University of Victoria Athletics

1997 University of Victoria Men’s Cross Country
   
Men’s Roster

NAME

Phil Aguire

Collin Bullock

Ryan Clarke

Graham Cocksedge

Alex Coffin

Rob Crawford

Mark Creery

Mark Cryderman

James Davison

Lucien Ervington

Malcolm Fairbrother

Jim Finlayson

Dylan Gleen

Paul Haberer

Jason Juteau

Sean Juteau

Sean McCartney

Chad Pawson

James Rempel

Ian Scott

Dan Shoom

Brent Fougner (Head Coach)
 
 
Biography
As three-time defending cross-country national champions, the 1997 University of Victoria men’s team is on the verge of setting a Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union (CIAU) record. However, head coach Brent Fougner lost three members of the 1996 championship team. Both Neal Beattie and Jody Lee graduated, while James Morrison is working in Japan on a co-op term.
 
Prior to the varsity season that began in September of 1997, the members of the Vikes men’s running team stayed busy throughout the summer. James Davison competed for Team BC, while Vike teammate Chad Pawson competed for Team Saskatchewan at the Canada Summer Games in Brandon, Manitoba. Davison walked away with a bronze medal in the 5 000-m race.
 
Heading into the varsity season, the Vikes picked up many key recruits who boosted both the men’s cross-country team and the men’s track and field team. The Vikes welcome Victoria High School graduate James Rempel and Claremont Secondary graduate Sean Juteau. The two athletes competed throughout their high school years only to come together at UVic under Fougner’s “teamwork” motto. Sean Juteau will race alongside his fourth year brother Jason Juteau for the first time.
 
The 1997 Vikes middle-distance team travelled back to London, Ontario for the CIAU national championships. Hosted by the University of Western Ontario Mustangs, the Vikes competed against over 130 runners, the largest participation pool nationals had every hosted. Running on the familiar Thames Valley Golf Course, Jim Finlayson and Graham Cocksedge led UVic individually finishing second and third. Also securing points for the Vikes were Davison in ninth place, and Pawson in 18^th. Calculating the top five finishes, under the reverse scoring system, the Vikes defeated 17 teams to earn their fourth consecutive national championship title. This was the first time in CIAU history that a team won four straight years in a row, three of which were earned on the Thames Valley Golf Course.
 
Both Finlayson and Cocksedge were named CIAU First Team All-Canadians. Davison and Pawson were also honoured as CIAU Second Team All-Canadians. Also producing a CIAU record was head coach Fougner who was named CIAU coach of the year for the fourth consecutive year. This was the first time a male cross-country coach had been selected four straight years as coach of the year.
 
Finlayson and Cocksedge’s dominating season was capped off by securing spots on the Canadian national cross-country team that travelled to Morocco for the world junior cross country championships later that season in March 1998. Finlayson’s 1997-98 season achievements include a sixth place finish at the Seattle Invitational, first place at the UBC Invitational and a second place finish at BC Provincials held at Stanley Park.
 
 
Season Summary
Canada Summer Games:

• James Davison (Team BC) 5 000-m: Bronze

Seattle Invitational

• Jim Finlayson: 6^th

UBC Invitational

• Jim Finlayson: GOLD (1^st)

BC Provincial Championship

• Jim Finlayson: SILVER (2^nd)

Canada West Championship: GOLD (1^st)
 
     Team Results

RANK	SCHOOL
1.	Victoria
2.	UBC
3.	Alberta

 
Individual Results 10-km

RANK	ATHLETE	SCHOOL
1.	Jim Finlayson	Victoria
2.	Graham Cocksedge	Victoria
3.	Matt Coley	UBC

 


Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union Championship: GOLD (1^st)

• Record number of consecutive championship titles

                    CIAU Team Results

RANK	SCHOOL	POINTS
1.	Victoria	50
2.	Western	85
3.	Windsor	86
4.	UBC	99
5.	Alberta	182

 
 
                     CIAU Individual Results UVic Athletes Only 10-km

RANK	ATHLETE	TIME
2.	Jim Finlayson	31:37 *
3.	Graham Cocksedge	31:57*
9.	James Davison	32:29
17.	Chad Pawson	33:19

 
* Stats become a Canada West record


CIAU Coach of the Year: Brent Fougner

• Then-tecord number of consecutive coach of the year selections with four.