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Oceanside 10K makes a wet return

Weather less than co-operative for runners
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Nationally-ranked triathlete Tenille Hoogland

Just over 200 people signed up Sunday to run in the pouring rain, and the resurrected Oceanside 10K looks to be back on solid footing.

“It was a great day, a terrific turnout considering the weather,” race director Barry Carr said.

Hosted by the Oceanside Running Club Association (or ORCA as they’re better known)  the Oceanside 10K was put on the shelf for a couple years while the volunteers  regrouped. 

About 135 people turned out for its return last year.

On Sunday in a deluge, Royd Burkart from Port Alberni was first in on the day with a winning time of 34:49.

Professional triathlete Tenille Hoogland, 33, originally from Calgary and now based out of Victoria — and one of the top-ranked female triathletes in the country — was the fastest woman Sunday at 38 minutes exactly. Right on her heels at 38.01 was local standout Melissa Ross, who was the first local woman over and winner of the Women’s 25-29 division.

As it turned out Melissa crossed over the finish line the same time as the first local male, Dylan Opel, who won the Male 20-24 division.

The race also saw two runners from Quebec and one from Texas.

After crossing the finish line Tenille ran quite a ways back out on the course to join her sister Danielle, 38, who came down from Comox for the run.

Dad Walter from Qualicum Beach was some chuffed. 

“Great event, and I think Tenille did a terrific job. Her pace was excellent.”

Parksville’s Alli Roberts was duly pleased after completing the race for her first time. She finished second in the Women’s 30-34 division with a time of 47:50.

“It’s awesome to have a race like this in our back yard,” she said, smiling.

Qualicum Beach’s Liam Chambers dug deep down the home stretch and finished first in the 15-19 Men with a time of 40 minutes.

ORCA president Rod Bailey confirmed what the others were saying.

“The volunteers, the sponsors, the runners, they were all great. It was a really good day — wet, but good. 

“We’ll definitely be bringing the race back next year.”

“It’s an incredibly beautiful race,” Tenille said of the course, which takes the runners down through Rathtrevor Beach. “This was about me putting everything I had out on this day, and that’s what my time reflected, so yeah, I’m happy with my time.”

As for the weather — Tenille is coming off series of races down South, the last one in Austin, Texas — “well, heat wasn’t an issue that’s for sure, and I didn’t have to worry about getting dehydrated,” she chuckled.

sports@pqbnews.com