This past weekend the Yukon Orienteering Association hosted their annual championships and season wrap-up.

The weather held over the two days as locals and visitors alike enjoyed the Golden Aspen Orienteering Festival. Participants came from Fairbanks and Haines, Alaska, and Vancouver as well as Whitehorse.

Saturday's courses were designed and set by Ross Burnett. A total of seven different courses meant there was one to suit every skill level. Using the MacPherson map, participants found the terrain challenging due to the elevation gains and losses.

In the male 12-and-under category, the three participants were very closely matched with less than two minutes between them. First in was Shawn Kitchen, with a time of 20:47, followed by Caelan McLean in 21:05, and Trevor Bray in 22:26.

First place in the male 13-14 division went to Jennifer MacKeigan with a time of 57:36. In the female 15-16 category, Kendra Murray led in a time of 63:33, followed by Kerstin Burnett in 81:15.

The male17-20 group has been hotly contested this past season between several athletes. The 2007 Yukon champion in this category is Colin Abbott, with a time of 72:58 over the 7.1-kilometres. Abbott reported this was the hardest course he had ever raced.

In second place was Lee Hawkings in a time of 86:59, and third was Nansen Murray in 99:42.

All three of these young men will be heading off to the Kamloops area in October to compete at the Western Canadian Championships.

In the elite men (and one woman) category, Brent Langbakk was a very quick 72:05 over the 8.4-km course. Showing his three younger brothers that he still has the upper hand was Forest Pearson, second in 88:35.

Afan Jones was not far behind, with a time of 93:02. Visiting Vancouver mapper, Louise Oram, chose to run against the men and came fourth in 108:41.

In the female 45-54 category, it was Barbara Scheck with a time of 37:01, followed by Karen McKenna in 57:40 and Wendy Nixon in 71:01.

Jim Hawkings led the male 45-54 group in 55:46. Second place went to Jim Green, with a time of 66:59, and Bruce McLean was third in 68:15.

Ev Pasichnyk completed her female 55-64 course in 81:26 while Grant Abbott had a time of 71:20 in the male 55-64 division.

Sunday's event was a very different format. Course planner Brent Langbakk worked out a series of loops in the forest which crossed through a common area several times.

Called an O-Cross, it effectively was a one-person relay. The mass start can challenge competitors who have to remain focused on their own course and not be distracted by the many people heading in different directions.

A system of forking means that even people on the same course go to controls in a different order. As participants came back to the start area they picked up another map and went out on a second and third loop.

On the novice course, Trevor Bray reversed the results of the day before. Finishing in 17:42, he was only one second ahead of his nearest competitor, Caelan McLean. Rounding out the top three was Shawn Kitchen in 47:32.

On the intermediate course, newcomers Amanda and Philipe Mouchet picked up the essential skills quickly and finished in 57:52, ahead of Kerstin Burnett in 58:18.

Showing her result of the day before was no fluke, 15-year-old Kendra Murray finished ahead of Barbara Scheck and mom Karen McKenna on the short advanced course. Her time of 35:01 was impressive.

The long advanced participants had three loops to complete, totalling five km. Colin Abbott finished with a time of 36:30, a mere 19 seconds ahead of Ross Burnett. Third was Louise Oram with a time of 40:22.

Ten Yukoners are not ready to hang up their orienteering shoes quite yet, and will be travelling on the Thanksgiving weekend to Kamloops to compete at the Western Canadian Championships.

The Yukon Orienteering Association would like to thank all their volunteers and supporters who have worked to make this another successful season.