — The team joins the Burns Lake Braves and the Fort St. John Stars who competed in the league last year, along with two more new teams, the Houston Luckies and the McKenzie Moose. An open training camp is scheduled to start Sept. 21 and players interested in participating must pre-re- gister at Action Sports in Kitimat by Wednesday, Sept, 18. Players from both Kitimat and Terrace are invited to try out but onty 25 players will be selected for the final roster. For more information call team president Troy But- ler at 798-2070. Oldtimers invited to play THE TERRACE Timberman are lacing up the skates preparing for an exciting season of Oldtimers hockey. Wednesday nights from 9-10:30 p.m. teams are selec- ted and the action gets under way. The season consists of 18 scheduled ice times throughout the winter. Registration for the season is $180 or players may pay a $15 drop-in fee. There’s only room for.28 players. For more information see John Taylor, Harold Cox or Brian Kennedy or call 635-4948. part in six events including pole bending, keyhole, ring spearing, barrels, scurries and flag picking. - Riders compete in mas- ters, four junior divisions and a seniors category. Sports Menu To get your game, avent or meeting added to the Terrace Standard Sports Menu or Sports Scope, fax us at 638-8432, or you can e-mail us at standard@kermede.net Sept. 12 mw Skeena Valley ladies golf hosts pull for part- ner. Sept. 26 @ Skeena Valley ladies golf hosts awards night and golf. Oct. 6 mAl! Seasons Source for Sports Fall Run. Skm_ and 10km races start at: noon, Half marathon starts at 11 a.m. at: Northwest : Community. Collage. Call Jack: at” 638-0751 for details.