U Sports – QUEBEC CITY (U Sports) – A new chapter was added today to the dynasty of the University of Guelph Gryphons women’s cross-country team, while on the men’s side the Université Laval Rouge et Or utilized home field advantage to win its first national title in program history at the 2016 CIS Championship. The races were held on the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City, Saturday.

The Gryphons scooped up the women’s banner for a 12th consecutive year, a streak that originally started back in 2005. It was Guelph’s 13th title in its history, their very first title coming in 1997. As for the Rouge et Or, the men were finally triumphant after coming as close as second back in 2012, and third in the last three consecutive years.

“From the beginning of the season, we said that our objective was to win the national championship, and then, to do so in a manner so convincingly, I am extremely proud of the team, it’s a great moment,” stated Rouge et Or head coach Félix-Antoine Lapointe. “We have been thinking about this for a long time and knew that this was a good moment because we were at home and have several veterans who were giving their all for the team. To end this season with our first victory in program history, it is extraordinary,” added the U Sports coach of the year.

Five Laval student-athletes, who accounted for points in the team standings, finished in the top 20 overall. Leading the way, Yves Sikubwabo, dominated the pack out racing second place by a margin of five seconds, completing the 10 kilometres in a time of 30:51.0. The fourth and fifth place finishes by Antoine Thibeault and Alexandre Ricard also weighed heavily in the Rouge et Or’s first-ever CIS Championship.

With 43 accumulated points, Laval beat Trinity Western (88) and Western (96) on the podium. In the individual results, Yves Sikubwabo finished ahead of Trinity Western’s Declan White (30:56) and Connor Darlington (30:57.9) of McMaster.

On the women’s side the Gryphons narrowly managed to take home the gold, defeating the Queen’s Gaels (70 versus 77). Trinity Western (103) completed the podium finishing third. “The whole league has changed and got better, it’s deeper. This team is as good as any we have ever had,” said Dave Scott-Thomas, head coach of the champion Gryphons. “Back in the day we might have five girls in the top 10. It was seven points, full credit to Queen’s it was a nice piece of running. For us, it was a team effort all the way through.”

Have they gotten used to winning regularly like that?

“No never, it’s fresh every time, it’s our 12th year in a row and it’s just as exciting. They’re jumping around and smiling and it feels pretty new,” explained Scott-Thomas, who was named the women’s head coach of the year.

The Gryphons’ best representative was Katelyn Ayers (21:23.1), who crossed the finish line in third place behind Emma Cook-Clarke (21:15.0) from the University of Calgary and winner Claire Sumner (21:09.3) of Queen’s University.  

 

Complete results: http://en.cis-sic.ca/championships/xc/2016/files/sched_results

WOMEN’S RESULTS (6 km)
 
Team standings
1. Guelph, 70 points
2. Queen’s, 77
3. Trinity Western, 103
4. Western, 142
5. Toronto, 184
6. Alberta, 222
7. McGill, 223
8. McMaster, 238
9. Victoria, 246
10. Dalhousie, 248
11. Calgary, 263
12. Manitoba, 353
13. Laurentian, 356
14. Montreal, 356
15. Laval, 381
16. Sherbrooke, 422
17. Saskatchewan, 443
18. StFX, 448
19. MacEwan, 473
20. Waterloo, 540
21. Wilfrid Laurier, 544
22. UQTR, 662
 
Individual honours
Athlete of the year: Claire Sumner, Queen’s
Rookie of the year: Lucia Stafford, Toronto
Student-Athlete Community Service Award: Jenna MacDonald, Dalhousie
Coach of the year: Dave Scott-Thomas, Guelph
 
First All-Canadians (top 7 finishers)
1. Claire Sumner, Queen’s, 21:09.3
2. Emma Cook-Clarke, Calgary, 21:15.0
3. Katelyn Ayers, Guelph, 21:23.1
4. Lisa Brooking, Trinity Western, 21:23.8
5. Regan Yee, Trinity Western, 21:30.0
6. Lucia Stafford, Toronto, 21:34.0
7. Kristina Popadich, Western, 21:35.6

Second All-Canadians (finishers 8-14)
8. Stef Smith, Windsor, 21:47.3
9. Heather Petrick, Guelph, 21:47.8
10. Julie-Anne Staehli, Queen’s, 21:50.0
11. Colleen Wilson, Dalhousie, 22:10.0
12. Katherine Lampard, Western, 22:19.1
13. Melanie Myrand, McGill, 22:22.7
14. Melissa Jones, Calgary, 22:26.5
 
MEN’S RESULTS (10 km)
 
