Brandon Wladyko finished 5th at the 2017 ACAC XC Running Championships in Red Deer

GPRC Wolves’ Brandon Wladyko parlayed an aggressive start into a 5th place finish at the 2017 ACAC XC Running Championships in Red Deer on Saturday.

Wladyko, in this fourth and final ACAC championship race, went out to the early lead before settling into 5th place at the 3 km mark.  He managed to hold his spot right through to the end of the hilly 8 km loop, stopping the clock in 29:01.

For his efforts, Wladyko was named to the ACAC All Conference XC Running team for the third consecutive year.  He becomes the only three-time All Conference male runner in the history of the Wolves program.

Collectively, Wladyko and his GPRC men’s teammates managed a 5th place finish in the team standings.  Other Wolves finishers included 16-time NW Zone Champion Troy Bogh (22nd), Kyle Reynolds (30th), 10-time NW Zone Champion Eric Nooy (31st), and David Clifford (35th). Jarred St Arnault sprained an ankle and did not finish.

Kelcie Bulas (foreground) leads to Emily McIlory to the finish at the 2017 ACAC XC Running Championship

Rookie Kelcie Bulas, as she has done all season, led the Wolves women on Saturday.  She managed a tenth place finish.  The Wolves women placed sixth as a team.

Other Wolves women taking part included Anna van der Geissen (19th),  Kailey Bratland (27th), Brittany Duvall (34th), Kelsey Bishop (36th), and Megan Hopkins (44th).

SAIT Polytechnic was the dominant school overall, winning the men’s race and finishing second in the women’s event.  Red Deer College was the top women’s team.

Also on Saturday, the season-long ACAC Grand Prix XC Running Awards were presented.  Wladyko was honoured as the 4th place men’s finisher, while Bulas placed 6th in the women’s series.

Full results