The BC School Sports Cross Country Provincial Championships were held on November 2, 2024, at the scenic Jericho Park in Vancouver, BC. Hosted by Handsworth Secondary School, this event marked the pinnacle of the high school cross-country season. Athletes who had battled through League Meets and Zone Championships came together to compete on the provincial stage, with a chance to earn top honours and hit the trails once again.
FULL RACE RESULTS | OVER 5800 PHOTOS | RACE FOOTAGE & INTERVIEWS
Race Structure & Categories
The 2024 Championships featured nine separate categories and in some divisions, the 'A' & 'AA' races were combined but scored separately. The race structure was as follows:
- Senior Boys (A/AA/AAA) - approximately 5 km
- Senior Girls (A/AA/AAA) - approximately 5 km
- Junior Girls and Boys - approximately 4.1 km
- Para - approximately 2 km
The event began early with the Para & AWE (Athletes with Exceptionalities) races at 9:00 AM, followed by the Junior Girls' and Boys' races, and concluded with the Senior AAA events later in the day. The awards ceremony wrapped up the event at 2:00 PM, held at West Point Grey Academy.
Provincial Champions
The following athletes emerged as Provincial Champions in their respective races:
Sasha Dehal (Panorama Ridge, Grade 10): Dehal claimed victory in the Junior Girls 4km with a time of 16:08, securing her win by over 10 seconds.
Ellyse Dee (St. John Paul II Academy, Grade 10): Dee dominated the Senior A Girls 5km, finishing in 21:04 and beating her competitors by more than a minute. Her impressive performance was especially notable as she raced against Grade 12 athletes.
Adrianna Buitelaar (Mennonite Educational Institute, Grade 11): Buitelaar won the Senior AA Girls 5km with a time of 17:56, finishing well ahead of second place, who clocked in at 19:15.
Alexa Dow (Frances Kelsey, Grade 12): Dow took the Senior AAA Girls 5km title with a time of 18:32, securing the win by 30 seconds.
Isaiah Johnston (Clayton Heights, Grade 10): Johnston won the Junior Boys 4km in a thrilling finish with a time of 14:18, narrowly beating Tristan Hill by just three seconds.
Miles Graham (Unity Christian School, Grade 12): Graham won the Senior A Boys 5km with a strong time of 16:49, finishing comfortably ahead of his nearest competitor.
Peter Kunka (Summerland Secondary, Grade 12): Kunka took the Senior AA Boys 5km title with a time of 16:16, finishing 14 seconds ahead of second place.
Charlie Mlotshwa (Oak Bay Secondary, Grade 12): Mlotshwa dominated the Senior AAA Boys 5km with an impressive time of 15:49, making him the only athlete to break the 16-minute mark.