The stage is set for the province’s best high school cross country runners to converge on the Heart Lake Conservation Area in Brampton this Saturday for the 2025 OFSAA Cross Country Championships. A total of 35 Ottawa Lions athletes will take to the trails, representing schools from across the National Capital region and Eastern Ontario.
Last year’s edition, hosted in Ottawa, brought plenty of success for Lions athletes. Daniel Cova claimed gold in the senior boys race, while Alexandra Harris earned bronze in the novice girls. The Louis-Riel senior boys also stood on the podium with a team bronze, thanks to strong performances from Cova, Cohen Kaye, Mikel Fortier, and Olivier Young.
Familiar Faces Return
Harris returns to OFSAA following another strong campaign that included a bronze medal in the junior girls race at this year’s NCSSAA Championships. Fortier and Young are also back, this time looking to help Louis-Riel build on their senior boys team title from last week’s city championships.
After finishing 21st in last year’s senior boys race, Charlie Mortimer of Hillcrest enters as a top contender for a place in the lead pack. Mortimer’s fall season has been nothing short of impressive — a top-10 finish in the university section of the Capital XC Challenge and a commanding victory at the NCSSAA Championships. He already owns one OFSAA medal, having earned silver in the 2000m steeplechase at last year’s track and field championships.
Ones to Watch
The junior boys race will feature a strong Lions duo in Oscar Lorrain and Rowan Blaine, who went 1–2 at last week’s EOSSAA Championships in Kingston and will be looking to replicate those impressive performances over the 5km course in Brampton.
On the girls’ side, Isla Kittmer returns to OFSAA after placing 12th in last year’s novice race. The MacKenzie Community School standout comes off a second-place finish in the junior girls race at EOSSAA and will be looking to crack the top 10 this time around.
In the novice girls race, Roan Gerth of Glebe will be one to watch. The freshman has been a standout for the Gryphons this fall, dominating the NCSSAA Championships with a comfortable victory.
Championship Schedule
Racing begins Saturday at 10:00 a.m. with the novice girls, followed by the para race at 10:45 a.m., junior girls at 12:15 p.m., junior boys at 1:00 p.m., senior girls at 1:45 p.m., and senior boys at 2:30 p.m.
Live results will be available at trackdatabase.com, and a live stream can be viewed on YouTube at youtube.com/live/9igAU9_q3Oc.
Lions Athletes Competing
Senior Boys (6km)
Max Gerundin – Bishop Smith CHS
Charlie Mortimer – Hillcrest HS
Jackson McKercher – John McCrae SS
Mikel Fortier – Louis-Riel ESP
Matisse Joly – Louis-Riel ESP
Olivier Young – Louis-Riel ESP
Aidan Snow – Paul Desmarais ESC
Senior Girls (6km)
Sophie Edwards – Colonel By SS
Laila Lebel – Colonel By SS
Kyra Lauter – Franco Ouest ESC
Emily Munro – Hillcrest HS
Edie Petrescu-Comnene – Nepean HS
Riley Daniels – The Element HS
Junior Boys (5km)
Oscar Lorrain – ÉSC l’Escale
Rowan Blaine – Glengarry DHS
Brody Charbot – St. Francis Xavier HS
Junior Girls (5km)
Isla Kittmer – MacKenzie CS
Kira Coldrey – Colonel By SS
Camille Cuylits – Glebe CI
Reve McInnes – Glebe CI
Anabelle Muir – Glebe CI
Leonie Ravard – Glebe CI
Alexandra Harris – John McCrae SS
Charlotte Eccles – Nepean HS
Charlie Fee – Nepean HS
Helena Winkel – Nepean HS
Novice Boys (4km)
Jaiden Taft – AY Jackson SS
Kai Lebel – Colonel By SS
Patrick Badgley – Sir Wilfrid Laurier SS
Novice Girls (4km)
Roan Gerth – Glebe CI
Nyla Liut-Hiridjee – Glebe CI
Saoirse Hoogenraad – Longfields-Davidson Heights SS
Priya Bilcock – Nepean HS
Anna Hennigar – Nepean HS
Para (4km)
Jacob Gauthier – Jules-Léger CC