Since current management doesn’t seem to have changed the locks on the GDHL website, I have succumbed to old habits and offer this summary of the inaugural Craigleith Cup Race for adults in 2021. As the COVID protocols that were graciously explained onsite by Steve Milgram precluded loitering, assembling, congregating or otherwise remaining stationary in the vicinity of the finish line, I have nothing to work with but the results and my imagination.
Sunday found an impeccably firm and smooth surface on the Big John GS course. The skies were not cloudy all afternoon. Sadly our race was at 0930, but at least it was calm, not precipitating and a pleasant temperature. One fears that we won’t see a similar surface for a while, given the weather forecast predicts moving from double-digits below freezing on Sunday night to double-digits above within a couple of days.
About 30 adults took to the start, including some whose tardiness in registering was identified only by their out of order virtual bib numbers in the results, actual bibs being a victim of COVID protocol. As competitors were given arrival time slots for the start, only the early starters caught a glimpse of Bebe Zoricic preparing to forerun in a vintage national team skin suit. As starts were assigned by age group, older competitors got closer to the front than they normally are in GDHL, and perhaps were encouraged to think of prolonging their racing careers by the pristine course conditions. It’s likely to be some time before Jeff Sutherland gets bib 7 in GDHL!
Jeff comfortably led the over-60 age group at 39.48 (fourth overall, ignoring the callow youth who started after their elders), followed by Rob Bruce, Chris Fregren and James Mathers, who were closely grouped in the vicinity of 43.7. A similar pattern appeared in the over-50 group, as Patrick Pedlar, Richard Usher-Jones and Jerry Patten were all not far from 41.9 but were comfortably beaten by Greg Cavers at 36.6. Greg seems to have been training, as his time stood first overall, bettering Taylor Simms Brown’s 37.55, in what might be viewed as a mild upset based on past years’ Interclub results. Greg may have taken equal pleasure in fending off the march of time for the moment at least, as his son Dax finished in 37.75 as part of the U19 field that followed.
The women’s field was not deep and punters would not have secured favourable odds backing Megan Ryley. Megan didn’t disappoint, finishing third overall in 38.74. Stats geeks may wish to compare the time difference between Megan and her husband with the time Donovan Bailey used to need to run 100 metres :)
We can hope that this marks a return to successful racing for Megan, which has long been anticipated, as witness this excerpt from the GDHL news of 7 December 2013:
Mere Rumor-Mongering
Those who have studied the GDHL information page on our website may remember the "questionnaire" that included choices like "I raced with Steve Podborski or Kate Ryley at Craigleith. I was faster, but then ..." and "I am Steve Podborski or Kate Ryley." Seems that we might have someone to (almost) answer "yes" to these questions. When I restored my connections after my flight back from Sun Peaks, I found an email from Megan Ryley asking about GDHL. Her answers would be "I am Kate Ryley's older sister" and (maybe) "I was faster then and I still am." To turn back the annals of FIS history, on 27 February 2003, there were men's and women's downhill races held at Mont Ste. Anne. I don't know whether they used the same course, but from comparing the winners' times they might well have. Greg Cavers, our defending GDHL individual champion, had a FIS licence that year. His time in the men's race was 1:16.01. Since then, he has fathered three children, helped teach them to ski and managed to reclaim the GDHL title that I suspect he won that year. He is also, let's say, not looking forward to age 40. Megan's time in the women's race was 1:14.78. Since then, she has had podium finishes in Nor-Am races, been an NCAA All-American and represented Canada at the FIS World Championships. She is also still in good with those who don't trust anyone over 30. Meg wasn't very specific about her interest in GDHL, but she would be a bit of a challenge for the rankings committee don't you think?
So Paul doesn’t feel singled out, it would be fair to mention that Megan had a halting GDHL debut in 2016, the first race of which inexplicably resulted in her finishing behind her sister Kate by a Usain Bolt 100 metre time. I feel certain the ranking committee will place greater emphasis on recent results!
Full results for the race are found on the Club’s website, the “Archive” section of “Results” at gdhl.org or by clicking here. In the COVID haze, I’ve forgotten when the next race is. I believe it’s SL in the next weekend or two, but goodness knows it may change.
Stay well and keep others well!
James Mathers