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                  Hello Everyone,                                                                                                                                                                                 October 22, 2025        

                    In this Issue:

     

  1. SDSSAA Cross Country Championships
  2. Amber Konikow Wins at Blue Bully Ultra
  3. Locals at Toronto Waterfront Marathon
  4. Sudbury Rocks Running Club - Group Runs
  5. Photos This Week,
  6. Upcoming Events: Nov 2 Run to Remember

     

 

 

SDSSAA Cross Country Championships

Junior Boys and Girls Start


Sudbury cross-country stars shine on Kivi Park trails

Randy Pascal For The Sudbury Star
Published Oct 17, 2025

Julien Luoma has a protege — well, sort of.

Luoma, a talented junior star of the Lo-Ellen Park Knights cross-country team, took top spot in his category at the 2025 SDSSAA championships at Kivi Park on Wednesday — albeit by just a two-second margin as Maxime Belzile of Macdonald-Cartier gave him quite a run for his money. Beyond that, however, Luoma could take perhaps a little extra credit in helping Lo-Ellen novice sensation Dax Hester to victory, the latter earning more than an 80-second victory over teammate Lincoln Elliott in the novice boys race.

“(Luoma) keeps me pushing it, gives me a lot of advice; when I should warm up and what pace I should maintain throughout the race,” Hester said post-race.

And if he is lucky, the 14-year-old Grade 9 talent might even squeeze in a workout alongside his role model just one year older.
“I think he slows down when I go out with him,” Hester said with a laugh. “I can’t keep up with him.”

Truth be told, there are many Sudbury Laurentian Swim Club athletes who can relate to that feeling.

Recently selected to Swimming Canada’s National Development Program ID team, Dax Hester has established himself as one of the top young swimmers in his age group in the province, leaving many a training partner in his dust.

Where racing in the pool is now second nature to the multi-sport sensation, Hester is still getting his bearings a little when it comes to race strategy on the colourful fall trails in the Sudbury south end.

“I wish I had paced it better,” he stated. “I kind of went out too hard and died off at the end.”

Along with a very strong SDSSAA contingent, Hester will head to St. Joseph Island this week for the NOSSA cross-country championships.


“I would like to know where it’s smart to push and where it’s smart to almost go a bit easier,” said Hester, discussing the course information that he would like to access from senior Knights as they tackle the Mountainview XC Ski Trails and Walking Trails.

As was expected, coach Colin Ward and the Lo-Ellen squad were front and centre throughout the day as teammates Lia Paille and Ewa Breckon finished 1-2 in the junior girls’ dash.

“Cross-country is definitely my forte,” noted Paille, who also runs track and field competitively and participates in volleyball at a high-school level only.

“It really challenges me.” Part of that challenge comes from the pure logistical differences for runners when one heads out across the lovely backwoods trails at Kivi Park versus simply circling the track time after time in the spring and summer. “Mentally, in cross-country, it’s difficult to know your pace,” Paille said. “In track, you just look at the clock. It’s also hard to compare yourself to other events, because every course is different.”

And for as much as the Kivi trails may have seemed a bit daunting in the moments leading up to the big race, the 15-year-old Grade 10 runner conquered it like a pro.

“Before the race, we jogged the first lap,” Paille said. “I was a little scared, because I saw a bunch of hills. But as soon as I got in there and got comfortable and in stride, all of the stress went away.

“It was a lot of fun. I had a really good time.”

In the end, Paille found herself 65 seconds ahead of Breckon, she herself enjoying a 51-second gap ahead of Makenzie Moore of Lasalle.

“Before the halfway mark, I knew that I wanted to be near first,” Paille said. “That’s where I had positioned myself in a previous race and I had a really good race that time.”

“Also, I relied on the boys,” Paille noted, alluding to the fact that the junior boys and girls all left the start line at exactly the same time. “I used the boys to push myself. I am so grateful for them.”

In her first-ever SDSSAA championships and just her second year of pursuing running more seriously, Bishop Alexander Carter freshman Mila Drozdowski also had plenty to be grateful for as she etched out a 26-second win over multi-sport talent Ella Sabourin of Esc l’Horizon.

“I think my favourite thing about cross-country running is the feeling I get when I am actually running,” Drozdowski said in an email exchange this week. “I enjoy how it clears my mind and also helps my focus. When I am running, I feel a sense of peace — and I really enjoy that feeling.” Still, despite the relaxation her pursuit had brought, Drozdowski still found time to formulate a plan of action based on how the preliminary races had played out earlier this fall.

“My game plan entering the race was to start off at a good pace and try and get towards the middle or front of the crowd, then slowly make my way up and pass people.

“I had previously noted the girls who were faster in some races and ones who were behind me so that I could watch out for them. During the race, I picked out specific runners who I knew were quick and kept at an even pace behind them before passing them. I made sure to go on the inside corners and go hard up hills — and I gave my final kick around the last 300 to 500 metres, pushing hard and not slowing down.”

