CAMBRIDGE, Ont. - The province's top collegiate runners will compete on Saturday at the 2023 Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Cross Country Championships. Conestoga College hosts the event at Shade's Mills Conservation Area in Cambridge, Ont.

Last year's individual champions look to defend their respective titles. Fanshawe College's Katie Rice (Ingersoll) aims to defend the OCAA women's individual gold medal having won all three invitational meets this autumn. Ditto for reigning OCAA men's champion Paulo Lokoro (Mississauga) of Sheridan College who has also won all three meets.

Based on the invitational results, Rice's closest rivals will be Leah Durnford (Bolton) of Humber College who placed second at the Seneca Invitational; Ava Snyder (Burlington) of Mohawk College who was runner-up at the Fanshawe Invitational; and Rebecca Greer (Russell) of St. Lawrence College who was second best at the Centennial Invitational. Last year's OCAA silver and bronze medalists, Catherine Irwin (Kingston) of Humber and Mette Siemens (Saskatoon, Sask.) of Sheridan College, are also expected to compete at Shade's Mills.

Equally as consistent as Lokoro this season has been Sage Sulentic (Dundas) of Mohawk, who was runner-up in all three invitational men's races. Ethan Roche (London) of Fanshawe finished on the podium in two of the three races, while Ethan Kruisselbrink (Owen Sound) of Redeemer University has also had a strong season. With Lokoro the only men's returnee from last year's podium, there will be a changing of the guard at this year's race.

Runners will represent 16 Ontario post-secondary campuses, including the Cambrian College, Centennial College, host Conestoga, Confederation College, Fanshawe, Fleming College, Humber, Lambton College, Wilfrid Laurier University Brantford, Loyalist College, Mohawk, Redeemer, St. Clair College, St. Lawrence, Seneca Polytechnic and Sheridan.

The St. Clair Saints and Fanshawe Falcons are the defending OCAA men's and women's team champions, respectively.

The women's six kilometre race begins at 11 a.m., while the men will race eight kilometres at 12 p.m.

The top OCAA individuals and teams advance to the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association Cross Country National Championships in Truro, N.S., on Nov. 11.

Championship Website: www.ocaa.com/xc

- OCAA -

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Ontario Colleges Athletic Association
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E-mail: bell-webster@ocaa.com