Team standings
1. Laval, 43 points
2. Trinity Western, 88
3. Western, 96
4. McMaster, 138
5. Windsor, 145
6. Victoria, 145
7. Calgary, 160
8. Queen’s, 185
9. Guelph, 222
10. StFX, 234
11. Toronto, 293
12. Manitoba, 310
13. Dalhousie, 402
14. Ottawa, 416
15. Waterloo, 425
16. Sherbrooke, 430
17. Wilfrid Laurier, 517
18. Montreal, 543
19. UQTR, 551
20. Concordia, 606
21. MacEwan, 613

Individual honours
Athlete of the year: Yves Sikubwabo, Laval
Rookie of the year: Muhumed Sirage, Western
Student-Athlete Community Service Award: Gabriel Ghiglione, McMaster
Coach of the year: Félix-Antoine Lapointe, Laval
 
First All-Canadians (top 7 finishers)
1. Yves Sikubwabo, Laval, 30:51.0
2. Declan White, Trinity Western, 30:56.0
3. Connor Darlington, McMaster, 30:57.9
4. Kevin Tree, Lakehead, 31:01.1
5. Antoine Thibeault, Laval, 31:06.7
6. Alexandre Ricard, Laval, 31:10.7
7. Corey Bellemore, Windsor, 31:12.0
 
Second All-Canadians (finishers 8-14)
8. Joel De Schiffart, Trinity Western, 31:15.9
9. Jack Sheffar, Western, 31:18.6
10. Jeff Tweedle, McMaster, 31:18.7
11. Christopher Balestrini, Western, 31:21.3
12. Ben Carson, Western, 31:21.3
13. Adam Strueby, Regina, 31:22.0
14. Roman Justinen, Calgary, 31:23.5

ALL-TIME TEAM CHAMPIONS

Women

2016    Guelph (at Laval)
2015    Guelph (at Guelph)
2014    Guelph (at Memorial)
2013    Guelph (at Western)
2012    Guelph (at Western)
2011    Guelph (at Laval)
2010    Guelph (at Sherbrooke)
2009    Guelph (at Queen’s)
2008    Guelph (at Laval)
2007    Guelph (at Victoria)
2006    Guelph (at Laval)
2005    Guelph (at Dalhousie)
2004    Dalhousie (at Guelph)
2003    Calgary (at Moncton)
2002    Toronto (at Western)
2001    Victoria (at Sherbrooke)
2000    Victoria (at Toronto)
1999    Victoria (at RMC / Queen’s)
1998    Victoria (at Waterloo)
1997    Guelph (at Western)
1996    Waterloo (at McGill)
1995    Windsor (at Western)
1994    Victoria (at Western)
1993    Calgary (at Dalhousie)
1992    Calgary (at McGill)
1991    Toronto (at Victoria)
1990    Western (at Ottawa)
1989    Western (at UBC)
1988    Western (at Laval)
1987    Victoria (at Victoria)
1986    Victoria (at Western)
1985    Victoria (at Sherbrooke)
1984    Western (at Guelph)
1983    Western (at Laurentian)
1982    Western (at Laurentian)
1981    Western (at Lethbridge)
1980    Victoria (at Guelph)

Men
2016    Laval (at Laval)
2015    Victoria (at Guelph)
2014    Guelph (at Memorial)
2013    Guelph (at Western)
2012    Guelph (at Western)
2011    Guelph (at Laval)
2010    Guelph (at Sherbrooke)
2009    Guelph (at Queen’s)
2008    Guelph (at Laval)
2007    Guelph (at Victoria)
2006    Guelph (at Laval)
2005    Windsor (at Dalhousie)
2004    Windsor (at Guelph)
2003    Windsor (at Moncton)
2002    Guelph (at Western)
2001    Guelph (at Sherbrooke)
2000    Guelph (at Toronto)
1999    Guelph (at RMC / Queen’s)     
1998    Windsor (at Waterloo)
1997    Victoria (at Western)
1996    Victoria (at McGill)
1995    Victoria (at Western)
1994    Victoria (at Western)
1993    UBC (at Dalhousie)
1992    Sherbrooke (at McGill)
1991    Toronto (at Victoria)
1990    Ottawa (at Ottawa)
1989    Manitoba (at UBC)
1988    Manitoba (at Laval)
1987    Ottawa (at Victoria)
1986    Ottawa (at Western)
1985    Western (at Sherbrooke)
1984    Queen’s (at Guelph)
1983    Queen’s (at Laurentian)
1982    Toronto (at Laurentian)
1981    Queen’s (at Lethbridge)
1980    Alberta (at Guelph)
1979    Queen’s (at Toronto)
1978    Toronto (at Toronto)
1977    Toronto (at Queen’s)
1976    Western (at Guelph)
1975    Toronto (at Victoria)
1974    Toronto (at Guelph)
1973    OUAA All-Stars (at RMC / Queen’s)
1972    OUAA All-Stars (at RMC)
1971    Western (at UNB)
1970    Western (at UBC)
1969    Guelph (at MacDonald)
1968    Saskatchewan (at Dalhousie)
1967    Toronto (at Guelph)
1966    Toronto (at Guelph)
1965    Toronto (at Guelph)
1964    Manitoba (at Guelph)
1963    McMaster (at Guelph)

