You can now purchase series-branded commemorative arm warmers or polar fleece gloves, or both for a discount.
We ordered limited numbers, so get them while they last.
The 2024 Vancouver Island Race Series single-race registration is now open. Each race’s early bird fee is $30.00. The price goes up to $35, within 30 days of each respective event.
Click here to register for the series or any individual race within the series.
The series begins Sunday, January 14 with the Pioneer 8K and ends Sunday, April 14 with the Synergy Health Bazan Bay 5K.
There are six other races in Colwood, Sooke, Sydney, Nanaimo, Port Alberni, and the Comox Valley in Courtenay. Race distances include 5K, 8K, 10K, 12K, and the 21.1K half marathon.
Christopher Kelsall gives a basic overview of how the points work in the two teams competitions of the Vancouver Island Race Series.
The Vancouver Island Runners’ Association (VIRA) was seeking a new treasurer during the spring of 2023 to replace Bob Reid. Bob held the position many times, off and on over the 44-year history of the series.
The search came to an end with the election of board members during the VIRA annual general meeting in July 2023. VIRA chose Kathleen Quast of Westcoast Running. The club manages the Westcoast Sooke 10K as part of the Vancouver Island Race Series.
Kathleen comes to the board armed with years of experience working in the non-profit sector in finance and is the co-director of the Westcoast Sooke 10K along with partner Jason Ball.
Bob Reid remains the vice president of VIRA and continues to be involved with the Prairie Inn Harriers 8K, the first event of the Vancouver Island Race Series.
The board would like to thank Bob for his years of service and dedication to the board and his contribution to the role of interim treasurer.
Bob Reid was one of the earliest members to join the Prairie Inn Harriers, a club that started in 1978 and was founded by Bruce Gunner Shaw, Robin Pearson and Alex Marshall. He remains club treasurer, a position he has held for decades.
The race series is a Vancouver Island tradition dating back to the late 1970s.
Founded by John Crouch, president of the Vancouver Island Runners’ Association, the series was patterned after the Lower Mainland Grand Prix Series of five races.
Since its inception, more than 110,000 runners have participated in the series, which has varied between six and 10 races.
Also joining the board is Gary Duncan and Mariah Kelly. Gary is a World Athletics B-certified course measurer and president of the Victoria International Cross Country Association and Prairie Inn Harriers Running Club. Mariah is a partner with The Track Club out of PISE, and is assistant race director of the Royal Victoria Marathon and training manager for the TC10K.
The current board of directors may be viewed here>>
Registration for the 2024 season is now open.
Early bird race fees are just $175 for all eight races including the BC 10K Championships as part of the Cobble Hill 10K.
Schedule
January 14 — Harriers Pioneer 8K
January 28 – Ceevacs Cobble Hill 10K — BC 10K Championships
February 11 – Bastion Cedar 12K
February 25 – Hatley Castle 8K
March 10 – Westcoast Running Sooke 10K
March 24 – Comox Valley RV Half Marathon
April 7 – McLean Mill 10K
April 14 – Synergy Health Centre Bazan Bay 5K
Teams
A full explanation of how our two teams’ competitions work is here.
When registering for the Vancouver Island Race Series season pass you do not have to belong to a team or club, however:
If you do not belong to a club either: join one or if you would rather not, when registering, choose “unattached” as your team. This one extra step is there to remind people who are in a club to indicate so. The team or club competitions are fun and coaches and club admins want to make sure everyone is earning points for their team.
Please remember these are road running races and are open to runners, racewalkers, walkers, and wheelchair athletes only:
- No roller blades/inline skates
- No strollers
- No cycling or other forms of transportation are permitted except for designated official cyclists
- No headphones permitted. If you impede a participant, emergency response vehicle or race officials and cannot hear instructions, and are wearing headphones at the time, you are subject to disqualification
An opportunity has opened up for the right individual to assist the Vancouver Island Runners’ Association (VIRA) with the organizing and management of the 42-year-running Vancouver Island Race Series (VIRS).
VIRA seeks a special someone to fill the treasurer role which will become available starting July 1, 2023.
The start date is flexible.
Key qualities include accounting skills, critical thinking skills, excellent organizational abilities, a clear communication style, and an interest in strategic planning. We welcome both new and experienced accountants to apply. This position offers opportunities to contribute to the governance and financial management of our vibrant and welcoming race series and to collaborate with an engaged community of volunteers, including our Board of Directors.
Although the treasurer does not have to be a runner or endurance athlete and is not a requirement, the position may be of greater interest to an athlete or former athlete. Additionally, while the series raises funds through our online race registration system for the Victoria Hospitals Foundation, each member club may and often does contribute to local charities.
