Marathon Shuffle 2009 – 72 starters (49 full / 23 half)
Report: Published: Wednesday, April 29, 2009 12:04 PM CDT Powell River Peak
Kevin Sigouin pounds marathon shuffle record
River city runner captures trophy held by Lower Mainland ultra-marathon runners
A Powell River runner shattered the previous record for the Marathon Shuffle by over an hour.
Kevin Sigouin set a blistering pace on the 29-kilometre route which traverses the Sunshine Coast Trail from Malaspina Road to the Shingle Mill and set a new record of two hours, 57 minutes and 13 seconds. Eighty people participated in 16th annual Marathon Shuffle which took place on April 25.
Sigouin and a few of his running mates from Avid Fitness were getting fed up with having the Tom Mills Marathon Shuffle trophy show up for a weekend in Powell River and then see it leave town again. Sigouin said he and others in the local running fraternity weren’t happy about having a trophy for running the Sunshine Coast Trail claimed by out-of-towners every year. This year they decided to participate and train on the trail.
Last year, Vancouver runner John McGrath won the trophy along with another Vancouver runner, Angus McLellan. In 2007, McGrath, along with Ean Jackson, the dean of the Lower Mainland’s extreme running fraternity, set the record of 3:59:20 that stood until this weekend.
McGrath did well this year, shaving off 20 minutes from his time last year, but much to everyone’s surprise that was not enough to carry the day. He was momentarily disoriented on Scout Mountain and was passed by Powell River runner Chris Bratseth who claimed the bronze medal. Steve Beck, also from Powell River, came in 18 minutes ahead of Bratseth to earn the silver.
Three more Powell River men crushed the old record: Greg Tait, Alston Miller and Byron Fader also came in under four hours. Bill Price received a medal for oldest male participant and completed the shuffle in 6 hours, 15 minutes.
When the Marathon Shuffle was first initiated 16 years ago, it began as a hike featuring the beauty of a 29-kilometre-long section of the Sunshine Coast Trail from Malaspina Road to the Shingle Mill. The event remained a hike for a dozen years.
Local participants of the Marathon Shuffle preferred to take their time and hike the trail leisurely, but some began to hike it faster and faster year after year and it became an annual rite of spring, a reason for getting into shape for the peak hiking season ahead.
Tom Mills, a former elite cross-country runner with roots in Powell River, suggested he knew people who would love to run the trail and offered to sponsor a trophy for the fastest hiker or runner of the shuffle. Members of the Lower Mainland’s Club Fat Ass have owned the trophy since it was initiated four years ago.
As it turned out, only McGrath of Club Fat Ass could travel to Powell River this year. Injuries and other circumstances prevented other members of the club from participating.
In the women’s division, Val Smith set a new record of 4 hours, 10 minutes, repeating her win from last year. Silver medal winner went to newcomer Kuxy Doell at 4:39. Gail Swanson, the oldest female runner, took home the bronze for turning in a time of 5:12.
Runners and hikers enjoyed a cloudless day. Five stations provided donated fruit, cookies and drinks, so participants could travel with a pack and re-energize every hour or two.
Marathon Shuffle: 29 km on SCT from Malaspina Road to Shingle Mill
| First Name | Last Name | Age Group | Event | Time | Top Five |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin | Sigouin | 30-39 | 29km | 2:57:13 | 1st male |
