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| Vernon Winter Carnival 10K History |
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Vernon Winter Carnival 10K History
Compiled by Rick Jenkner (ultramanrick@hotmail.com)
please contact me if there are errors or you can provide additional information
Thanks to Sue Abbott, Peter Byrnes, Doug Hunter, Kit Johaneson, Steve King, Brian Monteith, Heidi Muckle-Gader, and Lorne Siemens for information. 
The Vernon Winter Carnival 10K is the oldest race in the IRRS, first held in 1974. It was organized by a man named Fred Beckholt, who had a restaurant supply company and lived in Armstrong. A prize of $200 was given to the winner, who was apparently from Calgary, but whose name is unknown at this time. Twenty-eight runners completed a course which started at the downtown firehall, headed towards Okanagan Landing, and returned along Main St., crossing the railroad tracks, turning past Bylands and finishing at the Powerhouse Theatre.
The race continued to be held downtown, eventually becoming part of the Interior Road Race Series, then sponsored by Tiger (Asics). Steve King provided information for several years in the '80s, starting with 1983, won by John Hill in a course record 31:25, with Gary Young second in 32:01 and Keith Johnstone third. Steve King himself was 11th in 35:22. In 1984, Phil Ellis won in 31:26, (only one second off the course record), Steve King was 6th in 34:34, and Neville Flanagan was top master. In 1985, Peter Lang from Kamloops won in 33:21, with 'previously unheralded' Neil Honeychurch second in 33:36, and Brian Steele third in 33:39. Linda Weyburn was top woman in 40:57. 
Heidi Muckle-Gader (Runner of the Year in 1985 at age 54) provided information from a newspaper clipping for the 1986 race, in which she won the 50-59 age group with a time of 44:02. The race was organized by the Vernon Pacers, the race director was Judi Goplen, and nearly 200 people ran. The winner, Kelowna's Ken French (30-39), ran 31:20 on a course called 'a bit slippery' although he personally had no complaints. Although it did not so indicate, I would make that a new course record. Phil Ellis was second in 32:19 and Peter Lang third in 32:26. The women's winner was Tanya James (also given as Jones in the article) who ran 38:23 in the under 20 age group. The first Vernon finishers were Cam Forster in 38:19 and Juanita Purin, 2nd in 30-39 in 41:56. Some other notable names among the finishers were Ray Steinke, Dave Kirk, and Jim Bates 1-2-3 in M20-29, Alan Kerr winning M40-44 in 34:14, Don Busch (IRA Runner of the Year the next year) 1st in M50-59 in 38:09, and Willis Greenaway, 1st in M60-69 in 42:55. (Willis was named Runner of the Year in 1993 at age 71, and passed away in 2008.)
In 1987 the Pacers moved the course to Kalamalka High School in Coldstream, where it continued for about 10 years. There were a few course changes over the years, including an out-and-back on Kal Lk. Road, and the Mackie Road loop, but the basic course continues today as the Terry Fox Run, although the Kal Park out-and-back was never part of the Winter Carnival Run. That first year there at Kal there were 172 finishers, with Phil Ellis winning in 31:26, Peter Lang second, and Allan Kerr third in 33:45. For the women, the Puntous twins Patricia and Sylviane, then living in Kelowna, finished tied in 32:10, for the all-time women's race record. Those are very impressive times for that hilly course. The twins had finished 1-2 at Ironman Hawaii on two occasions, and Sylviane finished second again in 1987. Runner of the Year Linda Stenseth (now Bergstrom) was third in the 10K in 38:27. 
In 1988, 170 runners finished, with Phil Ellis again winning, this time by 3 minutes over Ray Steinke in 32:33. Willis Greenaway again won M60-69 in 43:27.
The last year of Steve's records is 1989, when Peter Findlay won in 34:48, followed by Ron Cook 35:24, David Berkich 35:59, Steve Wallach 36:25, and Brian Monteith 36:29. Patricia Puntous bested Sylviane 37:48 to 37:56 as the twins finished 11th and 12th overall, with Cindy Davy (now Rhodes) 3rd woman in 40:13. Davy won the race in 1994, improving her time to 38:16, while the mens winner that year was Mark Bomba in 33:51. There were a few years of very heavy snow, and in those days, road maintenance was not good, so this and the desire for a flatter course eventually prompted a move to the new Clarence Fulton High School in 1995. Doug Hunter, then with the Pacers, was the race director, the course was certified, and there were 215 finishers, with 51 year old Allan Kerr winning the race in 34:11, with 40+ Peter Calligan next, 21 seconds behind. Allan may well be the oldest winner in the history of the IRA. Brenda Shuckelon bested Cindy Rhodes 35:24 to 35:31 to win for the women. 
The newly formed Kal RATS took over race direction the next year, with Doug continuing as RD through 1998, and at some point Valhalla Pure Outfitters took over as title sponsor. The 2003 edition of the race had the all-time IRA record of 335 finishers. Brent Helland, Mark Bomba and Cindy Rhodes chalked up multiple wins on the OK Landing course, with Mark setting a new all-time record of 31:10 in 2001. Fifteen year old Kelly Geisheimer won in 1999 for the women; she may be the youngest-ever winner of an IRA race.
The race continued on that course until 2004, when traffic concerns prompted a course change to quieter Lavington, and the Starting Block took over as title sponsor. Tom Evans and Sarah Clark repeated their 2003 wins that first year. Jeff Symonds completed a hat trick of victories in 2010, breaking his record for the new course with 32:11, not far off Mark Bomba's all-time race record of 31:10, and Sarah Clark broke 40 minutes in the race for the first time in taking her fourth win. Race Director History Vernon Winter Carnival 10K
Past winners of the Vernon Winter Carnival 10K
Compiled by Rick Jenkner (ultramanrick@hotmail.com)
please contact me if there are errors or you can provide additional information
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