Jasper’s running community took the Icefields Parkway by storm, June 6, in the annual Jasper Banff Relay, snagging two first place finishes.
Taking it home in the female category was team Never Been Done, comprised of Anna Misskey, Valerie Bartziokas, Marnie Oatway, Lisa Wilson, Tiffany Toussaint, Terri Smith, Katy Poirier, Robin Bielec, Wendy Copp, Stacey Miller, Katie Byford-Richards, Alita Storms, Ange Blake, Nancy Arsenault and Elsie Todgham.
The ladies ran the 258 km relay in a total of 24:44:41, putting them 22:19 ahead of the next team.
Jasper also had a first place winner in the mixed category: team Easier Said Than Run, which completed the gruelling race in 20:58:06.
On the team was Cristin Murphy, Kim Stark, Michael D’Antonio, Fraser Bjornson, Yves Gagnon, Todd Noble, Nicole Romanow, Brett Romanow, Jason Stenlund, Joel Tiedemann, Joe Urie, Victor Vassallo, Amber Burgess, Marc Chalifoux and Lorraine Wilkinson.
Other Jasper teams included We Got the Runs, which finished in sixth place in the open category and Rocky Mountain Misfits, which finished in 12th in the same category.
The relay consists of two phases run simultaneously. Phase one has six stages from Banff to the Saskatchewan River Crossing. Phase two has nine stages from the Saskatchewan River Crossing to Jasper. Team results are based on the cumulative times for both phases of the relay.
The 11th annual event had 56 teams and ended with a celebration at the Jasper Activity Centre.
Each year the relay raises funds for the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada and supports medical research and outreach programs to help brain tumour patients and their families.
There is still an opportunity to donate by visiting www.bjr.ca.
Nicole Veerman
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