Stepping out on to the open fields at Wesley Clover Parks was just the first obstacle to overcome for sixty Lions runners competing at the first ever Canadian Cross Country Championship in the nation’s capital. What was a loose and muddy field on the eve of the championships turned into a healthy mix of frozen terrain and shoe stealing mud pits come race time as temperatures had dropped well below zero over night and the wind pushed the air temperature somewhere near -15 degrees Celsius.
Despite Mother Nature’s attempts to throw them off their game, the Lions U18 girls team was able to best the course and the rest of the field as they were crowned national champions in front of a celebratory home crowd. Just two weeks removed from a provincial title victory over the Newmarket Huskies, the Lions narrowly defeated another Ontario club, the University of Toronto Track Club, for the one point victory – 160 to 161 points. It was the first team title for the Lions since the senior women took top spot at the 2008 championships.
Leading the way for the U18 team was Amelia Van Brabant, who finished the four kilometre course in 15 minutes and 32 seconds to finish 12th overall. Olivia Baggley (29th) and Cara MacDonald (50th) were the number two and three scorers for the Lions, just as they were at the Ontario Championships in Kingston. The final scorer for the Lions was Lauren Alexander in 69th place. Her time of 16 minutes and 43 seconds was equal to that of the 70th place finisher, Sarah MacGillivary, but Alexander’s lean was enough best MacGillivary and edge the Lions just ahead of Toronto.
The senior men’s team produced the next highest finish at seventh. The quartet of Nicholas Pedersen, Adrian Fournier, Nic Roberts, and Cameron Bruce faced the course at its worst, but managed to all finish relatively tightly in the middle of the field of 116 runners. Pedersen, who has experienced a resurgence in his running this season, led the group in 42nd place. Completing the 10 kilometre course in 34 minutes and 19 seconds, Pedersen was closely followed across the line by Fournier – just 38 seconds back in 49th place. Roberts would follow in 59th, with Bruce crossing in 84th.
The masters event was held as a combined race, with the quartet of Terry Rushworth, Gilles Frenette, Robert Muir, and Michael Day placing seventh, just behind Unattached-Alberta. Rushworth finished 39th overall among the over-30 masters field. The top masters woman for the Lions was was Liz Maguire in 91st overall, and 22nd among the female competitors with a time of 37 minutes and 10 seconds over the eight kilometre course.
In the under-20 races, Skye Pellerin was the top Lion on the women’s six kilometre race – placing 23rd in 25:24. The men were led by Cameron Porter as he completed the eight kilometre course in 29:15 to place 35th overall and help the U20 men to an eighth place finish.
A special congratulations goes out to long time Club member Katie Newlove who took home bronze in the women’s U20 race. It was the first national medal for the 19 year old University of British Columbia student who competed unattached on Saturday.
Other top finishers included:
U18 Boys: Zachary Sikka – 54th (21:46)
Open Women: Jessica McRae – 46th (43:38)