It has been a good start to the cross-country season for New Westminster’s Royal City Track and Field Club.
On Sept. 27, the Royal City club participated in a meet that is part of the JD cross-country race series, hosted by the South Fraser Track and Field Club and held at Surrey’s Bear Creek Park.
Highlights of the meet included Royal City's Grace Fetherstonhaugh placing first in the 14-year-old category.
The following day, Fetherstonhaugh placed second in the 14/15 event in the Whistler Spirit Run, at Olympic Park.
“It was fun, it felt good,” said Fetherstonhaugh. She also finished in first on Sept. 20 in the first B.C. Athletics sanctioned race at the Pinetree Classic in Coquitlam.
“I just really liked running a lot and I really like racing,” she said.
Fetherstonhaugh’s teammate, and newcomer to the Royal City Track Club, Ashlynne Stairs placed second on Sept. 27 and third on the 28th.
Emily Chilton sped to a fourth place finish in the 15-year-old category on Sept. 27. Chilton also placed fourth at Pinetree.
Shea Janke (13 year old boys) also came in first at the South Fraser meet.
Royal City’s Milena Kalisch placed third in the 11-year-old female category the same day and she placed fourth on Sunday. Kalisch’s teammate Katie Stewart-Barnett placed third.
Another highlight of the weekend’s race series was young Angus Steele, 9, who placed third overall (in the nine to 12 age category) and second in the nine-year-old boys category. Steele came first in the 10-year-old category at Pinetree last weekend.
The next race in the series takes place on Oct. 4 at Crescent Park hosted by Ocean Athletics.
The JD Cross Country Series leads winners to the provincial championships on Oct. 25 in Abbotsford.
