The snow is yet to fall but the wax room at the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club was alive with activity. There were no skis about but the Athletics Yukon Cross Country Championship and the athletes, young and old, put the ski trails at Mount McIntyre to good use on Saturday morning.

The cross country races have been held at the Mt. Mac Ski Trails several years; however, because of the closure of the bridge crossing Sumanik Drive, the course had to be altered.

This year, starting in front of the wax room, the athletes ran toward the Canada Games Centre and mostly followed a two-kilometre loop. The athletes ran different distances depending on the age category.

It was the young under six runners who got the day started. They followed a 350-metre loop. Their times were not kept but in order of finish, you saw Finn Morash, Tommy McConnell and Claire Connell.

The U6 race had nine athletes in total, and congratulations are in order to all of them for getting out there and putting their best foot forward, as the older runners stood along the side of the trail cheering them on.

The under-nine runners made quick work of their one-kilometre loop around the trails.

It was a photo-finish between winner Peter Embacher, 4:47, and Tammo Waldron. Embacher was able to get a step ahead and beat Waldron by one second. Owen Parker was not far behind, finishing in 4:52.

Kuya Wellman-Gayne was the fastest U9 girls, completing the one-kilometre loop in five minutes even. Mallory (no last name given) place second and Clem Madsen third.

The top four boys in the U12 race came in packed together as they jostled for the top position. Nicholas Connell edged by Nicholas Giangrande by two seconds to take first. John Chisholm and Micah McConnell tied for third.

Josephine Bossert was the quickest U12 girl completed the two-kilometres in 12:37. Merel Graham and Sian Hamilton rounded out the podium finishers.

The last of the youth categories was the U14 three-kilometre run. Simon Connell finished seven seconds ahead of Daniel Phillips-Freedman for first. Jonah McConnell came third.

Cheyenne Tirschmann, 13:32 was the female winner. Aramintha Bradford and Avery Kinsella made up the final podium spots.

Once the youth had all crossed the finish line, it was the adults who took to the start. The U18's to U60 runners all began together, even though they were running different distances.

The quickest runner in the eight-kilometre distance was U20 athlete and Yukon Special Olympian Darby McIntyre, who did the four loops of the two-kilometre trail in 31:12.

"I'm feeling yucky but that is how you are supposed to feel after a run," said McIntyre. "It means you left it all out there."

One portion of the trail was covered in sand, which McIntyre said made the run a little bit tough and his legs burn.

The eight-kilometre distance is not something he is always accustomed too.

"I don't do the 8 km often, so it was good to get a time for it," said McIntyre. "I like 5ks and 10ks and 3000s.

"(Eight kilometres) are about speeding up at the right time. I always start out at a medium to slow pace, but the more you get into it, the more you speed up."

McIntyre said the six-kilometre runners on the course were able to help him pace himself.

"The 6kers were going pretty fast," said McIntyre. "It's always good to have someone in the lead to push you to go harder."

Following McIntyre, with the second-fastest time in the eight-kilometre race, was U50 athlete Scott Williams, who posted a time of 31:54. Brian Horton in the U40 class was third quickest in 32:21.

The only woman to race eight kilometres was Sarah Johnson.

The other female athletes competed in a seven-kilometre race. Maura Sullivan was by far the fastest posting a final time of 30:40. Aisha Montgomery was second in 36:04 and Glenda Koh, who had the fastest time in the U50 age group, had the third-fastest overall time in 36:51.

The largest and most enthusiastic age category on Saturday was the U18 class.

The girls' race was five kilometres, and was won by Kate Mason in 21:39. It was another close finish for the second and third spot. Constance Lapointe got by Sophia Giangrande by two seconds to secure the silver.

The boys ran six kilometres, and Derek Dueling posted the fastest time of 22:08. By a step, Sasha Masson defeated Victor Thibeault by two seconds to secure the runner-up position.

As more runners finished, the crowd at the finish line naturally grew in size. So did the noise level. All the runners completing the race were met back at the wax room with boisterous cheers of congratulations.