Despite a chilly start, the Dinosaur Half Marathon saw a strong number out for the annual event last Sunday morning.

The homegrown road race featuring a 5k Family run, the Encana 10K race and a half marathon, hit the course for the seventh straight year, and organizers are encouraged by the participation.

Race organizer Jens Madsen said this was the best year ever for registrations in the family walk and run.

“Our registration broke 500, we had close to 250 signed up in the 5k, more than 120 in the half and more than 130 in the 10K,” said Madsen. “That is the best 5K we had by a big margin.”

There was a strong contingent of local runners and from throughout Alberta as well as Saskatchewan. The second place finisher in the half marathon Luc Drolet skipped his home event in Canmore to run in Drumheller.

Winning the half marathon was Chan Yew Woo of Three Hills. Stephan Woodman of Airdrie posted the top 10K time and the fastest 5K runner was Seth Hopman, also of Airdrie.

The race was supported by a strong contingent of volunteers for all aspects of the race. Members of the Rotary Club were on course as marshals as well as volunteering in other capacities. The refreshment stations were loud and proud as they cheered on runners.  Many racers remarked on the spirit of volunteers.

“The core of the race is volunteers,” said Madsen.

There was also great feedback on the course, which, as always, features the beauty of the badlands and the Red Deer River valet.

“We have a very special course.”

The St. Anthony’s girl’s soccer team is back on the pitch and looking to see how far they can go this season.

The team has been practicing and has already played a couple friendlies with players from the adult coed league.  Coach Gavin Makse likes what he sees. He has about 13 players from Grade 8, up, including a strong contingent that have been playing with the St. Anthony’s program for years.

“Some have even played in the adult league over the last couple seasons,” said Makse.  “You can see their progress, especially now they are in Grade 11 and 12. This helps too with the younger players.”

The team has been scheduling exhibition games leading up to the seventh annual Sabre Invitational tournament on Friday, September 30. They have invited Strathmore, Olds and Holy Trinity Academy from High River.

“We are vying to win that tournament, it will be a good test two weeks before Zones,” he said.

After that, the team is going to host the Tier 2 Zone Championship on October 14 and 15, the first time this event has been held.

“High school soccer is not an affiliated Alberta School Athletic Association (ASAA) sport in the province, so the zone championship is the end of our season, the highest that you can go,” explains Makse.

He said when teams get to zones, they often see schools of all sizes competing, which can make for a lop-sided tournament.  Within the zone, there are typically two leagues; the Foothills and the Rocky View league, and both typically have about six teams. Another approximately half dozen teams don’t play in a league.

By having two tiers at the zone level, it would allow more parity.

“It will be a more balanced Tier 1 competition and a more balanced Tier 2,” he said.

This suggestion was passed at the South Central zone level, and implemented this season.

He is confident the team will do well this season.

“We made great progress last year, we finished very strong, and got better as the season went along,” he said.