Mel Bos set a new female course record in winning the 54-kilometre division of the Walk in the Park ultramarathon in Kenna Cartwright Park on Sunday.
The Walk in the Park, which was first run in 1992 and has been held in Kenna Cartwright since 2001, featured an 18km course — runners had the opportunity to do one, two or three laps of the track.
Bos, from Kelowna, was one of 18 people who started the 54km race, but two of the starters made “honourable exits” during the race. Bos blazed to first place overall, winning in five hours four minutes, a course record for female athletes.
In second was Edmonton’s Logan Beaulieu, who was almost an hour behind Bos in 6:01:18. Phil Hiom was the fastest Kamloops finisher in the 54km race, as he came home in 6:43:49 for sixth.
Other Kamloops finishers in the 54km race were Norman Blain (7:19:31); Craig McIntyre (7:40:03); Marty Gaylie (7:54:32); and Sandra Pasmen (9:26:59).
As per tradition, the last finisher of the 54km race — in this case, it was Pasmen — won a lawn chair in which to relax after the race.
There was only one competitor in the 36km race — Kamloops’ Geoff Blunden finished in 5:06:04.
Kamloops’ Ian Robertson won the 18km race, which 11 racers finished. Robertson’s time was 1:43:03, only 1:44 ahead of Vancouver’s Gordon Flett. Kamloops’ Kristian Helmer was third in 1:45:18, with Jennifer Elfenbein of Kamloops fourth overall and first among women in 1:45:43.
Other Kamloops finishers were Dean Olstad (1:46:04); Tom Waldichuk (1:47:08); David Coneybeare (2:03:51); Al Quinn (2:16:03); Wes Kibble (2:38:14); and Evan Fitzer (3:25:54).
