The Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Cross Country Championship is set to take place this weekend as Redeemer University College and Mohawk College co-host the event at the Ancaster Community Centre and Dundas Valley Conservation Authority. The one-day provincial championship will feature some of Ontario’s best team and individual performers. The event will commence with the women’s 5 km race starting at 11 am with the men’s 8 km race following at 12 pm. The course consists of varied, technical terrain through the Dundas Valley Conservation Area. There are a number of moderate to difficult climbs throughout the course.

On the men’s side, the 8K individual race should prove to be exciting as the defending champion, David Sharratt of Conestoga is returning to defend his title. Sharratt won the only race he competed in this year, winning the St. Lawrence Invitational in a time of 27:15.

George Brown has two threats to win a medal in reigning OCAA and CCAA silver medalist Nelson Ndereva Njeru and Sean Sweeny. Ndereva Njeru’s only race this season, the Fleming Invitational, saw him finish second. Sean Sweeney has been one of the most consistent runners so far in the OCAA, winning a medal of every colour in his three races. At the St. Lawrence Invitational Sweeney was second, followed by a gold at the Fanshawe Invitational and a bronze at the Fleming Peterborough race.

The defending team Champions from Fanshawe return a strong team lead by John Mason. Mason, who finished in fourth place at last years OCAA Championship, hopes to turn his individual performance into a medal this time around. This season, Mason finished third amongst OCAA runners at the St. Lawrence Invitational and fifth at the St. Clair Invitational. Mike Scipio who ran for Humber last year, joins the Falcons this season where he has turned in top ten finishes in all four to date.

Josh Bujold from Cambrian Golden Shield looks to improve on his seventh place finish from a year ago. Bujold turned in podium finishes at the St. Lawrence Invitational with a third place finish and at the Fleming Peterborough Invitational where he won gold.

Other runners to watch out for are Jamie Switzer of Fleming Peterborough, Andre Simon of Mohawk, Lucus Nutbrown of St. Lawrence Kingston and Tyler Dunlop of St. Clair.

In the women’s competition, defending champion Ingrid Golemiec-Stover of the St. Lawrence Kingston Vikings has moved on to a coaching role with the team, but the Vikings still possess a serious threat to capture gold. Vikings rookie Tasha Derzekos won the St. Lawrence Invitational in a time of 19:58 which would have been the fastest time at last years OCAA Championship on the same course.

Dawn Martin of St. Lawrence Brockville, the runner who finish second to Derzekos at the St. Lawrence Invitational has been one of the most impressive OCAA runners this season. In addition to the second place finish, Martin finished first at both the Fanshawe Invitational and the Fleming Peterborough Invitational. Martin also is the only OCAA runner to break the 19 minute mark this season as she finished the Fanshawe Invitational in an impressive time of 18:56.

The Fanshawe Women’s team looks to be a serious threat to end Humber’s streak of team championship titles at two. The Falcons runners have had a successful year both as a group and individually finishing as the top OCAA school in three of the four races. Individually, Tineke Dejong has finished as one of the top three OCAA runners in three races this season. Joanne Clarke has also joined Dejong on the podium on two occasions as finishing second at both the Fanshawe Invitational and the Fleming Peterborough Invitational. Becky Peiterson was the top OCAA runner to cross the finish line at the St. Clair Invitational in the tune up for the these Championships.

The two-time defending OCAA Women’s Champions from Humber once again looks prime to defending their title and will be led again by Cythia Black who finished fourth at last years OCAA Championship. This year Black has two top five finishes, helping the Hawks to a win at the Fleming Peterborough Invitational in addition to three second place finishes.

Last’s years only CCAA All-star from the OCAA and reigning OCAA bronze medalist, Charlene Gibbons from Mohawk, has had a great year to date as she finishing in the top ten in all four races.

CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE:
Friday October 24, 2008
4pm Course Walk

Saturday October 25, 2008
9am Registration
9:30am Coaches Meeting
10am Course Walk
11am Women’s Race
12pm Men’s Race
2pm Banquet and Awards Ceremony

The following teams will be competing at the 2008 OCAA Cross Country Championship:

Cambrian College (Sudbury)
Conestoga College (Kitchener)
Confederation College (Thunder Bay)
Fanshawe College (London)
Fleming College (Peterborough)
George Brown College (Toronto)
Georgian College (Barrie)
Humber College (Etobicoke)
Lambton College (Sarnia)
Loyalist College (Belleville)
Mohawk College (Hamilton)
Redeemer University College (Ancaster)
St. Clair College (Windsor)
St. Lawrence College (Brockville)
St. Lawrence College (Cornwall)
St. Lawrence College (Kingston)
Seneca College (North York)