Responsibilities (may or may not include all):
- Preparing monthly and year-end financial reports and statements;
- Providing financial information and budgets as needed for grant applications;
- Preparing and submitting other forms and reports as required (e.g. HST refund report/tax prep) [Registered Charity Information Return and financial statements]);
- Receiving, banking, and accounting for all funds payable to VIRA;
- Paying all accounts approved by the Board in a timely manner, including paying contractors, and honorariums/expenses as required;
- Keeping financial records, including books of account as necessary to comply with the BC
- Societies Act and Canada Revenue Agency requirements, and preparing and providing financial
statements to the board, the membership, and others when required; - Participating in four to six Board meetings and our Annual General Meeting;
- Providing financial advice to the Board and VIRA Committees as needed;
- Regular email communication regarding VIRA business; and
- Other duties as mutually agreed.
Resources needed: - Handling EFT, e-transfer, and online banking duties
- The outgoing Treasurer will provide support, including background on our mission and programs, as well as Board
orientation.
Time Commitment:
Board meetings are scheduled every other month (approx) from 7-9 pm via Zoom, with occasional additional
meetings as needed;
Ongoing communication via phone, email, or other.
Please email a cover letter with your expression of interest, along with your resume, to BOTH Christopher Kelsall (info@islandseries.org), and current vice-president and treasurer Bob Reid (bobreid04@gmail.com).
Value-add benefits: Satisfaction and joy from giving back to the running community, an honorarium, season pass to the series, and various other benefits ad-hoc.
Note: Applications will be sent to info@islandseries.org.
The Prairie Inn Harriers Running Club recaptured the Vancouver Island Runners’ Association (VIRA) Cup from the 2022 winning Ceevacs Road Runners of the Cowichan Valley. It was the 30th win since records have been kept starting in 1985.
While the Harriers battled hard against the upstart Speedfarm club for the new Island Series Cup throughout the 2023 eight-race season, it was the powerful and growing Speedfarm who prevailed at the 11th hour during the Synergy Health Centre Bazan Bay 5K.
However, the Harriers also had their eyes on the VIRA Cup. The team had strong representation at the Sidney waterfront race and in so doing firmly cemented their victory in the VIRA Cup race. Ceevacs battled hard and finished second. Run to Beer Comox Valley finished third.
A few Prairie Inn Harriers at Cedar Hill Rec Centre, celebrating the win
The final point standings were 3209 to 2802, respectively. Run to Beer collected 1724. Seven teams earned at least 1000 points during the series. Capital City Run Crew (4th), Comox Valley Road Runners (5th), Speedfarm (6th) and Saltspring Sneakers earned 1028 points for seventh position.
It was at the club’s own race, the Harriers Pioneer 8K and the TWC-hosted Bazan Bay 5K where the Harriers gained the most points with 582 and 552, respectively — bookending the season tidily. Ceevacs’ big performances happened at their run, the Cobble Hill 10K, with its superfast new route where they collected 433 points. In the next event, the Cedar 12K the team in yellow collected 380 points for their two best showings. Consistency was key with 300 points or more earned in every race except the Pioneer 8K where they earned 299 — close enough!
Although some teams were not really clubs or teams, a total of 114 are indicated in the results — the biggest year in the series’ history.
The Prairie Inn Harriers have been a BC Athletics-associated and registered athletics club since 1978. BC Athletics is the provincial authority of the sport under the national governing body, Athletics Canada. The Harriers also have the Prairie Inn Harriers Racing Team and the Prairie Inn Harriers Youth Team.
Each time the Harriers were unseated, the club bounced back the following year to win again, except where the Ceevacs won twice in a row in 2020 and 2022. There was no series championship in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Interestingly, each time that a club moved up in the standings to second place, they would then unseat the Harriers, the following year. Bastion Run Club in 1996 won, after finishing second in 1995. Team West Coast won in 2002 after finishing second in 2001. Comox Valley Road Runners did the deed in 2015 and 2016, as did Ceevacs in 2018, then again in 2020.
Frontrunners Westshore, which became Frontrunners Athletic Club emerged as a contender in 2009 and 2010, taking second in both years.
The trophy (shown in both pictures) was donated to VIRA from the Victoria International Cross Country Association (VICCA), which held the Pan Am Cross Country Cup at Bear Mountain in 2020.
The 2023 Vancouver Island Race Series came to a close with the Synergy Health Centre Bazan Bay 5K on Sunday. The highlight was the stunning win by 17-year-old Yemane Mulugeta with Ocean Athletics Track and Field Club of Surrey. He finished in the time of 14:36. This is the exact same time Olympic gold medallist Simon Whitfield ran in 2010, for the win. The course record is 14:12 by Geoff Martinson in 2012, one year after his appearance in the 2011 Daegu World Athletics Championships. Mulugeta is in good company.
Jaxon Kuchar, who ran a 14:41 personal best performance took down the Canadian junior record for the distance (pending ratification).
Kuchar runs for the University of Victoria Vikes and was representing the Victoria Endurance Track Club with teammate and third-place finisher Gabe Van Hezewijk (14:48 pb).
Jennifer Erickson with Speedfarm of Victoria won in the time of 16:40, it was her best Island Series performance to date. Mackenna Fitzgerald (Speedfarm) took the second female position with her 16:51 run. Taking third was Jen Millar (Island Striders) in 17:30. She was also the first master.
