Elphinstone Secondary School's cross country running team placed well in the first two league meets of the season.
A member of the North Shore Secondary School Athletic Association, the team travels to locations between North Vancouver and Squamish every Wednesday to run trail races of three to seven kilometres.
The first meet was a flat course in Ambleside, West Vancouver; the second was a more gruelling competition at Loutet Park, North Vancouver.
The senior girls' team is anchored by seniors Alex Cloherty, Jennifer Mauel, Julie Beadle, Lucy Wilson and Robin Mauser-Housden.
Alex placed ninth in both meets; Jennifer is chasing a top 10 position with 16th and 13th place finishes. Overall the team is in sixth place in the league.
The senior boys had an outstanding first meet with afourth place finish from Mason Gregory, and a lightning fast finish line sprint from Sam Garmulewicz and Oliver Telfer for 12th and 14th respectively. Sickness and injury hit the top three boys, leaving Clay Brown and Red Dignace to maintain the team's standing. Clay's solid performance in both meets has kept Elphi in the standings.
Newcomers Paul Kosteckyj and Alex Monkman are continuing the Elphi running tradition. Paul is currently sixth overall in Grade 8 boys with fifth and ninth place finishes. Alex cruised to a third place finish in the second meet.
The Grade 8/9 girls are proving themselves contenders with an overall fifth place league standing.
Grade 8s Sophie Garmulewicz and Jackie Morris have triumphed with fourth and sixth place finishes respectively, while Grade 9 Holly Perrier has sprinted to fifth and third place finishes. Jemma Newton-Mason has moved into the lead pack, placing 11th in the first meet and moving up to 10th in the second meet.
Another race was held on Wednesday Oct. 14 at Rice Lake. Results were not available by press deadline.
-Submitted
