The Prairie Inn Harriers Running Club (PIH) is proud to present the 46th Annual Harriers Pioneer 8K Road Race, part of the Vancouver Island Race Series. The event has a rich history of outstanding performances attracting many Olympians and world record age category athletes. Several Canadian Records have been set at Pioneer. Initiated in 1980 by the Prairie Inn Harriers, and staged in Central Saanich for 38 years, the race relocated to nearby North Saanich in 2018. This certified 8 kilometre course, is of similar profile to the old and features an out and back route through rural farmlands just north of the Victoria International Airport along mainly quiet country roads.
DATE Sunday, January 12, 2025 – NOTE Start Time is 11:30 am
Online registration for the 2025 Pioneer 8K and 2025 Island Series is OPEN.
- 2025 Pioneer Complimentary Entry Standards and Prize Money
- 2025 Pioneer High Performance Application Form (pdf) or docx
- 2024 Results
- 2023 Results
- 2022 Results
- current 2020–2024 Harriers Pioneer 8K Course
- 2019 Harriers Pioneer 8K Satellite Course Map
- Share This Event with Friends on Facebook
- 2020 Results, Report & Video by Chris Kelsall of Athletics Illustrated, Photos (Over 1,000 pictures) by Joseph Camilleri, Provincial Championships Report by BC Athletics
- 2019 Results, Report, Video, Photos
- Complete List of Pioneer 8K Winners by Bob Reid (through 2021)
Location
The Harriers Pioneer 8K is located in beautiful, rural North Saanich, about three kilometres south of the Swartz Bay ferry terminal and one kilometre north of Sidney and the Victoria Airport.
The Start/Finish Line are at the Tourist Information Centre just off the Patricia Bay Highway. Pre-race package pickup, post-race refreshments and awards are at North Saanich Middle School, 10400 McDonald Park Road, a few hundred metres away via a pedestrian overpass across the highway.
Both venues have parking and are accessible off the highway in either direction from McDonald Park Road. Driving between venues takes 5 to 10 minutes as you can't go directly across the Patricia Bay Highway, so you can select which side to park.
Course Description/Event Records
The semi-flat, rural road course is certified (BC-2018-002a-BDC) and the event is sanctioned by BC Athletics. Race records are 22:58 (Carey Nelson in 1985) and 25:28 (Natasha Wodak in 2013). View the current Pioneer Course map.
Refreshments
Post-race food and beverages will be served at the North Saanich Middle School on McDonald Park Road using the pedestrian overpass across the highway from the Start/Finish area at the Tourist Information Centre.
Registration
Register online for just the 2025 Harriers Pioneer 8K or for the whole 2025 Island Road Race Series.
Manual entry forms are also available at various locations or you can download a 2022 Harriers Pioneer 8K Printable Entry Form. Completed forms can be submitted by mail to Harriers Pioneer 8K Race, 2600 Herbate Road, Victoria, BC, V9B 6J7. Please make cheques payable to Prairie Inn Harriers.
In person registration is available on race weekend at Frontrunners Shelbourne on Saturday only. There is no day-of-race registration.
Entry Fees and deadlines
2025 entry fees
Early entry fee (to December 26, 2024)
$35 Adults
$20 Youth
Regular entry fee (December 8, 2023 to 6pm January 12, 2024)
$40 Adults
$25 Youth
Late entry fee on Saturday, January 13, 2023 between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. at Frontrunners Shelbourne.
$50 All entrants
There is no day-of-race registration.
BC Athletics Members: Deduct $3 from above fees.
Entry fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Race Package Pickup
- Friday, January 10, 6:00 pm – 8:00 PM VIRA Series Kickoff at Frontrunners Downtown.
- Saturday, January 11, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm at Frontrunners Shelbourne, 3659 Shelbourne St, Victoria. Draw prize for all participants that pick up bibs on Saturday. $50 Registration is also available.
- Sunday, January 12, 10 am – 11:15 am at North Saanich Middle School, 10400 McDonald Park Rd
Categories
Five year age groups from 20 to 90+, plus 16-19 and under-16
Awards and Presentations
Medals to the top three runners in each 5-year age group and ribbons from 4th to 10th place in all categories. Draw prizes will be per-drawn and available with the awards after the race at North Saanich Middle School. Please check the list for winning names.
Prize money and Harriers travel mugs presented to the top three senior runners, male and female, and to the top master male and female runners (40+ on race day).
High Performance Athletes
Athletes who have finished a certified 8 km road race within the last 24 months faster than, or near, a set performance standard may be eligible for a complimentary entry to the Harriers Pioneer 8K. See the attached documents for further details, information on possible travel assistance across the Strait, and the form to apply:
- 2025 Pioneer Complimentary Entry Standards and Prize Money
- 2025 Pioneer High Performance Application Form
Note that to be more equitable across all the categories the standards are based on an age-gender performance percentage. Initially set at 83% this equates to about 26:15 for open men and 28:25 for open women. For 15 year old juniors it equates to about 26:10 and 30:15. For 40 year old masters, about 26:20 and 29:35, for 55 year-olds about 29:45 and 34:10, etc. The standard may be relaxed a percent or three so do apply if approaching.
The total regular prize purse is $850, with extra event record bonuses of $500 for setting a new open men's or women's course record, currently 22:58 by Carey Nelson set in 1985, and 25:28 by Natasha Wodak set in 2013.
- The Harriers Pioneer 8K the first 8 races in the Vancouver Island Race Series. For more information check the Island Series website http://www.islandseries.org/
Results
Computer results will be available almost immediately on the official StartLineTiming.com website and later on RaceStats.org and the Harriers website.
2022 Results | 2021 virtual results | 2020 Results, Report, Video, Photos | 2019 Results, Report, Video, Photos | 2018 Results | 2017 Results, Report, Video, Photos | 2016 Results, Report, Photos, More photos | 2015 Results, Video, Report, Photos | 2014 Results, Video, Photos, Report | 2013 Results, Photos, Video
Archived results can be found at racestats.org Pioneer 8K Results.
More Information
Contact Race Director Jeff Beddoes at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for full race information and details.
Thank-you to our Island Series and race sponsors:
RACE SPONSORS
