'Conquer The Crater' bring athletes to Sudbury from across the country

SUDBURY -

Athletes from across the country came together in Sudbury this weekend to ‘Conquer The Crater.’

On Saturday, participants took part in a triathlon while athletes on Sunday participated in either a 5 or 21km trail run.

"This is a world qualifier one of only four stops on the Xterra World circuit in Canada this year,"  John Macdonald, the Conquer the Crater organizer, said.

Lucas Werger came in second place for the 21-km trail run. This means he has qualified for the XTERRA Trail Run World Championships in Maui, Hawaii later this year.

“I saw that, that was an option. I’ve lived in Hawaii a few times so to go back would be amazing just gotta figure out funding,” said Werger.

This is the third year ‘Conquer the Crater’ was hosted in Sudbury with last year having to be done virtually. All of the funds raised go towards the Northern Cancer Foundation.

“We’ve created a charity called Miles Against Cancer in honour of our son ‘Mac’ Malcom who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of two and a half, and having gone through that and known the journey for us as parents, we could see the impact and the financial burden for families who’s children are diagnosed,” says Tracy Hayes, Conquer the Crater organizer.

“So we wanted to do something now that Malcom is healthy and free and clear and so we became a charity under the Northern Cancer Foundation umbrella.”

Since its inception, the event has raised over $100,000, with all funds going directly to northern families whose child receives a diagnosis.

“So just this year alone there’s been 20 children who were diagnosed in northern Ontario that we supported financially, and the goal is to offer them financial support without them asking,”  adds Hayes.

“From a time of diagnosis, because often families have to travel out of town for surgeries or diagnostic testing, and that comes at a huge cost.”

130 people participated in this weekend’s events. Organizers say the hope is to have an even bigger event next year as long as COVID restrictions allow for it.