ALL-TIME INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS

Women
2016    Claire Sumner, Queen’s
2015    Sarah Inglis, Trinity Western
2014    Carise Thompson, Guelph
2013    Julie-Anne Staehli, Queen’s
2012    Andrea Seccafien, Guelph
2011    Geneviève Lalonde, Guelph
2010    Jessica Pearo, McMaster
2009    Megan Brown, Toronto
2008    Megan Brown, Toronto
2007    Lindsay Carson, Guelph
2006    Megan Brown, Toronto
2005    Beth Wightman, Toronto
2004    Kristina Rody, Guelph
2003    Beth Wightman, Queen’s
2002    Sarah Dillabaugh, Ottawa
2001    Beth Wightman, Queen’s
2000    Debbie Buhlers, Waterloo
1999    Teresa Duck, Western
1998    Nathalie Côté, Ottawa
1997    Nathalie Côté, Ottawa
1996    Nathalie Côté, Ottawa
1995    Missy McCleary, Windsor
1994    Linda Thyer, McGill
1993    Lisa Harvey, Calgary
1992    Lisa Harvey, Calgary
1991    Anna Gunasekera, Victoria
1990    Anna Gunasekera, Victoria
1989    Lucy Smith, Dalhousie
1988    Lucy Smith, Dalhousie
1987    Brenda Shackleton, Victoria
1986    Brenda Shackleton, Victoria
1985    Brenda Shackleton, Victoria
1984    Jill Purola, Western
1983    Sylvia Ruegger, Guelph
1982    Nancy Rooks, York
1981    Anne-Marie Malone, Queen’s
1980    Sylvia Ruegger, Guelph

Men
2016    Yves Sikubwabo, Laval
2015    Aaron Hendrikx, Guelph
2014    Ross Proudfoot, Guelph
2013    Aaron Hendrikx, Guelph
2012    Kelly Wiebe, Regina
2011    Andrew Nixon, Guelph
2010    Kyle Boorsma, Guelph
2009    Matt Brunsting, Guelph
2008    Matt Brunsting, Guelph
2007    Alex Genest, Sherbrooke
2006    Geoffrey Kerr, Calgary
2005    Cristiano Mauricio, Windsor
2004    Cristiano Mauricio, Windsor
2003    Eric Gillis, StFX
2002    Jamie Epp, Saskatchewan
2001    Jerry Ziak, Victoria
2000    Jamie Epp, Saskatchewan
1999    Graham Cocksedge, Victoria
1998    Jeremy Deere, Calgary
1997    Guy Schultz, Western
1996    Éric Jobin, Sherbrooke
1995    Jeff Schiebler, UBC
1994    Joël Bourgeois, Moncton
1993    Brendan Matthias, Toronto
1992    Graeme Fell, UBC
1991    Brendan Matthias, Toronto
1990    John Halvorsen, Ottawa
1989    Richard Charrette, Ottawa
1988    John Halvorsen, Ottawa
1987    John Halvorsen, Ottawa
1986    John Halvorsen, Ottawa
1985    Bob Rice, Ottawa
1984    Paul McCloy, Memorial
1983    Paul McCloy, Memorial
1982    Brian Rhodes, Alberta
1981    Paul McCloy, Memorial
1980    Paul Williams, Toronto
1979    Peter Butler, Calgary
1978    Paul Williams, Toronto
1977    Paul Williams, Guelph
1976    Brian Stride, Brock
1975    Joe Sax, Western
1974    John Sharp, Toronto
1973    John Sharp, Toronto
1972    Rick Munro, Dalhousie
1971    Grant McLaren, Western
1970    Dave Smith, York
1969    Grant McLaren, Guelph
1968    Dave Smith, York
1967    David Bailey, Toronto
1966    David Bailey, Toronto
1965    Jerome Drayton, Toronto
1964    Chris Williamson, UNB
1963    Bruce Kidd, Toronto

About U Sports
U Sports is the national brand for University Sports in Canada. Every year, over 12,000 student-athletes and 500 coaches from 56 universities vie for 21 national championships in 12 different sports. U Sports also provides higher performance international opportunities for Canadian student-athletes at Winter and Summer Universiades, as well as numerous world university championships. For further information, visit usports.ca or follow us on:

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Sports Information
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Cell: 418 569-9778
mathieu.tanguay@sas.ulaval.ca