Great showing for Laker runners at OUA Championships
The men and women of the Nipissing Lakers Cross-country team ran off to their best season finish yet in the eight-year history of the team.
Hosted at the Terry Fox facility at Mooney’s Bay in Ottawa, the 2011 Ontario University Athletics Cross-Country Championships tested the strength of the runners in the women’s 5,000m and the men’s 10,000m with several ascents of a grueling hill and a sandy beach traverse before a one-lap finish within the Terry Fox track and field stadium itself.
In the women’s race, a large field of more than 110 of Ontario’s best collegiate runners put it all on the line for both individual and team titles. To no surprise, Guelph University ran away with the overall title, but the up-and-coming Nipissing team proved seasons of hard work do indeed pay dividends. The women ran to their best ever OUA finish, placing 13th out of 16 teams, ahead of Brock, RMC, and Trent University. Led by first-year student-athlete Stephanie Leggat, whose 67th place finish in 20:38 was close to one of the best Lakers performances on record. Leggat was followed closely by veterans Felicia Saunders (73rd, 20:54) and Amy Claridge (90th, 21:45). There were nine Lakers women on this year’s cross-country squad, and all deserve a big congratulations for the hard work and perseverance it took to push the Lakers to their best OUA finish yet.
The Laker’s men ran another tough race, with over 100 of the fastest men in the province (and in Canada) challenging the 10km event. With four ascents up the monster of a hill and four beach crossings, it was impressive to see several of our men also run to personal best finishes. In the team competition, our men also ran strong against Trent, Brock, and RMC but in the end lost to Brock by just eight points for 14th place out of 15 teams. The men were led by first-year student Kevin Perry, who placed 75th in 35:19. Our other rookie Terry Doiron was the second male Laker crossing the line in 79th (35:38), and team captain Kevin Gallagher was the third male Laker crossing the line in 81st (36:01).
Nipissing’s team results are listed below, and full results can be found on the following websites:
Women’s Race – Individual Results (http://results.sportstats.ca/res2011/ouaw.htm)
Women’s Race – Team Results (http://results.sportstats.ca/res2011/ouawt.htm)
Men’s Race – Individual Results (http://results.sportstats.ca/res2011/ouam.htm)
Men’s Race – Team Results (http://results.sportstats.ca/res2011/ouamt.htm)WOMEN (5km)
Stephanie Leggat, 67, 20:38
Felicia Saunders 73, 20:54
Amy Claridge 90, 21:45
Melissa McKiel, 93, 21:48
Lynsey Bialkowski 98, 22:42
Taralynn Ray 101, 22:43
Brianna Yard 105, 23:57MEN (10km)
Kevin Perry 75, 35:19
Terry Doiron 79, 35:38
Kevin Gallagher 81, 36:01
Jordan Scott 84, 36:21
Kyle Radigan 93, 37:32
Alexander Burley 97, 38:54
Curtis Brennan 99, 40:00