麻豆社区

Cyclists and runners who turned out for the third Hot Hound race this season were treated to beautiful fall colours on the trails near the Takhini Hot Springs last night.

鈥淏eautiful trails,鈥� said Cynthia Corriveau, who participated in all three events. 鈥淰ery beautiful colours.鈥�

The fall leaf palette was out in full force, decorating a loop course that had a healthy mix of wide trail and singletrack.

Corriveau enjoyed the variation of trails, but said she had to watch her dogs carefully on the narrowest sections so as not to get tangled in the trees.

鈥淭he finish on the road was great too because you could just push,鈥� she said.

Corriveau saw to her dogs after the events were over, giving them water and rinsing off the harnesses as the rain began to fall more steadily.

鈥淚 always feel OK after the biking,鈥� she said, 鈥渂ut the running is just making me dead. I鈥檓 not a runner.鈥�

Her partner, Adam Robinson, who also competed in the two bikejoring and the canicross races agreed.

鈥淩unning is always really tiring,鈥� he said. 鈥淓veryone always thinks it鈥檚 an easy event, but I think it鈥檚 the hardest one.鈥�

Those new to the non-snow dog-powered sports usually start with canicross as it鈥檚 less intimidating than mountain biking with one or two dogs strapped to you or the bike.

鈥淧eople are intimidated about being on a bike, having their dogs take a wrong turn or chase a squirrel,鈥� he said.

Intimidation wasn鈥檛 a factor for Ruth O鈥橞eirne, who borrowed friend Katherine Scheck鈥檚 dog to run her first-ever bikejoring race, finishing first in a time of four minutes seven seconds on the one-mile course.

鈥淪he was brave enough to enter a race,鈥� said Scheck, 鈥淭hat was fun to watch and she had a good result so I鈥檓 really proud of her.鈥�  Scheck had her own issues on the slick Takhini Hot Springs course.

鈥淚 had lots of fun, but also lots of mistakes and problems out there,鈥� she said.

The trails were challenging, but beautiful she said after competing in the one-mile one dog and two-mile two dog bikejoring races.

鈥淭hey were beautiful and I thought they looked like they were really good trails,鈥� she said.

鈥淚 got out there and I realized they were a bit slicker than they looked and a bit more technical than they let on.

鈥淪o challenging, but beautiful.鈥�

The next Hot Hound race is likely to be in September, weather depending.

Results

One Mile Bike

1- Ruth O'Beirne 4:07

2- Claudia Wickert 4:10

3- Adam Robinson 4:20

4- Cynthia Corriveau 4:30

5- Heather Robb 5:02

6- Mattaeus Geister 5:23

Two Mile Bike

1- Robert Sietke 8:20

2- Cynthia Corriveau 8:22

3- Adam Robinson 8:28

4- Sophie Firmenich 8:41

5- Katherine Scheck 9:22

Canicross

1- Adam Robinson 6:30

2- Jaclyn Killins 7:41

By Marissa Tiel, Star Sports Editor

3- Cynthia Corriveau 7:42

4- Valerie Girard 8:53