Whistler Alpine Meadows: WAM race results – Canadian Running Magazine

Whistler Alpine Meadows: WAM race results  Canadian Running Magazine

Results from all the races at the 2019 Whistler Alpine Meadows trail and ultrarunning events.

It was a first for many this past weekend at the Whistler Alpine Meadows (WAM) trail and ultrarunning races in the Sea to Sky Corridor. Geoff Langford, Gary Robbins, and the Coast Mountain Trail Series team hosted six races, including their debut 100 mile event. From Friday to Sunday, trail, mountain, ultrarunners, and ultra-volunteers partied hard around the trails in Whistler, BC. Here are the top results.

RELATED: WAM: Whistler’s first 100 mile race

Ascent race

The weather was perfect for Friday’s Ascent race, kicking off the WAM weekend of events. Runners headed up Blackcomb mountain over 6K with almost 1,200 metres of gain. Alexandre Ricard smashed the Strava CR on the route and he isn’t slowing down. In 2019, he has broken the Squamish 23K course record, and won both the Red Bull 400 World Championships and the Grouse Grind race. The talented mountain runner is also headed to the Canadian Cross Country Championships in Abbostford on November 30th.

Men
Alexandre Ricard – 46:37
Jordan Guenette – 49:04
Eric Carter – 52:38

Women
Jeanelle Hazlett – 59:11
Aisling O’Shea – 1:03:42
Gabby Napoleone – 1:05:24

RELATED: FKT or Strava CR?

Ascent race men’s podium. Photo: Will McKechnie

25K

On Saturday, runners toed the line for the 25K trail race, gaining 750 metres of elevation around Comfortably Numb mountain bike trails in Whistler.

Men
Marcus Ribi – 2:06:59
Vincent Roseberry – 2:10:09
James Tunbridge – 2:14:14

Women
Katherine Short – 2:25:40
Olivia Vihant – 2:32:17
Devon Goldestein – 2:35:43

55K

On Sunday September 22, ultra trail runners headed out in the rain for 55K of Whistler trails gaining 2,800 metres of elevation. Kaytlyn Gerbin smashed the previous course record, less than two months after completing the Mount Rainier Infinity Loop FKT.

Men
Craig Fowler – 5:23:52
Connor Meakin – 5:27:01
Brendan Hunt – 5:27:45

Women
Kaytlyn Gerbin – 6:18:23 (new course record and 12th overall)
Elizabeth Halleran – 6:50:24
Maude Cyr – 6:58:18

RELATED: WATCH: Women of Western States

Triple Wammy

Why finish one WAM event, when you can race all three in a single weekend? The Triple Wammy event consists of the Ascent race on Friday, the 25K on Saturday, and the 55K on Sunday. All three times are added up like a golf game.

Men
Nick Duff – 9:18:31 (8th in 55K)
Vincent Pagot – 9:33:19
Carter Hawke – 9:58:46

Women
Olivia Vihant – 10:55:24 (2nd in 25K, 5th in 55K)
Wiebke Straub – 11:11:13
Amy Kenny – 12:23:44

110K

At 4:00 a.m. on Saturday, brave ultrarunners toed the line for the challenging 110K distance and 6,100 metres of ascent in Whistler. With that much climbing, it’s no doubt the race awards finishers with five UTMB points. Linda Barton-Robbins courageously toed the line as well, once again proving her experience and strength on a tough course.

Men
Mike Sidic – 14:57:53
Ryan Skotnicki – 16:19:50
Joel Payeur – 16:39:18

Women
Malin Ek – 18:35:08
Lisa Heidt – 18:54:48
Wendy Stalknaker – 19:39:56

100 mile

On Friday at 10:00 a.m., both 100 mile vets and newbies toed the line for Coast Mountain Trail Series’ first 100-miler. Seventy-nine souls finished the race, including ultra-veterans such as Jared Campbell, Jamil Coury, and Joanna Ford. Like any mountain race, the weather varied. Considering the course gains almost 9,500 metres over 171K, a 73 percent finisher rate is exceptional.

Men
Scott Maguire – 24:36:07
Dennis Kaellerteg – 25:56:15
Jared Campbell – 26:55:15

Women
Marieve Legrand – 30:00:21
Joanna Ford – 32:59:14
Birgitte Marthinsen – 36:51:36

The weekend capped off with Chihping Fu coming into the 100 mile finish line with three seconds to spare before the 48-hour cutoff. Full results can be found here.

RELATED: Gary Robbins breaks course record at his own race