SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. - If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.
That lesson was on full display at the 2012 Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Cross Country Championships on Saturday, as Richelle Moore of St. Lawrence-Kingston and Clint Smith of Fanshawe won the women's 5 km and men's 8 km, respectively.
Algoma University hosted this year's championships at the Hiawatha Highlands Conservation Area in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
Moore, a former OCAA silver and bronze medalist, won the race in a time of 18:22.0, nearly seven seconds ahead of runner-up Stephanie Braithwaite of Seneca. There was a dead heat for the bronze medal, as Humber's Darian Limb just edged Seneca's Samantha Braithwaite in a time of 18:33.9.
Humber successfully defended its women's team championship. Limb, Katherine White (18:47.7), Becky Tindall (19:32.3) and Amy Walcott (19:59.2) all contributed to the team title.
Sault, in its cross country debut, finished second in the women's team standings. Erin Mallinger (19:14.4), Tessa Kasch (19:32.3), Carissa Holley (19:50.3) and Adrianna Weir (20:25.0) all earned team silver. Julie Koopmans (19:25.7), Jillian Marquardt (19:30.9), Adriana So (20:29.3) and Annie Stollery (21:16.0) led Redeemer to team bronze.
Smith, a silver medalist each of the past two championships, left nothing to chance by blowing away the field in a time of 24:53.2. St. Clair's Andrew DeGroot took silver in a time of 25:25.8, while defending men's champion Sean Sweeney of George Brown earned bronze in a time of 25:31.1.
Fanshawe won its fourth consecutive men's team title, tying an OCAA record set by St. Lawrence-Kingston from 1978 to 1981. Along with Smith, Daniel Bright (25:40.4), Brandon Graham (26:14.8) and Josh Lumani (26:17.6) contributed to the team championship.
The Humber men finished in second place. Nathaniel Green (25:47.3), Andrew Cruickshank (25:48.0), Jesse Bruce (27:13.2) and Darren Mancini (27:48.2) all earned a silver medal. Fleming took team bronze, led by Riley Hubbard-Olesky (25:55.6), Daniele Oss-Cassador (26:49.4), David Parsons (27:20.6) and Ben Sullivan (28:45.4).
The top seven individual men and women are named to the first All-Ontario team. The women's team include Moore, Stephanie Braithwaite (18:28.9), Limb, Samantha Braithwaite (18.33.9), Fanshawe's Jocelyn Fry (18:38.5), St. Lawrence-Brockville's Rebecca Jaros (18:45.6) and George Brown's Liz Seguin (18:46.8). Smith, DeGroot, Sweeney, Bright, Cambrian's Eric Leishman (25:44.3), Green and Cruickshank make up the men's team.
Individuals placing eighth through 14th earn second All-Ontario team status. The women's second team includes White, St. Clair's Kodi Morgan (19:02.6), Mallinger, Fleming's Kaylee MacLellan (19:19.6), Koopmans, Marquardt and Kasch. The men's second team is made up of Hubbard-Olesky, Graham, Lumani, Redeemer's Taylor Kraayenbrink (26:19.7), Kyle McKellar (26:30.7) and Rick Tielemans (26:32.0) of Fanshawe as well as Mohawk's Jessie Wilcox (26:34.4).
Championship Website: www.algomau.ca/cross-country
Results
- OCAA -
ABOUT ONTARIO COLLEGES ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
The Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) is a recognized
leader in intercollegiate athletics in the province, dedicated to
student athlete and sport development. The OCAA has 30 members
sponsoring 16 league and tournament championships.
For additional information please contact:
Josh Bell-Webster
Marketing and Communications
Ontario Colleges Athletic Association
Tel: 416-426-7041
Fax: 416-426-7308
E-mail: bell-webster@ocaa.com