All
I always do a news release for this race, but I wanted to add a few
comments here.
Personally, I was absolutely delighted to find that all 4 of the men who
represented Canada at this year's World Cup 100K were entered in this
race. It made for a fast field and it showed with some fast times
(including a course record) on a course that could best be described as
"scenic". In road running lingo this means
"hilly".
I also found it interesting to watch the winner run. He looked
relaxed and steady throughout the run ... literally, he made it look easy
and at the finish looked as fresh as if he had only run around the
block.
This year it rained ... again. It was great weather the day before
and the day after, but race day was miserable. It is even more
miserable for the volunteers than it is for the runners. I can't
count the number of years that we have had great weather race week only
to have a downpour on race day. This is getting old.
Cheers
Ron Adams
H2H 100K Ultra Event Co-ordinator
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Bentley Threepeats, Sets Course Record at Haney Harrison
100Km
Haney Harrison 100Km
Saturday, November 3rd, 2007
Harrison Hot Springs, BC, Canada
Making it look easy, Darin Bentley of Surrey won the Haney to Harrison
100Km for the third consecutive year in a time of 7:39:44 knocking more
than 12 minutes off the previous course record which had stood for 9
years. The race, which featured all 4 members of Canada’s mens
World Cup 100K team, started out fast with a close race to the half way
point, but then Bentley steadily pulled away for the win finishing 35
minutes ahead of fellow World Cup team member Darren Froese of Victoria
(8:15:01). Early leader Hassan Lofti-Pour of North Vancouver
finished third in 8:25:09 ahead of Calgary’s Richard Webb in 8:36:42
(also a World Cup team member).
Tania Whelan of Surrey took the women’s race for the second straight year
trimming more than 24 minutes off her previous year’s time to finish in
10:15:22. Second place in the women's race went to Heather Flaherty of
Nevada, Iowa in a time of 12:17:17 and 3rd place was taken by Penny
Youngash of Surrey.
Race conditions could be described in one word “wet” with steady rain
drizzle and mist all day long. The runners even experienced low
cloud and fog at the summit of Mount Woodside. Temperatures were
cool ranging from 5C at the start to 7C at the finish(low forties F)
The course consists of paved highways following British Columbia's scenic
Sasquatch Drive. Starting just outside Vancouver in Maple Ridge, the
course winds its way over rolling hills, passing through Mission and into
the lush farmlands of the Fraser Valley enroute to the finish in the
idyllic resort community of Harrison Hot Springs. This
year marked the 11th running of the event.
Of course, if it wasn't for the volunteers, nobody would be running at
all. This year, Cheryl Johnson, Rhonda Schuller and Cynnimon Rain came
out to spend their day on the course helping others. 100 mile trail
runner John Machray sacrificed a training day to see just how much fun a
road 100Km can be in the rain. Veteran race announcer Steve King was on
hand for the full day from the very first finisher to the very last
finisher announcing the arrival of each runner. And of course, I can't
forget my own wife, Cathy, who just loves =:-0 to spend the day standing
around drenched to the bone in monsoon conditions in November making sure
that each of the runners is looked after. The race is held in conjunction
with the Haney Harrison road relay. The efforts of relay race management
made the whole event possible and the contributions of Miranda Reece and
Brian McCalder cannot go unnoticed.
Full race results are at:
http://www.raceheadquarters.com/results/2007/run/H2H2007Ultra.html
33 starters
27 finishers
Ron Adams
H2H 100K Ultra Event Director