Effective November 2010, the Peace Country has a new competitive running and track & field club.

The GPRC Wolves Athletics Club is the third iteration of a Grande Prairie track & field club.  Its roots can be traced to Grande Prairie Legion Track Club in the 70s and the Wapiti Striders in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s. In addition, the Peace Country Track Club had a brief run from 2006 to 2010.

Currently the club is mainly focused on cross country and middle/long distance running for high school and college aged athletes.   If additional coaches can be recruited, the age and event range of the Club will be expanded

Fiona Benson had the honour of being the first athlete to represent the Wolves AC at the National Junior Cross Country Championships on November 27 in Guelph.  Benson distinguished herself and the Club with a 7th place finish in the Junior Womens 5 km race, a performance which qualified her for 2011 Junior National team.

Club members plan to contest three indoor meets this winter in Edmonton: The Golden Bear Open on Jan. 21-23, The Alberta Indoor Games on Feb. 12-13, and the Provincial Age Class Indoor Championships on March 12-13.  In addition, Benson will compete with Team Canada in the NACAC Cross Country Running Championships in Tobago on Feb. 19

After the snow melts, the Wolves AC will be hosting the Unchaga Run in the Peace on Sunday, May 1 and  the 2011 Peace Country Classic/Grande Prairie Hershey Meet on May 14 at the Legion Field.  In the fall, the 17th Wolves X-Country Running Series hits the trails at various venues across the Peace.

For more information about the Wolves AC or local track & field, visit the GPRC Wolves AC website at www.wolvesac.com