OUA ANNOUNCES 2008 NORDIC SKIING ALL-STARS

HAMILTON, Ont. - The Lakehead Thunderwolves won their fourth straight OUA Nordic Ski Championship in both the men's and women's fields. The Thunderwolves continued their dominance in OUA Nordic Skiing but it did not come without a fight. On the women's side, Laurentian challenged Lakehead all championship long as it came down to the final day of competition to decide who would walk away gold medalists. On the men's side, Lakehead proved their dominance once again winning by a large margin of 29 points over the Guelph Gryphons who hurdled over Carleton for second place.

Team Standings
MEN
1. Lakehead, 47 pts.
2. Guelph, 76
3. Carleton, 88
4. Laurentian, 124
5. Waterloo, 226
6. Toronto, 255
7. Queen's. 310

WOMEN
1. Lakehead, 62 pts.
2. Laurentian, 68
3. Carleton, 108
4. Guelph, 156
5. Queen's, 174
6. Waterloo, 233
7. Toronto, 282

The final day of the championship started with the women's 10-kilometre freestyle event. After a clean mass start the top-five skiers began to pull away from the pack and after lap one it was Carleton's Alana Thomas leading the way followed by two Lakehead and Laurentian skiers. As the group came to the finish line the order of racers had changed with
Lakehead's Anna Crawford having come from fifth place after lap one to take the OUA gold medal in 0:31:40.4. Lap one leader Alana Thomas earned the silver medal crossing the finish line just seven tenths of a second ahead of Laurentian's Mary Thompson who took the bronze medal. Thomas finished the course in 0:31:43.9, while Thompson's time was 0:31:44.6.

Rounding out the top-five finishers were Laurentian's Julie Porter in fourth place (0:31:50.3) and Lakehead's Christina Groulx in fifth place (0:31:53.2).

After the race it was determined the Lakehead's Christina Groulx was the OUA Nordic Ski Championship women's individual overall champion. Her day one and day two combined time was 14 seconds faster than the next closest racer.

In the men's 15-kilometre freestyle event Lakehead's Chris Hamilton led from start to finish to take his second individual OUA gold medal in as many days. His time of 0:40:31.0 was 53 seconds faster then Thunderwolves teammate Scott Sullivan who took the OUA silver medal with a time of 0:41:24.5. Sudbury native and Guelph Gryphons skier Matti Little was able to climb from fourth place on the first lap to win the bronze medal in a time of 0:42:02.9.

Rounding out the top-five were Guelph's Adam Lusk in fourth place (0:42:06.4) and Carleton's Matthias Purdon in fifth place (0:42:08.0).

With Hamilton's strong performances both days he was named the OUA Nordic Ski Championship men's individual overall champion. His day one and day two combined time was over one minute faster than the next closest skier.

OUA ALL-STARS
MEN
NAME - SCHOOL
Chris Hamilton - Lakehead
Scott Sullivan - Lakehead
Matti Little - Guelph
Chris Mamen - Carleton
Adam Lusk - Guelph
Matthias Purdon - Carleton
Ghislain DeLaplante - Lakehead
Victor Wiltmann - Laurentian
Cam Moore - Waterloo
Ian Ritchie - Guelph

WOMEN
NAME - SCHOOL
Anna Crawford - Lakehead
Alana Thomas - Carleton
Mary Thompson - Laurentian
Julie Porter - Laurentian
Christina Groulx - Lakehead
Julie McVicar - Queen's
Nellie Dow - Waterloo
Kaylie Iserhoff - Lakehead
Vesta Mather - Guelph
Julia Winter - Laurentian

-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