The dream year just keeps getting better for Canmore’s Amanda Ammar.
In 2014, the small but mighty ski ninja earned a trip to her second Olympic Games, got engaged and enrolled in school to study Chinese medicine. Riding the high also carried her across the finish line in first place to win the eight-kilometre Canada Day Run on Tuesday (July 1).
Likely one of the most competitive Canada Day runs across the country thanks to the large contingent of high level athletes who enter it every year, Ammar crossed the line in 31:46.
“This is by for more important than the Olympics right now,” Ammar joked. “To win the Canada Day run, I’m pretty stoked about that – one for the Black Ninja.”
Now retired from ski racing, she said the race allows her to reflect on how lucky she is to be Canadian.
“It means peace and fun. I love this country so much. When the anthem was playing, I thought how lucky we are that we can line up and do a running race. We’re so fortunate to live here,” Ammar said.
She said the recipe for celebrating in Canmore is pretty straightforward.
“It’s my day off, so I’ll have some pancakes, go to the parade, and then go party,” Ammar said.
Canmore’s Sara Hewitt finished second (32:02.6), while biathlete Emma Lunder finished third (32:08.5) in a hotly contested run. Both have raced for Canada in the past and Lunder said celebrating the country is always special.
“At the start, we were singing Oh Canada and I always get teary. I love being able to do something with the whole community. It really means something,” Lunder said.
Toronto-based trail runner Adrian Lambert won the men’s race in 27:37, breaking Olympian Graeme Killick’s three years of dominance on the riverside trail. Killick and the rest of the Alberta World Cup Academy skipped the race this year.
Lambert has represented Canada multiple times at the World Mountain Running Championships, and considers Canmore his second home. He narrowly edged Tyson Smith for the win.
“I caught Tyson at the two kilometre mark. He let me lead and I was convinced he was going to beat me. I’m pretty lucky,” Lambert said.
He finished second in the race four years ago, so he was happy to finally get the win.
Ski star Russell Kennedy finished third (28:59).
The run is a fundraiser for the Canmore Nordic Ski team and as always, attracted several families as well for the 3 km race. Visit Zone4.ca for the full list of results.
