MSKI | Laurentian Men Battle Through Gruelling OUA Nordic Championships
The OUA Nordic Skiing Championships tested participants' speed, endurance, and depth across three difficult days of racing. The Laurentian Voyageurs demonstrated strength throughout the championship. Competing in both the classic and free technique events, the Vees were led by strong individual performances in distance races that featured tightly packed finishing times and deep provincial fields.
In the interval start free technique race, Laurentian skiers wasted no time in entering competitive territory, staying within close distance of mid-pack Ontario powerhouses. The race proved especially taxing through the 9km course, where pacing and late-race stamina proved decisive. Several Voyageurs posted consistent splits across all laps, avoiding the dramatic fade that occurred in parts of the track. Laurentian's skiers, Jamie Brain, Owen Claridge, Laydon Bursey, Jack Anderson, and Fin O'Brien each posted times under 32 minutes. Brain led the pack, finishing 37th overall with an impressive time of 28:08.7, finishing just five seconds behind the next best.
During the weekend, the 15km distance classic event emphasized riders' glide efficiency and technical precision. Brain once again set the pace for the Voyageurs, while Bursey demonstrated strong control of the middle stages of the race before turning on the burners. Claridge, Anderson, and O'Brien rounded out the group, allowing all five skiers to finish in the top 45, all with a sub-hour final time.
The 9km relay showed much of the same fortune for Laurentian. Finishing tenth overall, the Voyageurs posted a 25:12.8 finish behind Claridge, Bursey, and Brain, each finishing passing the baton in that order. They completed the track just four minutes after first place, and six minutes before the final team crossed the finish line.
Across the championship weekend, the Vees demonstrated incredible depth and resilience. Rather than relying on a single breakout performance, Laurentian accumulated points through steady finishes in each discipline, an encouraging sign as the program continues to narrow the gap with Ontario's top contenders. The three-day championship schedule demanded both physical and mental endurance, as well as recovery discipline, all of which Laurentian displayed wonderfully.
With the 2026 OUA Championship complete, the Voyageurs leave with valuable championship experience and measurable progression against the top programs in the province, where they can now use the momentum to build on heading into next season.
- Brendan Rubin