For 33 years, the CeeVACs Road Runners hosted a half marathon mainly comprising a loop of Shawnigan Lake.

With the competition to attract runners becoming increasingly intense, the club felt it was time for a change.

Membership in the former Shawnigan Lake Half Marathon had started to lag in recent years and it was easy for the island’s best distance runners to cry off because of the limited three-week gap following the Royal Victoria Marathon, half marathon and 8K road race.

Judging by the turnout for Sunday morning’s inaugural Shawnigan-Kinsol Half Marathon that incorporated part of the old road route with trail running leading to a glimpse of the Kinsol Trestle, CeeVACs made a shrewd move. A total of 222 people finished the race.

Only 155 finished last year on the old course so there was a considerable jump in attendance.

“I think the new route generated a fair amount of interest,’’ said race director Sandra Whiting.

“There were a few challenges with the new route, but the new route is good.’’

Whiting added the current H1N1 flu situation caused concerns for runners and volunteers, keeping some people at home who otherwise would have made the turnout even larger.

While everyone generally agreed the new course was a good thing, there was a difference of opinion about the degree of difficulty and the conditions.

Some felt the route was just as tough as the previous gruelling half marathon. Others found it more palatable.

Some liked running on the trails more than the road. Others found the trails slippery in the shady spots and hard to gain traction.

Whatever side of the fence runners were on, it was a workout. But at least Mother Nature co-operated with a bright and cool morning, with no rain.

Runners expecting to take the longest to finish had an earlier start time of 8 a.m., with the main start at 9.

Hugh Trenchard of Victoria, who’s done the Shawnigan race numerous times and frequently finished in the top five but only won it once in the late 1990s, topped the field in 1:17:51.

“It’s nice to come back and repeat that on a new course,’’ said Trenchard, 41.

“It’s a nice course, definitely shady and cool in spots.

“It was definitely flatter, but it was still rolling all the way.’’

Trenchard sprinted off the line and set a quick pace from the start.

“I definitely felt strong the whole way and able to sustain the pace all the way through,’’ he said.

Trenchard, who said he would have preferred warmer conditions, added it was nice to run right up to the trestle.

Duncan’s Jason Sandquist was second overall, about a minute and a half back of Trenchard in 1:19:26.

“He was way ahead,’’ Sandquist said of Trenchard.

Sandquist used the run as a tune-up for the world half ironman championships in Clearwater, Florida in two weeks.

“I definitely shut it down,’’ he said. “I had to save my legs. I was really starting to feel it.

“I still thought it was a pretty tough half,’’ Sandquist added. “I thought it would be faster.’’

Rounding out the top five were: Jeff Hunt (1:24:17), Gary Duncan (1:24:47) and Noah Elam (1:27:48).

Claire Morgan was the women’s winner in 1:30:08 followed by Angela Plamondon in 1:32:27.