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Quartet of Comox Valley Dereks conquer roads, trails

A motley crew of local racers have been putting up some fantastic results recently.
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The 4 Amigos, from left: Derek Brenchley, Derek Tripp, Derek Vinge and Derek Richmond.

A motley crew of local racers have been putting up some fantastic results recently.

All named Derek, they have dubbed themselves the 4 Amigos. These amigos span a broad range of age categories, from 35-39 all the way to the 70-74 age group.

The youngest of the group is Derek Vinge, who recently qualified for the 2020 World Multi-Sports for X-Triathlon in Almere, Amsterdam and also for the 2020 Boston Marathon.

“The last time I ran Boston, Derek V was still in high school!” Derek R quipped.

Derek Brenchley recently won his age category at the Edmonton Marathon, clocking a stellar time of 3:10. He will now turn his attention to the Victoria Marathon and Seattle Marathon, as he chases a sub 3:05 marathon finish.

Derek Tripp won his age category in the Lava Man Triathlon. He also qualified for the 2020 standard distance Worlds Triathlon in Edmonton.

Derek Richmond has recently focussed on sprint duathlons, which combine running and biking. One major change from many other events is that bike drafting is actually allowed, which puts a whole new spin on the event. He recently qualified for 2020 Worlds Duathlon Sprint, taking place in Almere, Amsterdam. Richmond has represented Canada on a number of occasions, and has been a member of the national team for over 20 years.

Another outstanding recent performance came from Les Disher at the Skagit Flats Marathon. Disher won his age group, crushing the next competitor by a margin of 50 minutes.

Locally, the next big event is the Perseverance Trail Run Oct. 27. This is a fantastic event that includes a 3k cross-country romp and an 11k mountain run. The Perseverance Trail Run is also a fundraiser for the Cumberland Community Forest Society. More information is available online.