| Steve | Beck | 50-59 | 29km | 3:18 | 2nd male |
| Chris | Bratseth | 30-39 | 29km | 3:36 | 3rd male |
| John | McGrath | 30-39 | 29km | 3:39 | 4th male |
| Greg | Tait | 40-49 | 29km | 3:43 | 5th male |
| Alston | Miller | 30-39 | 29km | 3:43 | |
| Byron | Fader | 30-39 | 29km | 3:49 | |
| Philip | Waters | 60-69 | 29km | 4:09 | |
| Valda | Smith | 50-59 | 29km | 4:10 | 1st female |
| John | Wegner | 30-39 | 29km | 4:16 | |
| Tony | Rice | 40-49 | 29km | 4:27 | |
| Kuxy | Doell | 40-49 | 29km | 4:39 | 2nd female |
| Rob | McWilliam | 60-69 | 29km | 4:39 | |
| Ian | Fleming | 40-48 | 29km | 5:01 | |
| James | Gordon | 40-49 | 29km | 5:01 | |
| Gail | Swanson | 60-69 | 29km | 5:12 | 3rd female |
| Shannon | Behan | 30-39 | 29km | 5:17 | 4th female |
| Sean | Melrose | 30-39 | 29km | 5:25 | |
| Margaret | Reckenberg | 50-59 | 29km | 5:31 | 5th female |
| Laura | Sigouin | 30-39 | 29km | 5:37 | |
| Ron | Sellers | 60-69 | 29km | 5:49 | |
| Real | Sigouin | 50-59 | 29km | 5:49 | |
| Aaron | Dovauo | 30-39 | 29km | 5:59 | |
| Trisha | Thomas | 40-49 | 29km | 5:59 | |
| Karin | Burnikell | 30-39 | 29km | 6:02 | |
| Christie | Lepitre | 30-39 | 29km | 6:02 | |
| Alexander | Combe | 60-69 | 29km | 6:04 | |
| Richard | Tait | 70 plus | 29km | 6:04 | |
| Eric | McClinchey | 60-69 | 29km | 6:15 | |
| Bill | Price | 70 plus | 29km | 6:15 | |
| Sarah | Barkowski | 40-49 | 29km | 6:49 | |
| Bob | Perry | 50-59 | 29km | 6:49 | |
| Michelle | Seguin | 50-59 | 29km | 6:49 | |
| Raymond | Seguin | 50-59 | 29km | 6:49 | |
| Phil | Kemp | 60-69 | 29km | 7:00 | |
| Jean | Culos | 50-59 | 29km | 7:01 | |
| Wayne | Culos | 60-69 | 29km | 7:01 | |
| Murray | Dobbin | 60-69 | 29km | 7:09 | |
| Susan | Hill | 50-59 | 29km | 7:09 | |
| Walter | Kubany | 60-69 | 29km | 7:09 | |
| Mardi | Lavertu | 50-59 | 29km | 7:09 | |
| Audrey | Perun | 40-49 | 29km | 7:18 | |
| David | Perun | 50-59 | 29km | 7:18 | |
| Penny | Shillingford | 50-59 | 29km | 7:22 | |
| Tara | Chernoff | 30-39 | 29km | 7:27 | |
| Emma | Larocque | 30-39 | 29km | 7:27 | |
| Carol | Sellers | 60-69 | 29km | 7:30 | |
| Shirley | Zylstra | 30-39 | 29km | 7:30 | |
| Lita | Biron | 50-59 | 29km | 7:35 |
Sweeping on SCT from Malaspina to Wilde Rd: Scott Glaspey and Eagle Walz
Half Marathon Shuffle: 12 km on SCT from Wilde Road to Shingle Mill
| First Name | Last Name | Age Group | Event | Time | Top Five |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deon | Human | 50-59 | 12km | 2:09 | 1st male |
| Jacques | DuToit | DNR | 12km | 2:21 | 2nd male |
| Stephanie | Human | 40-49 | 12km | 2:24 | 1st female |
| Jan | Del Mistro | 50-59 | 12km | 2:31 | 2nd female |
| Ray | Hogan | DNR | 12km | 2:32 | 3rd male |
| Danielle | Marentette | 30-39 | 12km | 2:34 | 3rd female |
| Leila | Lynch | 40-49 | 12km | 3:09 | 4th female |
| Terri | Beck | 50-59 | 12km | 3:17 | 5th female |
| Lois | Hunter | 50-59 | 12km | 3:57 | |
| Sheila | Leachman | 40-49 | 12km | 3:57 | |
| Betty | Norman | 70 plus | 12km | 3:57 | |
| Barb | Bottjer | DNR | 12km | 4:47 | |
| Amanda | Gaylard | DNR | 12km | 4:47 | |
| Cheryl | Stride | DNR | 12km | 4:47 | |
| Nora | Stride | DNR | 12km | 4:47 | |
| Charlie | Siegler | under 19 | 12km | 5:34 | 4th male |
| Christy | Siegler | 50-59 | 12km | 5:34 | |
| Karl | Siegler | 60-69 | 12km | 5:34 | 5th male |
| Pat | McGowan | DNR | 12km | DNR | |
| Michael | McMaster | DNR | 12km | DNR | |
| Sabine | Simpson | DNR | 12km | DNR | |
| Lesley | Thorsell | DNR | 12km | DNR | |
| Tanessa | Wilkins | DNR | 12km | DNR |
* DNR denotes Did Not Register that information
Sweeping on SCT from Wilde Road to Sutherland: Bruce MacDonald