XC | Men 8th, Women 11th at Western

Laurentian's Cross Country Running team competed at the 50^th annual Vigars and Salter Western Invitational this past weekend in London, ON.  Thirteen universities from across Ontario and Atlantic Canada contested the eight-kilometre race on the rolling Thames Valley Golf Club course.

The Voyageur men ran to an 8^th place team finish with a final score of 315 points.  In a field of 120 runners, fifth year social work student Keon Wallingford (North Bay) led the Voyageurs by crossing the line in 27^th place in a time of 26 minutes and 23 seconds. The next Vee to finish was first year SPAD student Braedan Estabrooks (Timmins) who placed 51^st in a time of 27:23. Also contributing to the Vees team score were Alan Wilkin (Manitoulin), 70^th in 28:18, Patrick Leroux (Wingham), 72^nd in 28:21 and Shiloh Sauve (Sudbury), 95^th in 29:30. 

The Voyageur women ran to an 11^th place finish with a final score of 375 points. The Vees were again led by fourth year kinesiology student Abby Lanteigne (Sudbury) who placed 53^rd in a time of 32 minutes and 50 seconds.  The Vees next scorer was first year kinesiology student Valerie Vaillancourt (Sudbury) who placed 77^th in 34:50.  Other contributors to the Vees team score were Georgia Lepage (Sudbury), 83^rd in 35:42, Charlotte Grenier (Sudbury), 85^th in 35:55 and Charli Borak (Georgetown), 87^th in 36:32.

"The men are working towards a goal of placing in the top seven teams at the OUA championships next month and their result today showed they should be in the mix", noted Vees Head Coach, Darren Jermyn.  "Braeden Estabrook's time today was one of our fastest in school history for a rookie on this course. Abby Lanteigne was also solid in leading our women today as we look to develop this young team over the next few years", Jermyn also remarked.

The Vees will return to action next weekend, racing over six kilometres at the Don Mills Open at the University of Waterloo.

Final Team Scores:

Men's 8km

1.      McMaster – 34 points

2.      Western – 72 points

3.      Windsor – 82 points

4.      Guelph – 85 points

5.      St. Francis Xavier – 145 points

6.      Toronto – 244 points

7.      New Brunswick – 251 points

8.      Laurentian – 315 points

9.      Waterloo – 341 points

10.   Laurier – 384 points

11.   Nipissing – 447 points

12.   York – 462 points

Women's 8km

1.      St. Francis Xavier – 48 points

2.      Windsor – 72 points

3.      McMaster – 82 points

4.      Guelph – 96 points

5.      Western – 154 points

6.      Toronto – 159 points

7.      New Brunswick – 163 points

8.      Waterloo – 226 points

9.      Laurier – 293 points

10.   York – 368 points

11.  Laurentian – 375 points