| “It
is incredibly exciting to be back on the streets of Sudbury,”
he said, adding that while the virtual events were nice
to have, “you can’t match the energy and enthusiasm
and excitement and music and people cheering and clapping,
and people walking around with a smile on their faces.”
Vince Perdue co-founded the annual event
with Steve Matusch in 2005, and was on hand during Sunday’s
event cheering on racers.
Perdue told Sudbury.com he went into this
year’s event worried the city had moved on.
The past three years of virtual events saw interest dwindle,
from approximately 1,000 registrants in 2020, to 800 in
2021 and only a few hundred people last year.
Sunday’s turnout, however, revealed
that people are still eager to participate in-person.
At approximately 1,500 total racers, he
said turnout is back to its pre-pandemic level.
The idea to plan the first event in 2005
was sparked by a belief there weren’t enough big
events taking place in the Greater Sudbury area.
The region “didn’t appear
sports-minded to people looking into us from the outside,
and even some people in our community,” Perdue said.
“Our goal was to come downtown and
kind of be in the way of people, but not insulting people,
so they know people want to have an aerobic event in Sudbury.”
Reflecting on the years leading up to
the pandemic, and this weekend’s big return, Perdue
considers their mission to have been a success.
The volunteers behind the event are already planning next
year’s effort, he said, adding there’s “no
question” the event, which requires approximately
300-400 volunteers, continues.
Sudbury Rocks raises funds for the Northern
Cancer Foundation. Although organizers have yet to determine
how much they’ve raised this year, Walker said they’re
hoping to give the charity at least $40,000.
The charity was selected because it’s
local, and just about everyone has been affected by cancer
in one form or another, “either personally or someone
they know and love,” Walker said.
“It’s something that I personally
had to experience, and experience the good work the cancer
treatment centre does,” he added. “The people
that treat you are nothing but first-class people. They
treat you with the utmost kindness and respect and treat
you as a person going through a journey, and they’re
with you every step of the way.”
Top runners in the Equipment North
5 Km Run/Walk
Ted Hanley (Sudbury), 18:33
Julian Luoma (Greater Sudbury), 20:33
Noah Lapierre (Sudbury), 20:34
Top runners in Lise's 10K Run/Walk
sponsored
by the Perdue Family
Nicholas Lambert (Elliot Lake), 36:54
James Larmer (Sudbury), 44:06
Todd Withers (Lively), 44:52
Top runners in Steve’s Half
Marathon Run/Walk
Eric Leishman (Lively), 1:14:22
Dan Whalen (Val Caron), 1:23:04
Corey McGee (Timmons), 1:25:56
Top runners in the CIS Sudbury
Rocks Marathon
Darcey Brunet (Timmins), 3:05:43
Danny Brunet (Timmins), 3:05:44
Scott Rienguette (Val Caron), 3:16:36
For a full collection of results,
click
here.
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