Cold, wet conditions challenge runners at OUA Championship

The Nipissing University Lakers Cross-Country teams ran their final race of the season this past Saturday at the 2012 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Championships, hosted by York University at the Kingbridge Conference Centre (King City, Ontario). Conditions were cold and wet as a steady rain fell throughout the morning, making the already technically difficult course very slick and muddy.As expected, the University of Guelph claimed both the men’s and women’s OUA cross country titles as the women won their ninth straight banner and the men their eighth. In the women’s 5km race, Guelph’s Genevieve Lalonde opened up a big lead early on and stayed out in front throughout the entirety of the race, crossing the finish line in a time of 17:45.96. The Gryphon’s Ross Proudfoot won the gold medal in a time of 32:06.17 in the 10km course, with Guelph runners also taking the silver and bronze medals ahead of North Bay’s Mathew Walters (Windsor Lancers).
On the Laker’s squads, the women were led by sophomore athlete Stephanie Leggat, whose 65th place finish (out of 103 finishers) in 20:55 tied her season best time for 2012 despite the very slippery and hilly course conditions. Leggat was followed closely by Amy Claridge (72nd, 21:27), Melissa McKiel (73rd, 21:28), Felicia Saunders (74th, 21:28), Lynsey Bialkowski (97th, 23:03), Brianna Yard (98th, 23:27), and Emily Floyd (99th, 23:42). The Lakers women placed 14 out of 15 teams, narrowly losing to Laurier and Brock by only 15 points.
In the Men’s race, second-year BPHE student Terry Doiron once again led the squad with a 71st place finish (out of 95 finishers) in 37:27 for the 10km course. Rookie athlete Matt Chalmers followed closely behind for 77th (38:03). The Men’s Team Captain, Jordan Scott, who had not run a step since the Guelph race two weekends ago when he badly sprained his ankle, stoically ‘stepped’ up to support his teammates, finishing the 10 km race as the third Laker in 85th (39:45). Brandon Brown (86th, 39:46), Randy Twomey (89th, 40:10), and Kevin Durkee (90th, 40:38) rounded out the rest of the Lakers. Overall, the men finished 13th out of 14 teams, beating Trent University.
“What a great show of determination on the weekend!” raved coach Graydon Raymer.  “Everyone showed tremendous will and determination, and not for a lack of effort did we narrowly miss some of our close competitors in the team competition. Many Nipissing racers had best, or near-season best performances on what was clearly a slow, gruelling course. Congrats to all for a job well done!”
Full results from the 2012 OUA Championships can be found here:
http://www.yorkulions.ca/sports/xc/2012-13/releases/Gryphons_sweep_OUA_…?