UBC takes relay gold at NAIA championships

The UBC Thunderbirds women’s 4×800-metre relay team won gold today at the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Marion, Indiana.

The team ofHeather Slinn (Ottawa, ON), Tamara Harris (New Westminster, BC), Devan Wiebe (Vancouver, BC) and Maria Bernard (Calgary, AB) dominated the race and crossed the finish line in 8:58.32, more than three seconds ahead of Oklahoma Baptist.

The Thunderbirds took the lead early in the first leg with Slinn carrying the baton but it was Harris’ second leg that made the difference in the race. She completed her two laps in 2:12.4 to give UBC a commanding advantage that no other team could close. Wiebe and Bernard closed out the run to give UBC gold.

Read more: http://www.gothunderbirds.ca/news/2013/5/24/TRACK_0524133218.aspx

White wins silver at NAIA championships

A silver-medal finish by Andy White (North Vancouver, BC) in the men’s javelin highlighted a windy first day of competition for the UBC Thunderbirds at the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Marion, Indiana on Thursday.
 
White’s best throw, which came on his first attempt of the competition, went 65.59 metres, which was 1.41m short of the winning mark set by Luke Fischer of Northwest University (Wash.).

Athletes battled winds that gusted to more then 30 kilometres an hour in Marion.

Read more: http://www.gothunderbirds.ca/news/2013/5/23/TRACK_0523131603.aspx

Helen Crofts named USTFCCCA West Region Female Track Athlete of the Year

May 20, 2013 – New Orleans, LA – Simon Fraser University track and field runner Helen Crofts (West Vancouver, BC) has been named the west region female track athlete of the year by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

The senior is the Division II leader at 800-metre heading into the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championship with a time of 2:04.53 to lead by more than three seconds.

It is also the sixth ranked time in the event in Division II history.

In addition, Crofts is also ranked seventh in the 1500-metre posting a time 4:26.85 and 10th in the 400-metre with a time of 54.46.

She won the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championship in both events and is also a member of the Clan’s NCAA Division II eighth seeded 4×400-metre relay team.

Crofts and the Clan will travel to Pueblo, CO this week for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championship beginning on Wednesday.

Article: http://athletics.sfu.ca/news/2013/5/20/WTRACK_0520133338.aspx?path=general

UBC’s NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships Previews

BY: Devin Rajala (gothunderbirds.ca) 

VANCOUVER – A group of nine UBC Thunderbirds men and 17 women are in Marion, Indiana for the  NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The meet runs May 23-25 on the on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University.

UBC Men’s Preview - http://gothunderbirds.ca/news/2013/5/21/TRACK_0521135621.aspx

UBC Women’s Preview - http://gothunderbirds.ca/news/2013/5/21/TRACK_0521133213.aspx

Live Streaming - http://www.wiwutv.com/naiatrack/

South Surrey athletes shine at Fraser Valley Track Championships

Lord Tweedsmuir’s Jasmine Grant (left) stays a few strides ahead of Earl Marriott’s Kathryn van Ryswyk during a relay last week. Dan Kinvig photo

By Nick Greenizan – Peace Arch News
Published: May 21, 2013 

Athletes from South Surrey and Cloverdale schools spent plenty of time on the podium last week, at Fraser Valley Track and Field Championships in Abbotsford.

Leading the procession to the podium were a handful of Semiahmoo Totems – Chelsea Ribiero won gold in the girls 1,500-m steeplechase and took home silver in the junior girls 3,000-m run, while her Semi teammate Dominika Paige won bronze in the 1,500-m steeplechase.

Read full article: http://www.peacearchnews.com/sports/208399531.html

Six Simon Fraser University Clan Track & Field athletes named to USTFCCCA All-Region Team

New Orleans, LA – The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) has named All-Region honorees for the 2012-13 Division II outdoor track & field season and six Simon Fraser University track and field athletes have earned a spot.

The top five from each region in individual events and each member of a relay ranked in the region’s top three have earned the All-Region distinction for this season.

Helen Crofts (West Vancouver, BC) earned the recognition for top five finishes in four different events while Lindsey Butterworth (North Vancouver, BC) place in the top five in two as did Sarah Sawatzky (Chilliwack, BC).

Meanwhile Chantel Desch (Abbotsford, BC) earned a spot for as a member of the Clan’s 4×400-metre relay team as did Michaela Kane (Robert’s Creek, BC) while Jade Richardson (Nanaimo, BC) was named to the team after a GNAC Championship performance in the discus.

