Staff Journal Pioneer
WOODSTOCK - Charlottetown Rural High School and Mill River Provincial Park are hosting the 2011 P.E.I. School Athletic Association (PEISAA) Source for Sports provincial cross-country championships this week.
Charlottetown Rural will host approximately 250 juvenile and senior runners on Thursday, while an estimated 950 runners will represent their elementary and intermediate schools at Mill River Park in Woodstock on Saturday.
Paul Goguen, manager of the Mill River meet and cross-country commissioner, suggests the two meets amount to one of the biggest PEISAA sporting events. And, as such, is a great way to kick off the association's 50th anniversary celebrations.
Separate competition
Rick MacKinnon, school sport director for the PEISAA, indicated a separate competition for the senior and juvenile runners was seen as a means to increase participation levels with that age group.
"They felt that many runners were not attending provincials on the weekend because of other important sport events,” he explained. “So, by running these two categories on a week day, we hope to attract more participants."
Mike Lloyd is meet manager for the juvenile and senior high competition, and suggests the strategy is working.
"We have a great course for the students to run," he said. "We've been working hard to promote and encourage high school athletes to come out and run for their schools. Numbers have increased, and we are very pleased with this."
Westisle family
MacKinnon noted that the Westisle family of schools hosts the provincial competition for pre-novice to midget categories annually, with the leadership programs from M.E. Callaghan and Hernewood Intermediate schools taking turns helping to run the championships.
Goguen said runners have to be in shape for Mill River's demanding course.
"We have open fields, wooded areas and many hills to overcome," he pointed out.
Every race, he said, is spectator-friendly.
Schedules
Schedule for PEISAA cross-country championships:
Senior and Juvenile
Thursday, Oct. 13
At Charlottetown Rural:
1:30 p.m. – Juvenile girls (3.5 kilometres).
2 p.m. – Juvenile boys (3.5 kilometres).
2:30 p.m. – Senior girls (4.0 kilometres).
3 p.m. – Senior boys (4.0 kilometres).
Pre-novice to midget
Saturday, Oct. 15
At Mill River:
10:30 a.m. – Midget boys (3.0 kilometres).
10:55 a.m. – Midget girls (3.0 kilometres).
11:20 a.m. – Bantam boys (3.0 kilometres).
11:45 a.m. – Bantam girls (3.0 kilometres).
12:45 p.m. – Novice boys (2.0 kilometres).
1:10 p.m. – Novice girls (2.0 kilometres).
1:35 p.m. – Pre-novice boys (1.5 kilometres).
2 p.m. – Pre-novice girls (1.5 kilometres).
