Sunlight filtered through the trees as buses, vans, trucks and cars filled with young runners made their way east of Meadow Lake last Thursday.
The Northwest School Division hosted their district cross-country running championship at St. Cyr cross-country skiing recreation area.
Coaches and runners walked the trails before the races getting to know the hills and twists of the beautiful trail system.
Runners from the younger age groups ran for a chance at medals while the high school students tried to earn a place on the team going to provincials in Regina Oct. 16. The top 10 runners from the midget, junior and senior age divisions qualified to move on and the competition was fierce.
Winddancer Waskewitch, a senior from Eagleview High School in Onion Lake, is a young man to watch. Waskewitch won the senior high school six kilometre race followed by Jackson Graham of Turtleford and Zach George of St. Louis School of English River.
The senior girls' four kilometre race was dominated by the team from Ernie Studer School in Loon Lake. Jessica Albers from Loon Lake came in first followed by Kristen McFadyen of Lashburn and Loon Lake's Chennoa Tracey.
There were many more competitors in the races this year than last in all of the age divisions.
Maidstone's team made up of Evan Winterhalt, Riley Weins, Kole Phillips, Austin McLaren and coach Kerri Olson raced hard but didn't crack the top 10 spots.
