Photo by Marcel Vander Wier
SOAKING UP THE SUN 鈥� David Eikelboom leads a group of more than 50 runners up Grey Mountain Saturday morning. The annual run celebrates the winter solstice, a day in which Whitehorse receives just over five hours of light.
Photo by Marcel Vander Wier
OUT FOR A RIP ARE YA BUD? 鈥� Josh DeCloet is followed closely by Aaron Foos during the 5+ Hours of Light relay event held Saturday at the Grey Mountain biathlon range.
One of the darkest days of the year was no match for Yukon athletes.
One of the darkest days of the year was no match for Yukon athletes.
Two local sporting groups hosted events celebrating the winter solstice Saturday 鈥� when Whitehorse received just a little over five hours of light.
With sunrise at 10:09 a.m. and sunset at 3:47 p.m., more than 50 runners made the most of the available light by running up Grey Mountain.
The group met at the upper parking lot and ran up to the tower atop the mountain during Athletics Yukon鈥檚 annual Winter Solstice Run.
Top finishers in the untimed event were David Eikelboom, Sam Lindsay and Logan Roots 鈥� who completed the route on snowshoes.
While waist-deep snow drifts are often the norm atop Grey Mountain, this year鈥檚 run was fairly easy in comparison, said Eikelboom.
鈥淔or the first time in years, being in shoes rather than snowshoes was the ideal strategy,鈥� said the president of Athletics Yukon. 鈥淭he road was solid packed the whole way.鈥�
The event is a way to bring the local running community together for the last time each year. Runners made donations to the food bank and also brought post-run snacks.
While the event has been timed in the past, lately it has become more about the community and relationships, rather than racing, said Eikelboom.
The next local race will be the No Excuses New Years Resolution Run/Walk on Jan. 1.
The casual, untimed event will begin at the Coast High Country Inn at 11:45 a.m. and will see participants complete one lap around the Millennium Trail.
Meanwhile, just down the road, Whitehorse fat bike enthusiasts gathered at the biathlon range for the fourth annual 5+ Hours of Light relay event.
The fat bike gathering, which saw 60 participants take part, is a sister event to the 24 Hours of Light bike relay hosted annually by the Contagious Mountain Bike Club on summer solstice.
With music pumping from the race base near the biathlon range, cyclists and skiers completed a series of laps around the course.
For the first time in the event鈥檚 history, cross-country skiers also took part in the event, said Contagious president Sierra van der Meer.
Skier Sandro Holzinger completed nine laps around the course to take the overall victory, while Josh DeCloet was the top biker with seven laps, which also rendered him with a high-quality case of snow beard.
DeCloet was followed closely by fellow fat biker Matt Schenk, who also completed the 10-kilometre course seven times.
Jenn Roberts won the female class by completing five laps, while Meagan Wilson also finished five.
Michelle Eshpeter put both bike and skis into use, completing four laps.
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