It didn’t take long for runners at the CCAA National Cross Country Running Championships to take notice of the sea of red at the top of the leader board as the Fanshawe Falcons women’s cross country team earned the title of 2009 National Champions. Ontario continued its haul of honours with the Fanshawe men also earning national team bronze. As a conference, the OCAA picked up a pair of silver medals for their running efforts.

Lilian Sparkes, NATIONAL CHAMPION: With a veteran poise and a million dollar smile, the Falcon student stood atop the podium after defeating the best collegiate runners in Canada over a 5KM distance. Sparkes, the OCAA Champion, continued her winning ways, running the distance in a time of 19:11, a full 12 seconds ahead of her next closest rival.

Rebecca Pieterson, the OCAA silver medalist, finished fifth and Erika Pearce, the OCAA bronze medalist was eighth. Ashley Killens also turned in a solid effort running to a 24th place finish, while Melissa Linker was 26th and Alysha Gjos 42nd to rounded out the outstanding team performance for the Falcons.

Dawn Martin, the defending CCAA bronze medalist from St. Lawrence College in Brockville completed the course in 20:25 to finish 12th. Rookie, Lisa Cybulskie, of Fleming Peterborough, was just one place, and two seconds behind Martin, finishing in 13th.

Lindsay Webster of the Humber Hawks finished in the 16th place overall, rounding out the top 20 for OCAA women runners.

Sparkes will also be featured in the upcoming edition of SWEAT magazine in the athlete profile section.

On the men’s side of the running trail, Jason Smith of the Conestoga Condors raced to a fourth place finish, crossing the wire in a 26:50 clocking. Biemnet Yemane of the Fanshawe Falcons was the next closest OCAA finished, crossing in seventh (27:18), while teammate John Mason was not too far behind finishing in 27:29 to round out the OCAA members in the top ten.

Other notable OCAA finishers were Nelson Njeru of Goerge Brown College who crossed in 11th (27:50), Josh Bujold of Cambrian Golden Shield in 12th (28:06), Julian Rhebergen of St. Lawrence College - Kingston in 15th (28:17) and Michael Scipio of Fanshawe in 17th (28:27)

RESULTS

Individual Results (Top 5)
Women’s (5KM)
1. Liliane Sparkes, Fanshawe College (OCAA) TIME; 19:11 

2. Jodi Sanguin, Red Deer College (ACAC) TIME; 19:23 

3. Purity Kandie, Lethbridge College (ACAC) TIME; 19:40 

4. Joanie Roy, College Francois-Xavier-Garneau (FQSE) TIME 19 :43 

5. Rebecca Pieterson, Fanshawe College (OCAA) TIME 19:43 
 

Men’s (8KM)
1. Willy Kimosop, Lethbridge College (ACAC) TIME; 25:53 

2. Ed Kangogo, Lethbridge College (ACAC) TIME; 26:15 

3. Olivier Collin,College Ahunstic (FQSE) TIME;  26:33 

4. Jason Smith, Conestoga College (OCAA) TIME; 26:50 

5. Jean-Samuel Lapointe, Cegep Sainte-Foy (FQSE) TIME; 27:04

Women’s College Teams (Top 3)
1. Fanshawe College (OCAA) TOTAL TIME: 1:21:12

2. Lethbridge College (ACAC) TOTAL TIME: 1:22:42

3. Humber College (OCAA) TOTAL TIME: 1:26:55

Men’s College Teams (Top 3)
1. Lethbridge College (ACAC) TOTAL TIME: 1:47:33

2. Collège de Sainte-Foy (FQSE) TOTAL TIME: 1:51:54

3. Fanshawe College (OCAA) TOTAL TIME: 1:52:52

Women’s Conference Competition
1. Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC)  31 Points

2. Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA)  39 Points 

3. Fédération Québécoise du Sport Étudiant (FQSE)  53 Points

Men’s Conference Competition
1. Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC)  33 Points

2. Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA)  42 Points

3. Fédération Québécoise du Sport Étudiant (FQSE)  48 Points

http://www.runaugustanaccaa09.ca/en/results/For additional and complete results, please click here.