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Cross-country and road running are "flourishing鈥� in the City of Whitehorse.

The sport is enjoying a surge in popularity and Athletics Yukon has been a big benefactor.

The sport governing body for road racing, cross-country running, track and field, race walking and snowshoeing held its annual general meeting in the wax room of the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club Tuesday night.

"There is a really committed community here to both running and walking,鈥� said board director and spokesperson Ben Yu Schott.

"It's flourishing and expanding. The support of our community is what makes our organization great.鈥�

There was no turnover on the Athletics Yukon board of directors, as each of them chose to remain on.

The current board consists of president Tanya Astika, treasurer Bonnie Love, secretary Arlene Ogden, directors Nancy Thomson, Don White, Brenda Dion, Bryan Craven, Terry Boone, Yu Schott, and member-at-large Micah Quinn.

"We've got a pretty keen board now,鈥� said Yu Schott, adding that there's a long list of Athletics Yukon members who are ready and willing to help out with events in the upcoming year.

The stability of the board wasn't the only positive to come from Tuesday's annual general meeting.

Membership increased by another nine per cent this year.

Since 2009, the organization's membership has ballooned to more than twice the size.

In 2009, 39 men and 47 women made up the Athletics Yukon membership for a total of 86.

This year, the numbers finished at 84 men and 122 women for a total of 206.

"We're really lucky,鈥� Yu Schott admitted. "It's a pretty significant increase.

"We're really happy that we're seeing a greater interest in our events.鈥�

Yu Schott said Athletics Yukon does a great job of hosting regular events.

The season started in May with big numbers at the Athletics Expo, new this year.

The spike in participation seemed only to build and continue as the season wore on.

"The number of events is just fantastic,鈥� he said.

"And we had a lot of younger kids coming out to our events, so it seems like there's a lot of young kids coming along that will continue to support the running and walking.鈥�

Athletics Yukon is a volunteer-based organization that coordinates and administers running events in the Yukon.

The annual general meeting followed the Last Gasp that was run in brisk temperatures Tuesday.

Eighteen participated in the race that began in the parking lot of F.H. Collins Secondary School.

Tom Ullyett finished with the top time among men with 20:26. Brittany Pearson-Smith was hot on his heels, finishing a second later to lead the women.

Tonight, the club will meet at the first lookout on Grey Mountain Road at 5:45 p.m. for their weekly 10-kilometre Sportslife Trail Run.

Another exciting event upcoming on the calendar is the Royal Victoria Marathon in Victoria BC, usually attended by 50-plus Yukon athletes. The race goes Sunday, Oct. 7.

"It's an event that people usually put on their calendar,鈥� said Yu Schott.

For more Athletics Yukon events, check out their website at www.athleticsyukon.ca.

Full results of the Last Gasp are as follows:

Male 5 km

1st - Tom Ullyett (20:26)

2nd - Brian Ng (21:28)

3rd - Ben Yu Schott (21:33)

4th - Micah Quinn (21:52)

5th - Greg Lane (22:26)

6th - Don White (22:51)

7th - Connor Cozens (28:07)

8th - Brian Mottus (28:46)

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Female 5 km

1st - Brittany Pearson-Smith (20:57)

2nd - Sue Bogle (22:57)

3rd - Coralie Ullyett (27:02)

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Male 2.5 km

1st - Luke Cozens (18:24)

2nd - Mathias Frostad (18:37)

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Female 2.5 km

1st - Christine Smith (18:37)

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Female 5 km Walk

1st - Arlene Ogden (34:53)

2nd - Tanya Astika (34:53)

3rd - Bonnie Love (35:32)

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Female 3 km Walk

1st - Ruth Hall (22:49)