2010 CIS cross country championships: Guelph looking for fifth consecutive sweep

Photo credit Guelph Athletics

SHERBROOKE, Que. – The University of Guelph Gryphons hope to resume their domination and sweep the Canadian Interuniversity Sport cross country banners for a fifth consecutive year, Saturday afternoon, on the course of the Club de golf de Sherbrooke.
 
In total, close to 300 athletes from 25 schools will compete at the event hosted by the University of Sherbrooke. The women’s five-kilometre race is scheduled for 1 p.m., with the men’s 10-km run following at 1:45 p.m.
 
The Guelph women claimed their fifth straight team title in 2009, while the men captured the banner for the fourth year in a row at Fort Henry Hill in Kingston, Ont. The Gryphons now hold a CIS-record 15 total titles, compared to 13 for second-place Victoria.
 
Alex Genest of Lac-aux-Sables, Que., a former member of the host Sherbrooke Vert & Or, led the Guelph men to first place at the OUA championships two weeks ago with an individual gold medal. The CIS champion in 2007 and silver medallist in 2006 while competing for Sherbrooke, he will be one of the runners to keep an eye on come Saturday.
 
On the women’s side, McMaster’s Jessica Pearo of Richmond Hill, Ont., was crowned OUA champ, but the Gryphons took home the team banner.
 
In Quebec, Olivier Lavoie of Laval, Que., made it a “double-double” for the Vert & Or as he won individual gold while helping the Sherbrooke men capture a fourth straight RSEQ title. In women’s competition, Sarah McCuaig of Waterloo, Ont., and her McGill teammates accomplished the same feat, marking the first team title since 2007 for the Martlets.  
 
“I feel great these days. I’m very confident and I can’t wait to race on Saturday,” said Lavoie, who finished a distant 82nd a year ago in Kingston. “I’ve trained really hard the past few months and I hope it will show this weekend.”
 
In the Maritimes, the AUS championships were dominated by the Dalhousie Tigers, who swept the team banners and saw Caroline Schlosser of Edmonton and Daniel Gorman of Halifax cross the finish line in first place in the women’s and men’s races, respectively.
 
While there are no cross country championships in Canada West, many runners and teams travel to the CIS meet annually. For one, Regina’s Kelly Wiebe is set to defend his national bronze medal from 2009.
 
New CIS champions will be crowned on Saturday following the graduation of Toronto’s Megan Brown and Guelph’s Matt Brunsting, who both won back-to-back gold in 2009 and 2008.
 
Van Soest and Dorosz honoured
 
On Friday morning, the University of Alberta’s Jessica Van Soest of Edmonton and Calgary’s Samuel Dorosz of Lethbridge, Alta., were presented with the 2010 CIS student-athlete community service awards.
 
For the past four years, Van Soest has been a volunteer with the Steadward Center, an organization that works with brain injured, physical and mentally challenged individuals. She was the CAGE team leader who organized and ran exercise programs for children with disabilities.
 
She also volunteers with the Capital Care Center-Lynwood where she works in the Physical Therapy clinic with seniors suffering from dementia and other health disorders. Her other volunteer work includes being a children’s literary leader for the Annunciation Catholic Church
 
“Jessica was a walk on to our cross country program but through hard work and determination she has become a fine competitive runner and a leader within our program,” said Alberta coach Georgette Reed. “Her extra-curricular activities working with the disabled and the elderly are exemplary and provides a good example of service to the rest of our program.”
 
As the president of the Biomedical Engineering Students’ Society, Dorosz provides leadership and organizational direction. He runs weekly meetings, interacts with faculty members, acquires funding for student trips and seminars, and plans both academic (lab tours, seminars, industry panel, etc.) and social events.
 
For the last two years, he has been a speaker at the fall University of Calgary Open house, talking with high school students regarding both university academics and lifestyle.
 
“Sam is extremely committed to everything that he takes on in life. It is full speed ahead in all aspects of his life,” said Calgary coach Doug Lamont. “He is a very coachable young man and he is dedicated to both his athletic success and his team’s success.”

CIS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM CHAMPIONS

Women

2009 Guelph (at Queen’s)
2008 Guelph (at Laval)
2007 Guelph (at Victoria)
2006 Guelph (at Laval)
2005 Guelph (at Dalhousie)
2004 Dalhousie (at Guelph)
2003 Calgary (at Moncton)
2002 Toronto (at Western)
2001 Victoria (at Sherbrooke)
2000 Victoria (at Toronto)
1999 Victoria (at RMC / Queen’s)
1998 Victoria (at Waterloo)
1997 Guelph (at Western)
1996 Waterloo (at McGill)
1995 Windsor (at Western)
1994 Victoria (at Western)
1993 Calgary (at Dalhousie)
1992 Calgary (at McGill)
1991 Toronto (at Victoria)
1990 Western (at Ottawa)
1989 Western (at UBC)
1988 Western (at Laval)
1987 Victoria (at Victoria)
1986 Victoria (at Western)
1985 Victoria (at Sherbrooke)
1984 Western (at Guelph)
1983 Western (at Laurentian)
1982 Western (at Laurentian)
1981 Western (at Lethbridge)
1980 Victoria (at Guelph)

