January 8, 2008
It was windy the night before, and breezy in the morning hours before the meet, but not enough to cancel this year's WIOL event at Bridle Trails State Park (the 2005 event was canceled due to high winds). However, it did rain during the meet, but that didn't keep 161 WIOL participants from making this the biggest meet of the season so far, tying a record set at Magnuson Park on November 18, 2006.
Lakeside School's Tori Borish led a team sweep of the first three places in High School Varsity Girls, with a 98 second margin over Holly Kuestner. Catherine Olsson took third, less than three minutes ahead of Anna Urbanova.
Matej Urban (Bothell HS) beat Huw Stradling (Redmond HS) by 61 seconds to win his third meet of the season. They are one, two in the season standings; Ryan Breseman (Inglemoor HS) is in third.
Is Bonnie Gilbery (EAS) haunted by a "control #2 jinx"? In a repeat of her experience at WIOL #4, she lost several minutes on the second control at Bridle Trails, more than enough to eliminate any possibility of winning the meet. Nonetheless, she completed the course, doing rather well on the remaining controls. Garfield HS team mates Andrea Lindsay and Tracy Whelen took the first two places, followed by Kelly Bauer from Northwest School.
Tim Hobbs (Lake Washington HS) won his second run on a High School JV Boys course. Close on his heels were Steven Diamond (Lakeside School) and Mike Heath (South Kitsap HS).
Brenden Narloch (EAS) won his first meet of the season, edging out Seattle Academy's Peter Sprugel. Devon Grove (EAS) placed third.
Hilary Ratliff won her fifth straight meet; she clinched the Middle School Girls season title at WIOL 4.
Others who secured their season standing are:
The following teams have clinched their places in the season standings: