The University of Victoria Vikes put the scare into the competition as they swept the men’s and women’s team titles at the Canada West Cross Country Championships on October 31. The Vikes recorded low scores of 39 and 35, respectively.
Meanwhile in Ontario, the Marauders did their own tricking on Halloween, sweeping their respective titles at the University of Windsor.
In the west, and in the men’s standings, the Regina Cougars finished second with 63 points, followed by the UBC Thunderbirds with 66. In the women’s competition, UBC placed second with 39 points, while the University of Alberta Pandas finished third with 82.
It could, in theory, be the Marauders or Vikes sweeping. Discuss your picks here.
Men’s race
UBC’s Maximilion Fillion won the men’s individual race, completing the four-lap, 8 km course in 25:52. Ian Teichler from Regina finished second in 26:00, followed by three Vikes in succession. Daniel Damian crossed third in 26:14, Tyler Browne was fourth in 26:16, and Jaxon Kuchar finished fifth in 26:33.
The Vikes demonstrated their team depth with three more runners finishing consecutively in 13th, 14th and 15th: Jacob Webster, Nico Stockwell and Mitchell Erickson.
Kuchar reflected on the team’s performance, telling Athletics Illustrated:
“The race went quite well for the team, and we were able to repeat as CanWest champions along with the women’s team. The course was definitely a challenging one, with sharp, muddy turns, an extended single-track section, and a hill that offered the option of taking the trail or the stairs. Seeing the latter is a first for me in a cross-country event.
“Individually, I was quite disappointed with my race. I felt like training was going well, my mileage had been higher than ever, and I was stronger than last season. Unfortunately, I found myself fighting a mental battle during the race and couldn’t quite get into a rhythm at all.
“It happens, however, and if every race went perfectly, the dream wouldn’t be worth pursuing.”
Kuchar is completing his undergraduate degree this year but has one year of eligibility remaining for the 2027-28 season.
Women’s race
Defending U Sports champion Madelyn Eybergen led the Vikes’ women’s team to victory, winning the individual race in 29:16. Teammate Marisha Thompson finished second in 29:57, while Elissa Freilink placed fourth, giving Victoria three runners in the top four.
Abigail Yakemchuk of UBC Okanagan, the Kelowna-based campus of the University of British Columbia, finished third in 30:44.
Eybergen enjoyed the challenging course, telling Athletics Illustrated:
“I found the course quite fun. Lots of hills, mud, narrow paths and tight corners, so it definitely wasn’t a fast course. I felt good during the race. Now just looking forward to U Sports.”
She is expected to win again at U Sports.
Looking ahead to U Sports
The national championships are scheduled for Nov. 14 at Christie Lake Conservation Area in Dundas, Ontario, with McMaster University hosting.
The McMaster Marauders men’s team enters as the top seed, while the defending champion Vikes women are also seeded first overall.
The University of Guelph Gryphons are seeded second in the women’s competition, followed by the University of Windsor Lancers in third.
Victoria’s women will face a formidable challenge as they attempt to defend their 2025 national title, but are the favourites going in.
For the men, it should be the Marauders who are indeed the top seed. Sherbrooke and Laval are seeded second and third, but prognosticators should not discount the Gryphons and Vikes, who may threaten.
Ontario championships
At the Ontario University Athletics Championships, it was the Lancers hosting. But it was the Marauders sweeping the team results with low scores of 30 and 40 points for the men and women, respectively.
In the men’s division, the Gryphons and Western Mustangs took second and third with 68 and 81 points. While the women’s second and third teams were the Lancers with 54 and Gryphons with 61.
The defending champions going in for both divisions were the Queen’s Gaels.
This year, it was Jack Lehto with the Gryphons won in 23:56.2, while Samuel Patrick with the Marauders took second in 24:22. Luke Feltham took third in 24:25.
In the women’s race, the top three were Samara Quanz with the Windsor Lancers in 27:41, Alyshia Alkerton also with the Lancers in 27:45 and in third was Ana Morariu with the Marauders in 28:18.
Whatever happens in Dundas, athletes will have an opportunity for redemption two weeks later at the University of Laval, as Athletics Canada puts on the Canadian Cross Country Championships on Nov. 28 and 29 on the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City, QC.