Full article: http://athletics.sfu.ca/news/2013/5/17/WTRACK_0517132010.aspx?path=general

Rostam Turner to join brother with U of T Blues

Kelowna Capital News – May 10, 2013 - With the likes of Olympic medalist Dave Steen and former Canadian decathlon champ Mike Smith among the school’s alumni, Rostam Turner will soon join a track and field program with a winning tradition.

Add in the fact that his older brother and fellow decathlete, James, is already a member of the University of Toronto Varsity Blues and Turner’s post-secondary choice was an easy one to make.

“They have a great program there and a great coach in Andy Higgins, so that will help a lot,” said Rostam Turner, who committed to U of T last fall. “It’ll be good to be together with (James) on the same team and at the same school. We’ve always helped each other out for training and things like that, so I think it’s going to work out. He knows the campus and the team and all that, so he’ll be able help ease me into things.”

Kelowna’s Turner brothers are among the best multi-event athletes ever to come out of the Okanagan. James won the Canadian junior decathlon (10 events) title in both 2011 and 2012, while Rostam struck gold in the octathlon at the Canadian youth track championships last summer in PEI.

Read full article: http://www.kelownacapnews.com/sports/206652651.html

Spencer Allen wins Kamloops Sport Council’s Male Athlete of the Year Award

Congratulations to Spencer Allen, a pole vaulter with the Kamloops Track and Field Club – he was named the Kamloops Sport Council’s Male Athlete of the Year at an awards banquet held on Saturday, April 13 held at TRU’s Grand Hall.

Read the full article in the Kamloops Daily News

Broken foot to NCAA national champ, it’s all coming around again for Clan senior Crofts

By Howard Tsumura, The Province

When Helen Crofts takes her place at the starting line of the 800 metres in just over a week’s time at the Mt. SAC Relays in California, she will be staring down the demands of her two-lap specialty safe in the knowledge that the past 52 weeks have indeed allowed her to come full circle.

It was at that very meet, and in that very race last season when Simon Fraser’s world-class middle distance runner noticed a pain in her right foot which was later diagnosed as a stress fracture, an injury which would not only wipe out her entire outdoor season, but perhaps most cruelly, keep her on the sidelines as spring turned to summer and trials for the Canadian Olympic team went on without her.

Read more: http://blogs.theprovince.com/2013/04/11/broken-foot-to-ncaa-national-champ-its-all-coming-around-again-for-clan-senior-crofts/

Weekend Roundup

Looking back to last weekend (click on the links for full stories):

Browne coasts to victory, Brooking defends title at 36th Fool’s Run

Merritt’s Aabye wins 2nd OC Half Marathon

Runners tear it up in Merville 15K

UBC captures the 2013 Achilles Cup over SFU

Croft leads Clan at Achilles Cup

Nuttall breaks High Jump record at Achilles Cup

Records fall at the Province Gran Forsa V presented by Telus

And looking ahead to this weekend:

Saturday sees the inaugural Harriers Bob Reid Magical Mile in Victoria

And on Burnaby Mountain, the Emilie Mondor Spring Open

On Sunday, the Interior Road Race Series action continues with the Oliver “Wine Capital of Canada” 10K

The MEC Road Race Series gets underway in Victoria

The racing season kicks off in Prince Rupert with the Half Marathon and 8K

And Up The Creek offers 10K, 5K and a Kids 1K options in Port Coquitlam

Finally, Monday is the Boston Marathon.

Level 1 Officials Workshop – April 25, 2013 – Vancouver

LOCATION:        Kerrisdale Park Track – 5670 East Boulevard, Vancouver BC

DATE/TIME:        Thursday, April 25, 2013 – 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm

INSTRUCTOR:   John & Carol Cull – Athletics Canada National Clinicians

                                      Instructor contact information: johncull@telus.net – (604) 599-6638

 This workshop is required for advancement to Level 1 in the national Officials Certification program.  Instructor will present organizational information, which prepares novice officials for successful participation and future upgrading.  Basic rules and best practices for individual track and field events are presented on site. Handouts will be provided, but participants should come prepared to take notes.  Dress for comfort and light activity

Participants will be eligible for selection to Officials’ teams for the National Legion Championships and other High Performance events in 2013

REGISTRATION FORM:    http://www.bcathletics.org/main/officials.htm#workshops

 

Yee, Suttleworth, and Maryschuk announced as TWU Track and Field Recruits

LANGLEY, British Columbia (April 3, 2013) – The Trinity Western track and field and cross country teams added a major piece to this year’s recruiting puzzle as Spartans coach Laurier Primeau officially announced the signing of middle distance runner Regan Yee (South Hazelton, B.C.) Wednesday. Yee leads a group of three athletes who recently joined the Spartans, which also includes sprinter Rachel Suttleworth (Surrey, B.C.) and high jumper Katie Maryschuk (Winfield, B.C.).

