Runners from Haida Gwaii, Prince Rupert, Terrace, Kitimat, Smithers, Houston and Telkwa will collectively race 142 kilometres from the Lester Centre in Prince Rupert to the Canadian Tire location in Terrace.
It’s part of the 14th Annual Skeena River Relay for 2015 where, on Saturday, June 6 at 7 a.m., 300 participants in 30 teams of 10 runners each test their body’s limits in 10 different stages of the race, the longest being 21.2 kilometres for a single runner on the team. The smallest stage of the relay for one runner is 10.2 kilometres - that’s at Basalt Creek.
“We have a women’s division, masters’ division (over-40), corporate division (minimum six people from the same workplace), mixed (at least five female runners) and an open division,” said organizer Carrie Coley on the weekend.
“The winners of each category receive a medal and the overall [winning] team gets their team name on a trophy. Winners of each stage (male and female) get a prize – usually a towel. Then, we just have draw prizes for all racers. There’s an awards dinner at the Thornhill Community Centre at 6 p.m. on Saturday after the race.”
The Skeena relay organizers will also hold a pre-race meet and greet and social on Friday, June 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the Crest Hotel and dinner will be included for all race participants at the community centre after the race.
Last year, Smithers Fire Rescue was the No. 1 team to clean up at the relay, posting a finishing time of 10:44:05 and running in the corporate category.
Three Smithers Fire Rescue members finished in first on their leg of the relay, including Blaine Smit, Chris Pendray and Peter Smit.
The next-closest team to cross the finish line in Terrace was There Are Margaritas At The End, another corporate squad, finishing in second with a time of 11:02:46.
A new champion will be crowned this year however, as Smithers Fire Rescue is not on the list of teams submitted to relay organizers at www.skeenariverrelay.com.
For more information on the race, visit their website listed above.