OTTAWA — Ottawa Lions athletes won both the 5km and 10km races at the Grit & Grind Trail Races at Camp Fortune in Gatineau Park last weekend, opening the club’s 2026-27 season.
Ronan Lebel won the men’s 5km in 26:55, finishing 44 seconds ahead of clubmate Adam Yakimchuk in second.
Eleanor Fraser was the first woman across the line in 31:29, a minute ahead of the next woman. Earlier this year, Fraser moved to No. 2 on the club’s all-time U14 5km road running list. Saoirse Hoogenraad also placed in the women’s top 10, finishing sixth in 39:35.
In the 10km, Kai Lebel won in 57:14, 26 seconds ahead of Noah Vanderzon of the Carleton Ravens Nordic skiing team. Jake Claydon-St. John was third.
Penny Lamorie was the top female finisher for the Lions, placing ninth in 1:21:27.
Elsewhere, Daniel Cova made his collegiate debut for Iona University at the Adelphi Panthers XC Invite after redshirting his freshman season. Cova, a two-time defending Canadian U20 5000m silver medalist, placed 17th overall, covering the 8km course in 26:06.0. He was Iona’s fifth scorer as the Gaels finished second in the team standings behind Cornell.
Full results from the Grit and Grind Trail Races are available on https://sportstats.one/event/grit-and-grind-trail-race/leaderboard/147712