Full story on twu.ca

BC Masters Results at the USA Indoor Championships

Christa Bortignon did it again, another World Record! At the USA Masters Indoor Championships in Landover, Maryland, Christa bettered her own pending indoor world record in the W75 Triple jump. She jumped 7.75m, twice, bettering her pending WR of 7.59m that she jumped in the Canadian Championships only one week earlier. She also broke the Canadian Indoor 800m record with a time of 3:45, and just missed another World record in the 60m sprint. Her time of 10.06 was just 0.02 seconds off her own world record of 10.04. Christa won 6 gold medals and scratched from the high jump and 400m.

Three BC Masters athletes competed in Toronto in the Canadian Masters Indoor track and field championships from March 15-17. Christa won 7 gold medals, breaking her W75 triple jump with a jump of 7.59m. She also set a new Canadian Masters record in the 50m with a time of 8.70 seconds. Roy Turkington won 3 gold medals in the M60 age group and Edwin Liu won a bronze in the Long jump.

Level 1 Officials Workshop – Abbotsford

Wednesday, April 17 2013 – 4:00pm – 6:00pm

Rotary Stadium, Abbotsford, BC

Instructors: John & Carol Cull – Athletics Canada National Clinicians.  (604) 599-6638  johncull@telus.net

 This workshop is required for advancement to Level 1 in the National Officials Certification program.  Instructor will present organizational information, which prepares novice officials for successful participation and future upgrading.  Basic rules and best practices for individual track and field events are presented on site. Handouts will be provided, but participants should come prepared to take notes.  Dress for comfort and light activity.

Registration form available at: http://www.bcathletics.org/main/officials.htm#workshops

Call for Applications – World Athletics Day 2013 – May 11-12 2013

 

Athletics Canada invites applications from meet organizers wishing to host a meet as part of the 2013 IAAF World Athletics Day program. Provincial High School Championship meet organizers are strongly encouraged to apply!

The meet organizer(s) will be entitled to a Grant from the IAAF to assist in the organization and operation of the competition of up to $500 US. Promotional materials (T-shirts, posters, pins, and diplomas) will also be made available to assist in the promotion of the official 2013 World Athletics Day Competition. The 18th edition of the IAAF’s World Athletics Day will take place on Saturday May 11th and Sunday May 12th (these are the IAAF preferred dates – if the meet has to occur on another weekend in May to fit with your provincial calendar that is acceptable). The competition program will comprise events for Youth Age Group Boys and Girls; athletes registered members of Clubs born in 1996 and 1997, whereas the program for Schools will be for participants born in 1998-2000. For the Schools competition, results will be Team based. The designated competition must be in accordance with IAAF and Athletics Canada rules.

Full information and an application form can be found at – http://www.athletics.ca/page.asp?id=685

 

Little Flower’s coveted thrower Covington a big catch for SEC’s Georgia Bulldogs

By Howard Tsumura – The Province

When Asianna Covington was just hitting her elementary school years, and she played baseball with the boys, her coaches were always putting her behind the plate.

“They would always make me play catcher because I could throw the ball the furthest,” the senior at Vancouver’s Little Flower Academy explains with a laugh. “And when we played soccer, I was always the one they wanted to throw the ball in. I used to ask myself why I was always the one that had to do all the throwing stuff.”

Simple.

Last week, in a ceremony at her school, part of NCAA National Letter of Intent day in which high school student-athletes make their U.S. university sport commitments official, Covington signed all of the papers that will ticket her for a full-ride scholarship to the Southeastern Conference powerhouse University of Georgia this fall as a member of the school’s track and field program.

And not surprisingly, the 6-foot-1 Covington will be competing for the Bulldogs as a thrower, with a likely specialty in the discus and hammer throw.

Read more, http://blogs.theprovince.com/2013/02/06/little-flowers-coveted-thrower-covington-a-big-catch-for-secs-georgia-bulldogs/

Wisconsin next stop in Ellenwood’s travels

By Gary Ahuja – Langley Times

Track and field has taken Georgia Ellenwood many places.

