Summerlike conditions helped set the stage for a "wonderful” Yukon Cross Country Championships Sunday afternoon at the Mount McIntyre Recreation Centre.

Forty-five participants competed in the autumn classic, nearly doubling last year's entry levels.

David Eikelboom was the overall winner, finishing the 10-kilometre run with a quick 39:43 to take the open men's division crown.

The 25-year-old physiotherapist is new to the Yukon, moving from Ontario four months ago.

"It's a big achievement, I think,” Eikelboom told the Star. "There's a lot of good runners in Whitehorse.

"It was a fun race, but a tough course for sure.”

Local favourite and race record-holder Ray Sabo suffered a hamstring injury and was unable to finish the race.

Maura Sullivan won the women's eight-kilometre run with a time of 33:54.

"We thought it was a wonderful race,” said Tanya Astika, Athletics Yukon board member and championship race organizer.

"The bonus was that the weather cooperated. Two years ago, there was snow on the ground.”

Race attendance numbers were boosted by a group of students from Ghùch Tlâ Community School in Carcross.

"Youths really like to come out to this one,” Astika said of the year-end championship.

"Running is becoming very popular everywhere, and it's no different here,” she added.

"We are seeing more people out to races and we're going to keep growing.”

Full Results

Open Male 10 km

1st - David Eikelboom (39:43)

2nd - Robert Gilles (48:18)

3rd - Ben Yu-Schott (52:44)

DNF - Ray Sabo, Micah Quinn

———

Open Female 8 km

1st - Maura Sullivan (33:54)

2nd - Lauren Whyte (36:51)

3rd - Amelia Fraser (38:37)

4th - Coralee Ullyett (52:02)

———

3 Years Male 1 km

1st - Hunter Stehelin (8:48)

2nd - Gregory Freeman (11:27)

———

5-7 Years Male 1 km

1st - Simon Connell (5:23)

DNF - Nicholas Connell

———

5-7 Years Female 1 km

DNF - Amber Firth-Ward

———

8-10 Years Male 1 km

1st - Andrew Roberts (4:29)

2nd - Connor Cozens (4:32)

3rd - Noah Connell (5:10)

4th - Scottie James-Shepard (7:33)

———

8-10 Years Female 1 km

1st - Breda McIntyre (4:49)

2nd - Lisa Freeman (5:02)

3rd - Echo Gatensby (6:13)

4th - Breyza Firth-Ward (7:48)

5th - Chanelle Firth-Ward (8:25)

6th - Jaqulin James-Bennett (10:41)

———

12-13 Years Male 2 km

1st - Darby McIntyre (9:17)

2nd - Sigi Conroy (11:50)

3rd - Keona McLaughlin (14:05)

4th - Jade McLeod (14:05)

5th - Darrien James-Tizya (20:45)

———

]12-13 Years Female 2 km

1st - Aiyanna Gatensby (20:39)

2nd - Angie Wally (20:42)

———

16-19 Years Male 8 km

1st - Aidan Bradley (35:24)

———

Masters Male 8 km (40-49)

1st - Dominic Bradford (32:30)

2nd - Jerome McIntyre (37:50)

3rd - Lee Malanchuk (43:49)

DNF - Scott Fraser

———

Masters Female 6 km (40-49)

1st - Sue Bogle (29:28)

2nd - Keltie Hollingdale (33:30)

3rd - Haley Henderson (33:44)

4th - Megan Phillips (34:40)

5th - Tracey Taylor (37:08)

———

Masters Male 8 km (50-59)

1st - Tom Ullyett (35:35)

2nd - Scott Gilbert (35:48)

3rd - Rob Legare (40:58)

4th - Francis Whiteman (43:29)

sports@whitehorsestar.com