Series championships
In the series competition, the two season series open champions are also both masters (40-plus) age — so, they won both categories. They are Catrin Jones and Keith Mills. Both represent the Prairie Inn Harriers Running Club. However, temporarily missing rules information meant that one particular runner missed out on an opportunity for the open win.
Speedfarm’s Martin Odendall intended to race the requisite five times to contend for the series championship. The one rule, for all age groups except for under-16 and 16-19, requires all runners to not only complete five races, but one must be longer than 10K. Odendall missed both the Cedar 12K and the Comox Valley RV Half Marathon. Any other year, he would not qualify, however, the “longer than 10K race” requirement was temporarily missing from the rules page. It has since been added. A Way Back Machine search proved that the information was indeed missing for a window of time. The Speedfarm team made their racing plans based on the rules that appeared to be available at the time.
When finding out about the issue Mills offered to share the open win with Odendaal. It is a demonstration of great sportsmanship.
The 2023 series was Odendaal’s first full Island Series season. He competed once in 2022. In all six races that he has competed in, he has finished first in his 35-39 age group.
Odendaal’s highest placement overall was second during the 2023 Hatley Castle 8K. While his best performance according to the scoring numbers was the finale, Bazan Bay 5K with a 15:48 finish time. It is an 85 per cent age-graded performance and scores him with 823 World Athletics points rating. Odendaal helped Speedfarm to the Island Series Cup championship by scoring just 1 point in each race (reverse scoring system) and helping Speedfarm with the VIRA Cup competition netting 20 points in each race. If anything he may be the Speedfarm team’s most valuable runner.
Speedfarm finished sixth in the VIRA Cup championship, which favours bigger teams, while the Island Series Cup favours faster, smaller clubs.
Keith Mills
Keith Mills is the definition of overcoming adversity. After a decade off from running, he got himself into shape and after 12 years out of the series was back in with a vengeance. Mills a member of the Prairie Inn Harriers and sponsored by series sponsor Athletics Illustrated (Panthers), had one of his best seasons.
The 41-year-old won his age group twice and podiumed two more times with a silver and bronze medal performance. The Comox Valley RV Half Marathon result was sacrificed as he ran it as a training run and finished ninth.
Previous to 2023, Mills hadn’t raced in the series since 2011.
His return was to culminate into a marathon, however, due to an injury the plans are on hold.
“I understand the error and can see why Martin thought that he did not have to run once over 10K. I won the masters division and the open on a softer year and am happy to share it,” said Mills. “I ran faster years ago, and was much farther back in the standings.”
[The agreement was reached between the two runners — on their own accord. No other potential tie or sharing will occur from the 2023 series.]
Catrin Jones
Catrin Jones has raced series events at least 50 times. She has missed the podium just thrice. During the 2023 season, she won four times and podiumed in all six races. Jones has podiumed even while pregnant in past years.
She is known as much for her Island Series prowess as she is for her short ultra-running work as a 50K specialist.
Twice during the 2023 season, she finished top-20 overall and top-30 once. Like Odendaal, her best performance of the season happened during the Bazan Bay 5K. She clocked an 18:02 run which gives her an 86 per cent age-grade result.
Congratulations to Speedfarm who won the new team competition, the “Island Series Cup,” with a low score (reverse scoring system) of just 298 points.
The team that sports the tractor logo narrowly defeated the Prairie Inn Harriers who finished second with 360 points. Third was upstart Capital City Run Crew with 1047 points.
While only three clubs managed to field a complete team in all eight races (three men, three women), Speedfarm held second place all season and only needed to make sure that they had the counters, to toe the line on Sunday. They did that in spades. Pictured above is approximately half of the entire Speedfarm contingent.
Ceevacs Road Runners, Capital City Run Crew, and Run to Beer Comox Valley were the only teams of the top 20 to field the requisite three women and three men in all eight races, in the five-race minimum competition.
After a 419-point showing at the Comox Valley RV Half Marathon, then unable to field a team for the McLean Mill 10K, Speedfarm dug deep and scored an incredible 21 points in Sooke, to put themselves back in the running. Scoring 60 in the ultra-competitive Synergy Health Centre Bazan Bay 5K sealed the deal — what a run.
In Sooke, four of the top-five male finishers were Speedfarm runners: Brennan Smith with the overall win (1 point), Owen Torres in third (3 points), and Martin Odendaal and Michael Mitchell going fourth and fifth. The juggernaut was broken up by Harrier Andrew Russell, the first master, and second overall finisher.
Jennifer Erickson helped the cause by winning the race in the time of 37:13 and bettered by only 10 men. Emily Tesseder and Sofia Donneke went third and ninth, respectively.
Amongst the speedy Speedfarm women was third-place finisher Melanie Van Soeren with Saltspring Sneakers, Catrin Jones in fourth with the Prairie Inn Harriers, Laura Schwertfeger, in fifth, Emily Bugoy (Mettle Heart Endurance), Natasha Parsons (Badass Chicks Run Trails), and Lucy Smith (Prairie Inn Harriers).
RESULTS