Brian and Susan Leier, Nancy Pauw, and Glen Smith missed a portion of the course, and this portion had a secret control. At the end of the ride, they were granted finishers status but were penalized - one hour was added to their times. Brian and Susan Leier's time (including the penalty) was a tandem course record, and Nancy Pauw's time was a solo women's course record. The original posted results recognized these records.

Following the event, the BC Randonneurs committee revisited the decisions made at the finish regarding these four riders. It was agreed that missing a portion of the course and missing the secret control should both have been grounds for disqualification. Nevertheless, the committee agreed that the decision of the finishing marshal would stand - all four riders would still be regarded as finishers. It was decided, however, that because they didn't actually ride the full course, that the course records could not be recognized.

The decision affects the next finishing woman and tandem riders because in both cases the finishing times were under the pre-existing best times for those categories. This is why Vera Hooglander and the Bates/Laidlaw tandem are identified as course record holders even though the times are not the fastest on the results list.

Eric Fergusson
Nov. 2002
(revised Jan. 2004)