VICTORIA, B.C. - The University of Victoria Vikes cross-country teams brought the thunder to the East Coast on Nov. 8 in St. John's, Newfoundland. The men's side successfully defended their Canada West conference title and came home with a CIS silver medal, while the women finished second in the conference and sixth in the country (CIS). 

Looking at the results and times on paper doesn't quite do the race justice - brutal conditions made for this race to be a true cross-country course, throwing in various curve balls just to see who was the toughest competitor that day. The race took place on a golf course, raised high above the city of St. John's and was exposed to all of the elements, including winds gusting to 110 km per hour and heavy rain.
 
The course was made up of hills and tight turns, and if you got caught without drafting behind a pack of other runners then you found yourself running against a brick wall of wind. The course was made up of 2-km loops (men raced 10-km, women raced 6-km): on one half of the course the wind was against you, however it was another story on the second half when the wind was pushing behind each runner.
 
It all came down to grit and tactics. For the men, their fantastic mustaches that they all sported (the tradition of having "stachies for nashies" is big in North American cross-country) may have given them some extra power going up those hills when the going got tough.

Along with overall team accomplishments came outstanding individual performances that were recognized with major awards. Vikes Chloe Hegland, Ryan Cassidy, Kendra Pomfret and coach Brent Fougner all picked up awards from the Canada West conference. 

First year Chloe Hegland has proved that she can run with the big dogs and was awarded Canada West Female Rookie of the Year after a spectacular race. She finished 29th overall, and was 12th in the Canada West conference against a prestigious field. The Victoria native instantly asserted herself as a strong force on the team since her joining with the Vikes, and has had a consistent build up of fitness and outstanding performances throughout the cross-country season. 
 
"I wasn't sure what to expect," said Hegland, "but at the beginning of the season, I was very stressed out about how I would perform, but by the time CIS came around I had so much more experience in racing big groups of fast girls. I think the more you compete at championships such as CIS, the better you get with racing under pressure".
 
Her new-found confidence in racing, shown in her results, proved that she can step up to the plate for her teammates. The cross-country season isn't quite over for her yet, with her next stop in Vancouver for Canadian nationals. Hegland will be representing Team BC in the Junior category, racing the 6-km distance.
 
"Chloe is a spectacular runner who really knows what it takes to succeed," said Pomfret, fifth year and captain of the women's team. "Despite being the youngest on the team, she puts in the most mileage and it is clear that her work ethic has paid off. I definitely see her being an All-Canadian in the next year or two."
 
"I love the team and training with everyone is something I get really excited about at the end of the school day," said Hegland. "It has been the highlight of my experience at UVic so far!"
 
Ryan Cassidy, a veteran on the team, stepped up big in the race. Despite having doubts about his fitness and battling injuries throughout the season, he finished seventh at the CIS Championship, and first in the Canada West Conference. Cassidy is someone who can embody 'mind over matter' - in the race he simply tucked into the lead pack, sheltered himself from the wind, and dug deep to earn himself a top-10 finish. He was awarded the Canada West Male Athlete of the Year. 
 
"Ryan was struggling early season with injuries, and didn't think that he would be ready to compete," said men's captain Cole Peterson, "He knew that the rest of the team needed him so he started the season for us." 

From a spectator point of view, you knew Cassidy was going to put together a great race just by looking at his face mid-race. It was as if he was glowing; maintaining a cheeky smile on his face while everyone around him was breathing heavy, grimacing, and gasping in pain. All of a sudden, he decided to throw down the hammer, and anyone in his way quickly was behind him. Cassidy displayed the grit of a true distance runner, and despite how he was feeling about the race previously and everything he had gone through in the season, while sporting a great beard, he stepped up and pulled through for the men's team, contributing major points for their second-place finish. 
 
"Without him, we wouldn't have medalled," said Peterson, "In the end, it was his stubbornness that allowed him to thrive in the conditions, feeding off his competitors misery in the gale-force winds." 
 
Head coach Brent Fougner was awarded the Canada West Male Coach of the Year, after leading the men to the silver medal. 
 
"Brent has stepped up big time in his dedication and commitment to the team," said Pomfret, "taking on more than the typical university coach should have to handle. Despite winning numerous Canada West coaching titles in the past, I think this year was extra deserving knowing how much additional work he has had to put in since taking over both men's and women's programs last January."
 
An increased focus on team tactics, a slow build throughout the season, and great instincts has proven once again that Fougner is an incredible coach. 
 
Kendra Pomfret was the recipient of the CIS XC Female Student-Athlete Community Service award, which was given out at the pre-race banquet. Pomfret is heavily involved in the community, giving back in as many ways as she can through volunteer work.
 
"I'm extremely grateful to receive this award," said Pomfret, "I know how many people within the CIS contribute so much to their communities, their academic excellence, and their running." 
 
The major awards earned, as well as team titles, shows that the Vikes are back on the map as a dominant force in CIS middle distance.