Team Category Winners


The PIH Gravity Gratification finally captured the Team Title in the Long Course category. With a stacked team comprised of Ian Hallam, Graham Cocksedge, Anthony Estey, Kevin Searle, and Claire Townsend, the GG's finished with an average time of 1:04:24 -- 12 minutes faster than the next team.

In the Short Coruse, the CeeVac Sissies were the fastest team beating the 8 Dirty Runners by a few minutess.

All members of the winning team won a $50 Gift Certificate to the Sunflower Cafe in Shawnigan Lake.

Be sure to get your team together for the next GutBuster in Victoria on June 11th!

Click here for complete Team Results

 
 
 
 
 

POST RACE REPORT
May 7, 2005 :: Duncan, BC

Tzouhalem -- It Ain't No Run in the Park!!!

*** CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL RESULTS ***


Photo by Tony Austin.

This was the fifth running of the Frontrunners GutBuster Trail Run on Mount Tzouhalem-the mountain that gave birth to Island's only trail running series. Originally, the GutBuster was organized as a run to help prepare participants for the Mind Over Mountain Adventure Race. Never did I think that it would turn into the five race series that it is now. Wow!

The inaugural race in 2001 was staged from the other side of Tzouhalem and it was local CeeVacs racer Sheron Chrysler who would cross the finish line as the fastest female. Now four years later, Sheron is the course designer for this race. She is the person responsible for creating both the 6km &11km course filled with a great climb past numerous viewpoints of the Cowichan Valley, copious amounts of fast and flowy single-track, and the infamous WALL - a feature that only the fittest of the fit can run.

On this nice sunny May day, 150 racers lined up for the start of the GutBuster and the field was deep with some of BC's best trail runners. Graham Cocksedge was back and looking for his fifth victory in as many tries. Claire Townsend was the favorite for the females. Myron Knippsheild was the local favorite and was seeking his third masters victory in a row. And yes, all three did not disappoint.

In the end, Cocksedge clobbered the field and was the only racer to break the one hour mark in the long course. Ian Hallam finished second and Michael Liedtke was third. In the female open, Townsend crossed the line in 1:11:21 followed by Erica Milligan and Jennie Springings. The masters winners saw Wendy Davies take home the women's title and Knippshield the men's. This year, the male masters category has been fun to watch. Kevin Searle and Sandy Stewart have both been pushing hard to catch Knippshield. Also, last year's masters champ, Gary Duncan, is back from injury and should add some more excitement to next race at Mt. Douglas.

In the short course, Buddy Bhander finished in 36:25 to take the overall win and the masters title. Graham Dow was second and was the top in the male open category. Laura Wyatt was the top masters female and Manon Essiambre the top in the open female.

*** CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL RESULTS ***

I should also give mention to the vast majority of the GutBuster racers that come out and are not looking for a place on the podium, but simply race because of their love for trail running and their desire to bust-a-gut! Racers like the Dirty Girlz who are using the race as a final training run before next weekend's 50km adventure race in Ucluelet (Dana, where were you???) and 9 year old Tori Peterson who once again raced the short course with her father, Donald.

As always, the race wrapped up with the awards presentation where all category winners received gift certificate to Frontrunners ($75 for first, $50 for second, and $25 for third). We also had numerous draw prizes like a Howard Johnson Hotel weekend and entry into the Half Marathon GutBuster in Nanaimo on July 9th. We 'scrabbled' hundreds of Carb-Boom gel and Adidas swag.

But the highlight of the awards came at the end as we had a 3-Legged Race for Adidas Trail Response runners. Eight teams (drawn randomly) tied their ankles together and raced around the 100m course. It was chaos complete with a big crash on the course and a cheating team (LANA!!!). However, Pat Bundon and his partner BLAZED through the course like they were Siamese twins and took home the win and the sneakers. Good fun had by all!

The next GutBuster is on June 11th at Mt. Douglas. Be sure to be there because it's the Primary Selection Race for the Canadian Mountain Running Team. Some of Canada's best will be out vying for a spot on the team that will compete in the World's held in New Zealand this year.

Thanks to everyone for coming out and busting-a-gut!!!

Bryan Tasaka
Race Director

Once again, Tony Austin was out shooting some amazing photos. Click here to view the gallary.




 

 

Big thanks to the CeeVacs for co-hosting the race!


CEEVACS website

THE GUTBUSTER ORGANIZERS WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HELPED MAKE THE RACE A HUGE SUCCESS!

* THE ENTIRE VOLUNTEER TEAM: To the amazing volunteers who came out and donated their time and made this race possible! Especially all the members of the CeeVacs who co-hosted this race.

* SPECIAL THANKS TO:
Sheron Chrysler for designing a superb course, organizing the preview runs and the mountain volunteers, and promoting the race! Tony Austin for coming out and shooting all the great photos!

* SAFETY TEAM: Timonda Emergency Services and Cowichan Valley Amateur Radio Society. You guys are an invaluable asset to ensuring swift response to an injured or lost racer!

* RACERS: To the 150 racers for coming out and busting a gut!

* SPONSORS: Frontrunners, Adidas, 100.3 the Q!, Howard Johnson Hotels, Budget Car & Truck Rental, Vancouver Island Newsgroup, Carb-Boom, and Old Victoria Water Company.

* LANDHOLDERS: District of North Cowichan, Providence Farm, and David Chase

* PRIZE SPONSORS: Thanks to everyone who donated draw prizes which included schwag from Frontrunners, Adidas, 100.3 the Q!, Muddy Buddy, XTC Triathlon, Sunflower Cafe in Shawnigan Lake, Carb-Boom, Endurance Nutrition, and the Howard Johnson Hotel.