Men

2009 Guelph (at Queen’s)
2008 Guelph (at Laval)
2007 Guelph (at Victoria)
2006 Guelph (at Laval)
2005 Windsor (at Dalhousie)
2004 Windsor (at Guelph)
2003 Windsor (at Moncton)
2002 Guelph (at Western)
2001 Guelph (at Sherbrooke)
2000 Guelph (at Toronto)
1999 Guelph (at RMC / Queen's)        
1998 Windsor (at Waterloo)
1997 Victoria (at Western)
1996 Victoria (at McGill)
1995 Victoria (at Western)
1994 Victoria (at Western)
1993 UBC (at Dalhousie)
1992 Sherbrooke (at McGill)
1991 Toronto (at Victoria)
1990 Ottawa (at Ottawa)
1989 Manitoba (at UBC)
1988 Manitoba (at Laval)
1987 Ottawa (at Victoria)
1986 Ottawa (at Western)
1985 Western (at Sherbrooke)
1984 Queen's (at Guelph)
1983 Queen's (at Laurentian)
1982 Toronto (at Laurentian)
1981 Queen's (at Lethbridge)
1980 Alberta (at Guelph)
1979 Queen's (at Toronto)
1978 Toronto (at Toronto)
1977 Toronto (at Queen's)
1976 Western (at Guelph)
1975 Toronto (at Victoria)
1974 Toronto (at Guelph)
1973 OUAA All-Stars (at RMC / Queen's)
1972 OUAA All-Stars (at RMC)
1971 Western (at UNB)
1970 Western (at UBC)
1969 Guelph (at MacDonald)
1968 Saskatchewan (at Dalhousie)
1967 Toronto (at Guelph)
1966 Toronto (at Guelph)
1965 Toronto (at Guelph)
1964 Manitoba (at Guelph)
1963 McMaster (at Guelph)

CIS CROSS COUNTRY INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS

Women

2009 Megan Brown, Toronto
2008 Megan Brown, Toronto
2007 Lindsay Carson, Guelph
2006 Megan Brown, Toronto
2005 Beth Wightman, Toronto
2004 Kristina Rody, Guelph
2003 Beth Wightman, Queen’s
2002 Sarah Dillabaugh, Ottawa
2001 Beth Wightman, Queen's
2000 Debbie Buhlers, Waterloo
1999 Teresa Duck, Western
1998 Nathalie Côté, Ottawa
1997 Nathalie Côté, Ottawa
1996 Nathalie Côté, Ottawa
1995 Missy McCleary, Windsor
1994 Linda Thyer, McGill
1993 Lisa Harvey, Calgary
1992 Lisa Harvey, Calgary
1991 Anna Gunasekera, Victoria
1990 Anna Gunasekera, Victoria
1989 Lucy Smith, Dalhousie
1988 Lucy Smith, Dalhousie
1987 Brenda Shackleton, Victoria
1986 Brenda Shackleton, Victoria
1985 Brenda Shackleton, Victoria
1984 Jill Purola, Western
1983 Sylvia Ruegger, Guelph
1982 Nancy Rooks, York
1981 Anne-Marie Malone, Queen’s
1980 Sylvia Ruegger, Guelph

Men

2009 Matt Brunsting, Guelph
2008 Matt Brunsting, Guelph
2007 Alex Genest, Sherbrooke
2006 Geoffrey Kerr, Calgary
2005 Cristiano Mauricio, Windsor
2004 Cristiano Mauricio, Windsor
2003 Eric Gillis, StFX
2002 Jamie Epp, Saskatchewan
2001 Jerry Ziak, Victoria
2000 Jamie Epp, Saskatchewan
1999 Graham Cocksedge, Victoria
1998 Jeremy Deere, Calgary
1997 Guy Schultz, Western
1996 Éric Jobin, Sherbrooke
1995 Jeff Schiebler, UBC
1994 Joël Bourgeois, Moncton
1993 Brendan Matthias, Toronto
1992 Graeme Fell, UBC
1991 Brendan Matthias, Toronto
1990 John Halvorsen, Ottawa
1989 Richard Charrette, Ottawa
1988 John Halvorsen, Ottawa
1987 John Halvorsen, Ottawa
1986 John Halvorsen, Ottawa
1985 Bob Rice, Ottawa
1984 Paul McCloy, Memorial
1983 Paul McCloy, Memorial
1982 Brian Rhodes, Alberta
1981 Paul McCloy, Memorial
1980 Paul Williams, Toronto
1979 Peter Butler, Calgary
1978 Paul Williams, Toronto
1977 Paul Williams, Guelph
1976 Brian Stride, Brock
1975 Joe Sax, Western
1974 John Sharp, Toronto
1973 John Sharp, Toronto
1972 Rick Munro, Dalhousie
1971 Grant McLaren, Western
1970 Dave Smith, York
1969 Grant McLaren, Guelph
1968 Dave Smith, York
1967 David Bailey, Toronto
1966 David Bailey, Toronto
1965 Jerome Drayton, Toronto
1964 Chris Williamson, UNB
1963 Bruce Kidd, Toronto
 
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