Guts, determination and a healthy dose of team spirit helped a local聽 team capture third overall and second in the open category during the annual Banff to Jasper relay, June 3.
To put the team鈥檚 success in perspective, the only two teams to beat the 6060 Chuggers were runners from the British army and the University of Saskatchewan track team.
With 15 members, the team included Jesse Olson, Mike D鈥橝ntonio, Chad Murphy, Alex Derksen, John White, Declan Unsworth, Royd Irwin, Brady Bangle, Mathew Doig, Alison Mason, Jessica Riemer, Becca Britton, Gillian Thompson, Amanda Schult and Alisson Ogle.
The team ran the 258-kilometre relay in a total of 21:23:41, about two hours and 23 minutes behind the fastest team.
Several other runners from Jasper also participated in the relay including Lorraine Wilkinson, Kim Stark and Jon Goulet. Each runner participated on a different team.
The relay consists of two phases run simultaneously. Phase one has six stages from Banff to the Saskatchewan River Crossing. Phase two has nine stages from the Saskatchewan River Crossing to Jasper. Team results are based on the cumulative times for both phases of the relay.
The annual event had 56 teams and ended with a celebration at the Jasper Activity Centre.
Each year the relay raises funds for the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada and supports medical research and outreach programs to help brain tumour patients and their families.
Paul Clarke
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