The mosquitoes were out in force Wednesday evening – but that didn't stop 80 orienteerers from setting out on the mid-distance Yukon Orienteering Championship courses.

The participants set out on one of four courses in a variety of age groups over steep slopes on the McPherson map, starting from the Hidden Valley Elementary School.

The shorter courses were overtaken by family teams, with the Van Randen family stealing a win on the novice 1.8-kilometre course in just 14 minutes, 59 seconds.

Their nearest competitor was the team of Bond and Weston, who finished in 21 minutes, 20 seconds.

Another family that proved they are a force to be reckoned with in orienteering, was the Blakes, with Pia Blake earning first in the 13-14-year-old females on the 2.7-km course, and Leif Blake winning the 13-14-year-old title on the 2.7-km course as well.

Topping the 21-34-year-old males was Colin Abbott, who overtook Lee Hawkings in a time of 27 minutes, 38 seconds on the 3.2-km course. Hawkings followed seconds later with a time of 28 minutes, 31 seconds.

Pippa McNeil, an orienteering veteran topped the open 2.4-km course in a time of 28 minutes, 13 seconds. McNeil was well ahead of second-place finisher Trevor Bray, who completed the course in 36 minutes, 34 seconds.

The Yukon Orienteering Championship continues on Wednesday with the long-distance courses, starting at 6:30 from the Mt. McIntyre Recreation Centre.

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Yukon Orienteering

Championships results

12 and under female – 1.8-km

Name Time

1. Tayler Mitchell 42.31

12 and under male – 1.8-km

1. Luka Van Randen 14.41

13-14-year-old female – 2.7-km

1. Pia Blake 32.49

2. Clara Reid 44.40

13-14-year-old male – 2.7-km

1. Leif Blake 40.53

17-20 female – 3.2-km

1. Kerstin Burnett 49.24

2. Kendra Murray 50.26

21-34 female – 3.2-km

1. Katherine Scheck 38.06

2. Scheck, Penner (team) 55.46

21-34 male – 3.2-km

1. Colin Abbott 27.38

2. Lee Hawkings 28.31

3. Forest Pearson 29.16

4. Nansen Murray 30.49

5. Ross Burnett 32.23

6. Ryan Kelly 48.02

35-44 female – 3.2-km

1. Wendy Taylor 1:29.13

45-54 female – 2.4-km

1. Sabine Schweiger 38.19

2. Barb Scheck 42.44

3. Nicole Hulstein 49.54

45-54 male – 3.2-km

1. Darren Halcombe 44.29

2. Jim Hawkings 55.03

3. Craig Brooks 1:28.28

4. Doug Hitch 1:55.34

55-64 female – 2.4-km

1. Karen McKenna 34.30

2. Hilary Wilkinson 1:07.03

3. Miko Miyahara 1:08.20

55-64 male – 2.4-km

1. Bruce McLean 39.00

2. Lars Fossum 54.24

Open (team) – 1.8-km

1. Van Randen 14.59

2. Bond, Weston 21.20

3. Pronovost, Mather 21.23

4. Cash 27.43

5. Jirousek 27.47

6. Prentice 1:08.25

7. Sennett 1:08.54

Open (single) – 2.4-km

1. Pippa McNeil 28.13

2. Trevor Bray 36.34

3. Goergi Pearson 1:11.18

4. Lara Melnik 1:25.19

Open (team) – 2.7-km

1. Hynes, Reid 44.38

2. Sherri Cooper (single) 45.55

3. Scramstad, Milligan 46.47

4. Bobbie Milnes (single) 47.09

5. Scorgie, Anttila 56.33

6. Mitchell, Wesbster 1:00.00

7. Jolkowski, Milligan, Brown 1:24.40