February 8, 2008
LAKEHEAD LOOKS FOR FOUR-PEAT AT OUA NORDIC SKIING CHAMPIONSHIPS
HAMILTON, Ont. - The Lakehead Thunderwolves women's and men's Nordic ski teams put their Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championship titles on the line this weekend when they head to Sudbury, Ontario for the OUA Nordic Skiing Championships, hosted by Laurentian University February 9-10. The Nordic Wolves head into the championships as three-time defending champions for both the men's and women's team and are looking to make it a four-peat. This year's squads see a balance between young skiers and veterans and Head Coach Lisa Patterson is hoping that her experience skiers and talented recruits can bring the titles back to Lakehead.
Lakehead's women should have a good chance at defending their title if the team performs up to their potential, but will face tough competition from the host Laurentian squad. On the men's side the team will look to out perform a tough Carleton Raven team. Coach Patterson said he teams will do their best to keep the conference crowns at Lakehead. "Lakehead will put its best effort forward to defending our three-year championships reign."
The host Laurentian Lady Vees and Voyageurs Nordic Ski teams have spent the past two weeks practicing, gearing up for these champinoships after a great showing at the OUA Sectionals in Haliburton, where Julie Porter (Caledon East, ON) and Mary Thompson (Woodstock, ON) made a statement with strong results in both the classic and freestyle events.
In the five-kilometre classic race it was Thompson who edged out Porter by a mere two seconds to take first place. Thompson won the event in a time of 017:09.5, while Porter was second in 0:17:11.0. Laurentian's Julia Winter (Penetanguishene, ON.) also managed a top-10 spot, finishing in seventh place (0:18:43.4).
In the men's 10-kilometre classic race, Brendan Waddell (Sudbury, ON) and Matt Strickland (Oxtongue Lake, ON) were Laurentian's top finishers, earning sixth and seventh place respectively. Waddell used a strong second lap to finish in a time of 0:32:38.3 just a head of Strickland who finished in 0:32:45.2. Carleton's Christen Mamen won the event in a time of 0:30:31.8.
The Ravens come into this year's championship riding their momentum from the OUA sectionals in Haliburton, Ontario hosted by Trent University which saw the team earn six medals and ten "Top ten" finishes. The Ravens will be led by Chris Mamen, who won both races the 10km classic race with a time of 30:31.8 and the 15km Free Style race with a time of 41:34.8. On the women's side, Alana Thomas continues to lead the way for Carleton with a pair of third place finishes at the sectionals finishing the 5km classic race in a time of 17:16.5 and the 10km free style race in a time of 31:11.8.
The Guelph Gryphons led by Richard Lay and assistant coach Jim Brogden, are optimistic and gearing up for a strong end to the race season at the championship. With such a relatively short season, competitions take place almost every weekend across the province and the Gryphons have utilized all opportunities to prepare. The Gryphons have competed in the Yuletide Blast, the Under 23 World Junior Trials, Mono Nordic Invitational race and have just returned from the OUA qualifier in Haliburton.
The Queen's Golden Gaels will be hoping that their combination of rookies and veterans will help them at this weekend's championship. They will be led by fourth year women's skier Julie McVicar (Kinata, ON) who finished fourth in the five-kilometre race at the OUA Qualifier in Peterborough. Rookie Talia Davidson finished 15th in the same event, while Julie Edgelhardt (Gatineau, QC) was right behind Davidson in 16th. On the men's side they will look to rookie Jack Van Dorp (Wiarton, ON) who was the top Gael at the qualifier taking home a fourth place finish in the 10-kilometre race and 13th spot in the 15-kilometre.
The weather for the championships should be snow filled and on the chilly side. Saturday is facing a minus two degrees Celsius temperature with a few flurries, while Sunday is scheduled to drop to a high of minus five degrees Celsius with light snow in the forecast. For more information on the OUA Nordic Skiing Championships, be sure to check back to www.oua.ca for all championship results and information.
- OUA -
Michelle Church
Communications & Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Tel: (905) 540-5156
Fax: (905) 574-2840
E-mail: michelle.church@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
Lakehead's women should have a good chance at defending their title if the team performs up to their potential, but will face tough competition from the host Laurentian squad. On the men's side the team will look to out perform a tough Carleton Raven team. Coach Patterson said he teams will do their best to keep the conference crowns at Lakehead. "Lakehead will put its best effort forward to defending our three-year championships reign."
The host Laurentian Lady Vees and Voyageurs Nordic Ski teams have spent the past two weeks practicing, gearing up for these champinoships after a great showing at the OUA Sectionals in Haliburton, where Julie Porter (Caledon East, ON) and Mary Thompson (Woodstock, ON) made a statement with strong results in both the classic and freestyle events.
In the five-kilometre classic race it was Thompson who edged out Porter by a mere two seconds to take first place. Thompson won the event in a time of 017:09.5, while Porter was second in 0:17:11.0. Laurentian's Julia Winter (Penetanguishene, ON.) also managed a top-10 spot, finishing in seventh place (0:18:43.4).
In the men's 10-kilometre classic race, Brendan Waddell (Sudbury, ON) and Matt Strickland (Oxtongue Lake, ON) were Laurentian's top finishers, earning sixth and seventh place respectively. Waddell used a strong second lap to finish in a time of 0:32:38.3 just a head of Strickland who finished in 0:32:45.2. Carleton's Christen Mamen won the event in a time of 0:30:31.8.
The Ravens come into this year's championship riding their momentum from the OUA sectionals in Haliburton, Ontario hosted by Trent University which saw the team earn six medals and ten "Top ten" finishes. The Ravens will be led by Chris Mamen, who won both races the 10km classic race with a time of 30:31.8 and the 15km Free Style race with a time of 41:34.8. On the women's side, Alana Thomas continues to lead the way for Carleton with a pair of third place finishes at the sectionals finishing the 5km classic race in a time of 17:16.5 and the 10km free style race in a time of 31:11.8.
The Guelph Gryphons led by Richard Lay and assistant coach Jim Brogden, are optimistic and gearing up for a strong end to the race season at the championship. With such a relatively short season, competitions take place almost every weekend across the province and the Gryphons have utilized all opportunities to prepare. The Gryphons have competed in the Yuletide Blast, the Under 23 World Junior Trials, Mono Nordic Invitational race and have just returned from the OUA qualifier in Haliburton.
The Queen's Golden Gaels will be hoping that their combination of rookies and veterans will help them at this weekend's championship. They will be led by fourth year women's skier Julie McVicar (Kinata, ON) who finished fourth in the five-kilometre race at the OUA Qualifier in Peterborough. Rookie Talia Davidson finished 15th in the same event, while Julie Edgelhardt (Gatineau, QC) was right behind Davidson in 16th. On the men's side they will look to rookie Jack Van Dorp (Wiarton, ON) who was the top Gael at the qualifier taking home a fourth place finish in the 10-kilometre race and 13th spot in the 15-kilometre.
The weather for the championships should be snow filled and on the chilly side. Saturday is facing a minus two degrees Celsius temperature with a few flurries, while Sunday is scheduled to drop to a high of minus five degrees Celsius with light snow in the forecast. For more information on the OUA Nordic Skiing Championships, be sure to check back to www.oua.ca for all championship results and information.
- OUA -
Michelle Church
Communications & Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Tel: (905) 540-5156
Fax: (905) 574-2840
E-mail: michelle.church@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
