André Alie-Lamarche stole the show at the Ronald C. Hoffman Cross Country Invitational on Saturday, winning the men’s race in an impressive time of 25:10.2. His commanding performance on the 8 km course propelled him to the top of the podium in a highly competitive field, where he battled a pair of All-Canadians from Queen’s all the way to the finish line. Alie-Lamarche’s winning time was the eighth fastest ever recorded on the St. Lawrence University course.
The 32nd edition of the Hoffman Invitational provided ideal conditions for cross-country running in upstate New York, with more than a dozen teams competing in both the men’s and women’s races.
Vroom Helps Queen’s Capture Women’s Team Title
In the women’s race, Elizabeth Vroom delivered a standout performance for Queen’s University, finishing 7th overall with a time of 23:23.2 on the 6 km course. As Queen’s third scorer, her finish was crucial in securing the women’s team title, helping them edge Middlebury College of Vermont by 11 points.
Gee-Gees Women Claim 4th Place
The University of Ottawa women’s team battled to a 4th place finish, scoring 135 points with an average time of 26:42.0. Leading the team was sophomore Melina Hamel, who placed 18th with a time of 24:14.4. Senior Kylee Fowler followed closely, crossing the line in 24:53.3 for 21st place.
Seniors Elliot Tyman and Katarina Culhane added valuable points with 27th and 33rd-place finishes, respectively, while freshman Lorelie Houde completed the scoring in 29:12.3, earning 36th place overall. Freshman Emma Strano was just behind in 37th, finishing in 29:14.7.
Men’s Team Fights for 6th Place Finish
For the University of Ottawa men’s team, sophomore William McLeish led the charge, finishing 26th overall with a time of 28:06.9. Junior Zach Sikka followed closely in 32nd, crossing the line in 28:41.7. Juniors Fred Parent and Adriano Padoin-Castillo added solid performances, finishing 39th and 40th, respectively, helping the team to a 6th place finish with a total score of 188 points. Freshman Rory O’Connell rounded out the scoring five with a time of 33:20.8.
Belan Makes University Debut
In his first year with the Guelph Gryphons, Nicolas Belan got his first taste of university cross-country action at the Vigars & Salter Western Invitational in London. Belan was Guelph’s ninth runner, finishing the Thames Valley course in 27 minutes and 18 seconds, placing 43rd overall.
At the same meet, Lauren Alexander made her debut with the host Western Mustangs. Western coach and Ottawa Lions alum, Scott MacDonald, noted that Lauren ran a strong opening five kilometres before having to pull out due to foot pain.
Looking Ahead
Both University of Ottawa teams will aim to build on these performances as they look toward the OUA Championships at the end of October. Next up for the Gee-Gees is Capital XC this coming Saturday at Mooney’s Bay, where they will be joined by the Ravens of Carleton and a number of Ottawa Lions runners.
For full results and photos from the meet, please visit our results page.