Rounding out the race winners were the senior tandem of Lily Bignucolo of Lo-Ellen and Raphael Belzile of Macdonald-Cartier, as well as para champions Dante Ricketts of Lasalle, Sophia Carlson of Marymount and Summer Boyer of Lasalle.

All Results Here

Treasure Trove, Randy Pascal’s local sports roundup, runs once a month in The Sudbury Star.

 

Lia Paille #1 Female

Ewa Breckon #2 Female

Senior Boys and Girls Start

Senior Boys 1rst lap leaders

Lily Bignucolo Senior Female winner

     

Happy Family

 

 

 

Amber Konikow Wins at Blue Bully Ultra

    

BLUE BULLY ULTRA, Blue Mountain Ski Resort, Oct 3, 4, & 5


This was truly one of the hardest races, specially, the 50 km, I have ever done. At the end, I was definitely not expecting to place at all, it was a pleasant surprise.


I came 2nd place overall (all 3 races) & 1st on the 3 hour loop.


The first day was 5 km run of plenty of climbs. I messed up and missed a trail marker, ended up running 7.3 km.


The second day was 50 km, mega climbs and downs, wow! The temperature was as high as 35°C. This was the most challenging 50 km in my 13 years of running ultras. Many people DNF. I managed my own challenges and stayed mentally strong. The result, I finished just under 13 hrs! In the past I've had ran 50km races within the 6 to 7 hr depending on the environment, weather, terrain, and my overall health. This 50 km was gnarly and awesome!


The 3rd day was a 3 hour loop. It started with a big climb, into a fast trail and then down. This was a fun one.
Overall, I am happy with many things about this race; challenging, tough, and fun. In addition, the racers, volunteers, and the team of Sinister Sports were incredible, inspiring, and supportive.


A BIG HUGE THANK YOU to my husband Joe Hurban for the endless support, love, and happy tolerance in all of the races I do!
And to note, the lovely racer, Becki on the 50km. Thank you for teaming up towards the end, and finishing this beast together! Incredible teamwork!

Amber Konikow

 

All Results

 

 

 

Locals at Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Barrett Eubanks before the marathon start

   

                        

 

 

 

 

Plus

6610 Pat Pilon 3:37:06

5028 Ashely Macdonell 4:43:07

742 Heleen de Necker 1:38:48

 

 

 

    

Congratulations to our Track North CAMELS on their debuts today at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Angela Mozzon ran the Half-Marathon in 1:28:05 (4:10 per km) and ran incredibly even splits from start to finish. Caleb Beland’s body was just not having it today after 15km into the marathon. But true to form, he gutted it out and finished the race in 2:47:00. Caleb already has his next marathon scheduled for next February in Arizona so we know we’ll see a big bounce back!

 

All Results


Another Result (from Austria)

Tim is done in Austria! At the Herbstmarathon des LCC-Wien marathon.

 

 

 

Sudbury Rocks Running Club - Group Runs


    Wednesdays - meet at Apex Warrior parking lot departing at 1800h. Typically runs are 1 hour or 10km.
                    Saturdays - meet at Bell Park's Elizabeth St parking lot departing at 0800h. Typically runs are longer at 1.5 hours or 15km minimum.

Generally the pace floats between 5 and 7 minutes per km. Anticipate a mixture of roads and trail running on the routes.
Inclement weather is usually just a challenge. Group has only been cancelled for local races or xmas. Cancellations or changes in meeting locations will be posted.

Locations are show in the attached photos/maps.

Wednesday pm location

Saturday am location


 

 

 

Photos This Week

Oct 15 Wednesday pm run

Oct 15

Oct 15

Oct 15 Wednesday bear by Ania

Oct 15 Moonlight Duck Trail

Oct 15 Bioski Swamp

Oct 15 Bioski Swamp

Oct 15 Ramsey Lake south end

Oct 15 Ramsey Lake

Oct 15 Beaver Pond Trail

Oct 16 Moonlight Bridge

Oct 18 Rocks!1 Saturday am run

Oct 18 Bell Park

Oct 18 Bell Park

Oct 18 Bell Park

Oct 18 Bell Park

Oct 20 Bioski Pond

Oct 20 Laurentian Lake

Oct 20 Moonlight Back Trail

Oct 21 Moonlight Backcountry

Oct 21 Moonlight Poleline

Oct 21 Moonlight Poleline

 

 

 

Upcoming Events

  November 2, 2025

Run to Remember

Run to Remember

November 2, 2025

Participants can choose to run/walk 1 km, 5 km or 10 in the nature trails of the Collège Boréal Sudbury campus. All participants will receive a t-shirt and a medal.

Register with this link.

https://collegeboreal.akaraisin.com/ui/RuntoRemember2025

We hope to see new and returning participants!

1km Course Map Here                      5km and 10km Course Map Here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Contact Us

Proud sponsor of the Sudbury Rocks!!! Race-Run-Walk for the Health of it

ttp://www.sudburyrocksmarathon.com/

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