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FireFit 2008 circuit set : Veteran competitors lend experience, depth to teams

The FireFit season starts off in a big way this year with the Grind in the City Charity Stair Climb in support of Muscular Dystrophy. Firefighters and others will compete at the Harbour Centre Tower in Vancouver on April 26. This is a great way to get the early season kinks out as FireFit competitors across Canada put their snow shovels away and begin training to see who is fitter, faster and stronger! Check the Grind website at www.grindthecity.com for details.

First on the official FireFit tour is Kamloops, B.C., from May 24-25. Last year Kamloops put on a great regional event, which led to a fine runner-up rookie-of-the-year performance by Graham MacKenzie. Kamloops will to play host to the west-coast powerhouse team from Delta, B.C., which includes returning stars Mark Millward, Ryan Rickards and hard-working Jamie McGarva. We’re also expecting some east coast competitors at this event to do an early run and see how they match up against the west coasters.

The next stop on the FireFit schedule is Edmonton from May 31-June 1, with Bob Murray and the Edmonton championship team hosting the Alberta regional competition. With an experienced crew putting the event together, look for another great department-supported competition. Edmonton holds the record for most participation by a department with 31 relay teams at one event.

The Prairies get another opportunity to shine when Prince Albert hosts the Saskatchewan regional event on June 14. After lying low for the past couple of years, Prince Albert may have some tricks up its sleeve with Joe Zatylny set to compete again.

FireFit then works its way east to Ontario, a hotbed for competitors with several teams ready to make their marks, including Dwayne Drover’s Waterloo team, which will compete in Brantford on the Canada Day weekend. Another well-known Ontario competitor, Greg Kotsis from Windsor, has retired but the Windsor team has so much depth that it is always a force and we expect no less this season. Sudbury, with 2007 world champion Jimmy Kolar as anchor, boasts some rookies this season but is still expected to be a threat. And, never count out the Canadian Forces Fire Marshal team, which last season boasted two under- 90 second results.

Quebec hosts four events this year, starting with the Quebec regional event June 21-22, and expectations are high.

Finally, with the Maritimes fielding top teams from St. John’s, Moncton and Halifax, it’s anybody’s guess who will end up at the Canadian and international championships Sept. 11-14 in Quinte West, Ont. 

Visit the website www.firefit.com for all event details.