She has been overseas to France and Spain with Team Canada, as well as all to parts of Canada and the U.S. for various other meets.

But for the next four years, the sport will take her primarily to Madison, Wisc. where she will attend the University of Wisconsin.

Ellenwood, a senior at Langley Secondary School, signed her national letter of intent last Wednesday morning (Feb. 6) to attend the NCAA Division 1 Big 10 school. She had verbally committed to the Badgers back in December.

Other schools interested in signing Ellenwood — the top-ranked junior heptathlete in Canada — included the University of Oregon, Indiana University, University of Hawaii and the University of Nebraska.

Read more, http://www.langleytimes.com/sports/191101151.html

Balazs running off to Idaho

By Alistair McInnes – Prince George Free Press

Emma Balazs will be running with the Vandals next season.

The 17-year-old Prince George product has accepted a four-year NCAA Division 1 scholarship from the University of Idaho.

Balazs said she’s very excited about competing on the Idaho Vandals’ track and field team. But making the choice wasn’t a slam dunk. She went on another recruiting trip to the University of Hawaii and considered Utah and Nebraska.

What gave Idaho the edge over Hawaii was its track. The program’s connections to Prince George also played a leading role in attracting Balazs. University of Idaho director of track and field/cross country Wayne Phipps hails from Prince George and has created a comfort level with Canadian recruits.

Read more, http://www.pgfreepress.com/sports/191426251.html

Officials Level 1 Workshop – Surrey

Officials Level 1 Workshop
Saturday, March 9, 2013 • 1–3pm
Universal Fitness Centre: 8585 132nd St., Surrey, BC

Instructors: Sue Kydd and Neil Chin Aleong    
This workshop is required for advancement to Level 1 in the national Officials Certification program. Instructors will present organizational information, which prepares novice officials for successful participation and future upgrading. Basic rules and best practices for individual track and field events are presented on site, with an emphasis on Special Olympics adaptations. Handouts will be provided, but participants should come prepared to take notes. The workshop will be held indoors and if weather permits the group will go to Bear Creek Park for venue walk about. Please come prepared with a coat and appropriate foot wear. Dress for comfort and light activity.

For full information including the registration form please visit the BC Athletics website at http://www.bcathletics.org/main/officials.htm#workshops

Registration Deadline:  Monday, March 4, 2013

TWU Spartans sign Declan White

The Trinity Western men’s track and field and cross country teams took another major stride forward as coach Laurier Primeau announced the signing of middle distance runner Declan White (Surrey, B.C.) Tuesday.

The 6-foot-1 athlete, who graduated from Semiahmoo Secondary in 2010, joins the Spartans already a well-established middle distance athlete who will instantly become a contending threat in Canada West and the CIS both on the trails and the track.

Most recently, White, competing with the Coastal Track Club, posted a personal best in the 3000m at the University of Washington Indoor Preview, in which he won his heat with a time of 8:23.44. That time would have broken the TWU record of 8:24.55, which was set in the same race by second-year Spartan Blair Johnston (White Rock, B.C.). It also would have put White 11th in the current CIS rankings.

White also has PBs of 3:54.02 in the 1500m, which would have him 10th in the current CIS rankings, and 1:53.95 in the 800m.

On the cross country trails, White was 34th at the 2012 Canadian Championships with a time of 32:10.32 over the 10 kilometre course. That time had him just over 44 seconds behind Johnston. In 2011, White also helped Team B.C. to a gold medal at the Canadian Cross Country Championships.

“We are truly fortunate to see Declan become a Spartan,” Primeau said. “He isn’t even on our team yet and he already is one of the most well-liked athletes among us. It seems such a natural fit to bring him aboard as he knows many of our current athletes and a sense of camaraderie already exists. Equally as important is the fact Declan will arrive on campus with high performance value. He has running range from the 800m to the 3000m to cross country, and will contribute on relay teams as well. Declan is also local, which is very important to us as we want to ensure we are looking in our own backyard and nurturing the talent that surrounds us.”

White plans to study human kinetics at TWU when he arrives on campus in the fall of 2013.

“I am so excited to be joining TWU,” White said. “I know I am coming to a top notch school which, with its small class sizes, will provide an excellent learning environment. I am also very happy to be training under coaches with such impressive resumes. I know Laurier Primeau and Mark Bomba will do everything in their power to make sure I’m a successful athlete in the CIS.”