VICTORIA, B.C. – In a meet that held the possibility of two titles, the University of Victoria Vikes women's cross country team came away with one of two honours as they placed first in the Canada West portion of the 2012 CIS Championships, held Nov. 10 in London, Ont.
2012 CIS CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS /
2012 CANADA WEST RESULTS
Going into the event the UVic women were ranked number three in the country in the weekly CIS Top 10 poll and as runners up to last year's national title, the team was gunning for this season's top honours. However, boasting one of the most successful cross country programs in the country, the Guelph Gryphons won their eighth consecutive national title while the Vikes placed fourth. On the Canada West side of the event, the Vikes earned their second consecutive team title with a points total of 36.
Heading into the CIS Championship the Vikes had shown steady improvement throughout the fall as they built up to a first-place team title at the 2012 Beaver Classic in Corvallis, Ore. Racing the 5-km women's event fifth-year veteran
Brittany Therrien (Victoria, BC) was the Vikes' first scorer as she placed 15
th in a field of 123 runners, just barely missing out on Second Team All-Canadian status.
Jenna Van Vliet (Calgary, AB) was the Vikes' second finish as she crossed the line 23
rd overall.
Racing in her first CIS cross country event,
Rachel Francois (St. Albert, AB) placed 34
th while University of Calgary-transfer
Madeline MacDonald (Calgary, AB) and rookie
Alison Hooper (Victoria, BC) came in at 44
th and 47
th, respectively.
In the Canada West portion of the event Therrien came in second, Van Vliet crossed the line sixth, Franois in eighth, and coming in 13
th, 14
th, and 15
th were MacDonald, Hooper, and
Stephanie Trenholm (Campbell River, BC).
“It was kind of a disappointment as it wasn't really what we were capable of,” said
Brent Fougner, head coach of the Vikes women's cross country team. “But those were just the cards that we were dealt today and we did come away with the Canada West title.”
Therrien and Van Vliet both earned Canada West First Team All-Star honours while Francois, MacDonald and Hooper were awarded Canada West Second Team All-Star status.
Next up for the women are the Canadian Championships, Nov. 24 in Vancouver, B.C., their final race of the 2012 cross country season.
