The North Face Spearhead Passage

Weather dawned clear and cold with starting temperatures around –18C with a steady wind. The new course this year offered up some serious surprises including a boot pack climb up Exhilaration couloir which tops out at over 45 degrees.

The colder temperatures played havoc with freezing hydration systems and some competitors had limited or no water for the entire 26km, 4 _ hour race! A total of 41 racers competed with a sprint finish for the top two competitors, Aaron Chance (CAN) and Andy Traslin (CAN). Both men are members of Canada’s national squad and have been battling it out all season. Andy came across the line first but suffered a time penalty which meant he lost the race by an incredibly close 21/100ths of a second! After 3.5 hours of racing! A young Riener Thoni (CAN) came in third with a very strong performance. Clearly one of the up and coming new stars for the Canadian team. Riener’s father, Rudi, and mother, Patricia also competed on the weekend. A remarkable family effort!

The top women were Melanier Bernier (CAN) (1st), Julie Matteau (CAN) (2nd) and Erica Janakova (CZ/CAN) (3rd). Both Melanie and Julie are members of Canada’s national Ski Mountaineering team. The competitors loved the course additions with its more difficult technical climbs.

The North Face Spearhead Passage Results

FEMALE

Rank Bib Name Nationality Time

1 101 MELANIE BERNIER CAN 4.26.40
2 103 JULIE MATTEAU CAN 4.53.16
3 115 ERIKA JANACKOVA CZECH/CAN 4.58.06
4 127 KYLEE TOTH CAN 5.09.14
5 106 ANNE-MARIE BARIBEAU CAN 5.26.33
6 100 LINA AUGAITIS CAN 5.38.28
119 NANCY MANNING CAN DNF
131 CATHERINE ZABOROWSKI CAN DNF
116 JEN JERABEK USA DSQ

MALE

Rank Bib Name Nationality Time

1 110 AARON CHANCE CAN 3.33.21
2 133 ANDY TRASLIN CAN 3.33.40
3 139 RIENER THONI CAN 3.36.30
4 102 JEFF COLVIN CAN 3.48.26
5 126 STEVE SELLERS CAN 3.48.51
6 140 STANO FABAN CAN 3.55.50
7 134 MIKE TRASLIN CAN 3.56.05
8 138 IAN GALE CAN 4.15.19
9 130 HUGO VOYER CAN 4.20.48
10 143 JONAS MCNABB CAN 4.24.02
11 141 FRANCOIS GAGNON 4.27.19
12 129 BRAM VAN STRAATEN DUTCH 4.30.41
12 108 THOMAS BRUNNER CAN 4.30.41
14 132 RUSS ANGRIGNON CAN 4.32.41
15 135 BEN JOHNS 4.46.29
16 107 BEN BISWELL CAN 4.46.56
17 109 MAGNUS BYNE IRISH 4.47.59
18 105 RUDI THONI CAN 4.50.51
19 125 JEFF SCHLINGLOFF CAN 4.56.55
20 142 ALEX WIGLEY CAN 5.01.04
21 136 BILLIE VELISEK 5.03.58
22 111 ROBIN DOWN CAN 5.07.12
23 137 JOEY VOSBURGH 5.16.12
24 104 VOLKER SCHNEIDER GER 5.21.41
25 112 RICHARD GARRATT CAN 5.35.15
26 114 JOHN GRANT CAN 5.41.56
27 122 JEAN-PHILIPP MERCIER CAN 5.49.11
28 121 MAX MELCHIOR DAN 5.57.31
29 117 RICK JERABEK USA 5.58.17
30 123 JAMES ODA CAN 6.14.10
31 124 FABRICE RETIERE FRA 6.31.43
120 PETER MARSHAL DNF
128 JEREMY VALERIOTE CAN DNF

The North Face Whistler Dash racers competed on a shortened version of the same course. So conditions were not much easier for them. Their 11k course saw a number of new comers and some very fast times lead by Steven Ziff in 1st, Dave Crew 2nd and Andre Munck in 3rd. There were 12 competitors in the Dash race. Top women were Carolyn Swertka (USA) up from the Jackson Hole in her first ever race. 2nd was Emelie Steinberg (CAN) and Birgitta Nieport (DAN) in 3rd. An international field in the citizen’s race!

The North Face Whistler Dash Results

FEMALE

Rank Bib Name Nationality Time

1 207 CAROLYN STWERTKA USA 2.06.10
2 210 EMILIE STENBERG CAN 2.08.31
3 221 BIRGITTA NIEPORT DAN 2.09.50
4 224 MYLENE BOULANGER 2.12.54
5 206 JEANNINE POUCEL USA 2.14.02
6 216 KELLY SIU 2.36.08
7 222 ERIKA KOSARKO CAN 2.40.56
8 220 SHAUNA SPEARS CAN 2.58.57

MALE

Rank Bib Name Nationality Time

1 209 STEPHEN ZIFF CAN 1.34.21
2 215 DAVE CREWE 1.49.44
3 211 ANDRE MUNCK CAN 1.54.52
4 218 MATT HINCKLEY USA 1.57.09
5 200 BRUCE ELWOOD CAN 2.08.37
6 204 RYAN KLINGMANN CAN 2.10.18
7 223 DAN ROCH CAN 2.11.59
8 217 GREGORY JABLONSKI 2.34.48
9 214 CHRIS NADEAU CAN 2.34.51
10 201 NICK DAVIES CAN 2.35.50
11 203 KEITH FREEMAN CAN 2.39.09
12 219 CHRIS DODD CAN 3.03.29

Sunday saw an early start for competitors in The North Face Whistler WindUP as they shook off the tired legs and lungs from Saturday and hammered up the steep 1200m climb from Whistler Village to the Roundhouse. The young legs of Riener Thoni was the class of the day with a time of 1:08:57! 2nd was Matt Thompson (CAN) and 3rd was Javier Garcia (ESP). Matt chose to use snowshoes for this race and showed the snowshoers on a steep and hard course could keep pace with the skiers only 6 minutes behind Riener.

The women’s field was lead by Melanie Bernier and followed by Lina Augattis (CAN) and in third, Birgitta Nieport. Melanie posted a fast pace at 1:30:34. Amazing performance after a hard day of racing the day before.

The North Face Whistler Wind Up Results

FEMALE

Rank Bib Name Time

1 242 MELANIE BERNIER 1.30.34
2 241 LINA AUGAITIS 1.32.43
3 254 BIRGITTA NIEPORT 1.49.25
4 253 PATRICIA THONI 1.56.14

MALE

Rank Bib Name Time

1 240 REINER THONI 1.08.57
2 249 MATT THOMPSON 1.14.31
3 247 JAVIER GARCIA 1.16.30
4 255 RON KLOPFER 1.17.52
5 246 RUDI THONI 1.19.29
6 239 JAMES HALLISEY 1.22.29
7 251 BLAINE BERNIER 1.24.44
8 245 VOLKER SCHNEIDER 1.26.39
9 248 JOHN GARRATT 1.40.13
256 JAY MACARTHUR DNF

Total racers competing was 76, an new high. A very successful weekend of racing which is continuing to establish the Spearhead Passage as one of the most difficult and most favoured stops on the North American schedule.