Giant’s Head Grind Beach to Peak
More than 100 athletes have signed up for the inaugural Giant’s Head Christopher Walker Memorial Race May 17.
Starting at the shores of Okanagan Lake, walkers, runners and racers will scale Summerland’s volcanic landmark, a distance of more than five kilometres and a 500-metre elevation gain. This year’s race will be capped at 300 participants and race organizers are thrilled with the response they are receiving.
“It’s fantastic to see so many people eager and excited to take on a new challenge,” said Ellen Walker-Matthews, who is spearheading the event with her husband Tom Matthews and the Summerland Rotary Club. “Registrations are coming in, not just from Summerland, but from other communities in the Okanagan and even Vancouver and Calgary.”
The event is in honour Walker-Mathews’s son, who died from colon cancer in 2013. Proceeds will go to provide funding for the B.C. Cancer Foundation, targeting colon cancer research and to assist Summerland Rotary’s Club raise funds for the upkeep and improvement of the trail system in Giant’s Head Park.
Early bird registration is on until April 15. Registration includes all race-related activities including complimentary breakfast and pre-race yoga, as well as post-race food, pre-awards barbecue and t-shirt. Non-racers can still buy tickets to the barbecue and enjoy the awards ceremony. All details can be found at www.giantsheadgrind.com.
Cal Ripken baseball seeking players
Little League/Cal Ripken baseball is coming to the Okanagan Falls/Oliver area and players are needed. The league is seeking players between 10 and 13 who are interested in playing organized baseball on a team from April to mid July. Practices, tournament and games will take place in OK Falls and Oliver. Those interested or want more information are asked to contact Tony Orioli at 250 497-1119.
Vees make NHL draft list
NHL Central Scouting released its final rankings for the 2014 NHL Entry Draft in Philadelphia on June 27-28. Jack Ramsey and Brett Beauvais cracked the list of 210 top North American skaters. Ramsey is listed at 181, while Beauvais is nine spots lower at 190. Ramsey finished with nine goals and 25 points in 57 games in his rookie season. The 6-2,185 pound forward added one goal and eight points in 11 playoff games. Beauvais scored 13 goals and finished with 58 points in 57 regular season games, while adding one goal and eight points in 11 playoff games. Beauvais was also the highest scoring defenceman in the BCHLs regular season, ranking him 21st overall.
Other BCHL player cracking the list, as reported by the league’s website, are Jason Cotton of the West Kelowna Warriors at 162, Vernon Vipers defenceman Dylan Chanter at 164, former Vee and Salmon Arm SilverBack Evan Anderson at 179, Merritt Centennials forward Jeff Wight at 189 and goalies Alec Dillon and Jeff Smith from Victoria and Powell River, respectively.
High school golf
Zac Gardner of the Princess Margaret Mustangs golf team shot eight over par 80 to take second in the second South Okanagan High School Golf Championship at Summerland Golf and Country Club on Monday. Gardner was the winner of last week’s event at Penticton Golf and Country Club. Second place on Maggie was Carter Elder while Taylor Shea finished third on the team. Pen-Hi won the joint AA/AAA team competition while Princeton won the A competition.
Rockets win Pacific Regional championship
For the first time in franchise history, the Okanagan Rockets won the 2014 Pacific Regional Championship.
The Rockets major midget hockey team accomplished the feat with an overtime win in Game 3 over the Red Deer Optimist Chiefs.
The Rockets took Game 1 by a score of 3-1, then lost the second game 7-1, forcing a third game.
With a minute remaining in Game 3, Tyson Jost, a Penticton Vees affiliate player, scored thanks to a play set up by future Vee Liam Finlay and Jake Kryski.
The Chiefs answered back in the second with a pair of goals and the lead heading into the final period. After Tanner Browne rifled a shot home from the point for the equalizer, five minutes into overtime, Finlay bulged the twine to win the game.
Finlay was named the Rockets player of the game. In Game 2, the Chiefs scored four straight goals to secure the win. In Game 1, Jost scored for the Rockets, while another Vees affiliate player, Brendan Barry, was named player of the game.
The Okanagan Rockets are now the Pacific representative at the 2014 Telus Cup, April 21–27 in Moose Jaw, Sask.
Female Rockets bow to Phantoms
The Fraser Valley Phantoms pulled off a three-peat of the female midget AAA championship.
The Phantoms swept the Okanagan Rockets in two games. The Rockets, led by captain Jessie Olfert of Penticton, lost the opening game 2-0. In the deciding game, the Phantoms scored with just over three minutes remaining in the opening period.
That proved to be the winner as Rockets goalie Rachel Fontinha of Penticton didn’t surrender another goal. The Phantoms advance to the 2014 Esso Cup in Stoney Creek, Ont. April 20-23.
Senior men’s golf
The team of Dave Martin, Bernie McCallum, Len Swift and Lew Norman won the Penticton Senior Men’s golf 18-team Waltz 1,2,3 event on April 2. The foursome shot 122. The team of Patrick Turner, Gary McAdam, Gary Sutherland and Bernie Bermbach fired 123 to finish in second place. Art Moore, Gordon Dale, Bill Murray, Kieth Koppert and Rick Redwood were welcomed as new members to the event.
