SIDNEY — Hundreds of runners of varying skill and competition levels will be in Sidney and North Saanich on Sunday for the Bazan Bay 5K.
Sponsored by Synergy Health Management, the footrace features a fast field of some of the top runners on Vancouver Island and the mainland — as well as recreational runners out to enjoy the area scenery.
The Bazan Bay 5K is the fifth race in the Frontrunners Island Race Series and starts and finishes at Tulista Park in Sidney. The route will take runners south along Lochside Drive and back.
“Everything is in place for another great event,” said Race Director Wayne Coulson. “We attract some of the Island’s best athletes and with registrations well over 500 so far, we should see 600 at the start line on Sunday.”
In last year’s event, Olympian Hilary Stellingwerff of Victoria was the top finisher among the women.
University of Calgary runner Stefan Daniels placed first overall in a time of 15 minutes and 11 seconds (15:11) in the 2015 race. He was followed in second by the University of Victoria’s Ben Weir (15:18) and Shoayb Baseal (15:24) in third.
Sidney’s Peterson Perrin came 26th overall in a time of 16:46. North Saanich’s Finn Battersby, racing in the men’s 01 to 15 age category, completed the course in 17:39.
The race gets under way at 11 a.m. and portions of Lochside Drive will be closed.