It was a sunny and brisk Saturday morning outside of the wax room of the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club. Gathered, while following proper physical distancing protocol, was a group of runners set to vie in the 2020 Yukon Cross Country Championships.

To comply with COVID-19 safety measures, the run was divided into two groups to keep the recommended number of gathered people low.

At the crack of the starting pistol, the runners were off. Their age category dictated the distance they would run, but each followed a two-kilometre loop.

Fans of runners were scattered around the course to cheer them on. The sound of cowbells echoed through the air – enough to make Will Ferrell and Christopher Walken jealous.

The U9s (Mosquito) age group ran one kilometre. Leon Borlase turned on the jets and set the winning pace at 4:08.

Erik Embacher, 4:27, edged out Owen Parker by two seconds to get second place.

The U9 girls had a photo finish. Mya Donohue, 4:55 outpaced fellow competitor Mallory Horton by three seconds to win the day.

John Chisholm won the U12 boys’ two-kilometre race in 7:46. Logan Tirschmann and Micah McConnell placed second and third respectively.

Callie Yu Schott won the girls’ race in 9:38 followed by Emily Kralisch-Sequin.

The U14s raced three kilometres. Jonah McConnell ran to first in 11:35 beating Nicholas Giangrande by one second.

Nicholas Connell rounded out the podium.

Cheyenne Tischmann, 12:09 became the girl’s champion. Sarah Svoboda came second and Minty Bradford third.

Simon Connell, 19:52, and Misa Svoboda, 22:27, had the fastest U16 time on their five-kilometre course. Noah Connell, U18, racing six-kilometres finished his race in 25:23.

The senior, masters, and masters U50 men’s races all ran eight-kilometres. Ian Weir, 27:21, Brian Horton, 30:57, and Dominic Bradford, 28:35, won the aforementioned categories.

The women’s masters U50 seven-kilometre race was won by Maura Sullivan in 29:29. Anett Kralisch placed second and Jennifer England came third.

Scott Williams was the masters U60 champion and Donna Jones was the masters U70 winner.

The running events don’t stop at the Yukon Championships. On Tuesday, Athletics Yukon will be hosting its Last Gasp races. It will be the first running event held on the new track at F.H. Collins. Athletes can run a 2000 or 5000 metre race.