After 7.5 kilometres, Marcus Deuling and Caelan McLean finished in a tie – right down to a one-hundredth of a second – at Saturday’s Yukon cross country ski championships.

The only two competitors registered for the junior men’s category involving three loops of the 2.5-kilometre circuit, McLean and Deuling raced around the course side-by-side, neck-and-neck – literally.

Deuling finished the first of three loops in seven minutes, and 44 and four one-hundredths of a second, with a razor-thin lead of seven one-hundredths of a second. McLean took back one, one-hundredth in the second lap and drew to a dead tie when he picked up the remaining six one-hundredths in the third and final lap.

After 23 minutes, 54 and six one-hundredths of a second, they crossed the finish line at the same time.

Alain Masson, in charge of the technical aspects of the championships, said the lead went back and forth between the two men for the entire race.

“When they came by the last corner, they were side-by-side and they stayed like that,” Masson said. “It was a photo finish.”

As a result, the 19-year-old skiers will share the Gordon Taylor award presented annually at the championships to the fastest male and female skiers in 7.5 kilometre event.

Kendra Murray was the fastest female, posting a time of 28:41.8 in the open women’s category.

The Schiffkorn trophy for the fastest female and male aged 14 and under was awarded to Kate Mason and Curtis Cash. Mason finished the five-kilometre event in a time of 22:46.4, a full four and a half minutes ahead of second place. Cash also dominated the field with a time 20:54.6, finishing just over three minutes ahead of second.

The Yukon championships were hosted by the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club.

In the masters men’s 7.5 kilometre race, Brian Horton finished first in a time of 26:49.1.

Michael Kishchuk won the junior boys’, five-kilometre race in a time of 17:39.8

Derek Deuling won the juvenile boys’, five-kilometre race in a time of 16:40.8

Laura Salmon won the masters women’s, 7.5-kilometre race in a time of 35:27.

In the junior girl’s, five-kilometre, Amanda Thompson finished first in a time of 20:27.5.

Sonjaa Schmidt won the juvenile girl’s, five-kilometre race in a time of 21:05.5.

Emma Tom Tom won the community juvenile girl’s, 2.5 kilometre race in a time of 16:32.9.