U Sports – TORONTO (U Sports) – For the first time since 2006, the record-setting Guelph Gryphons enter the CIS Cross Country Championship without both the men’s and women’s title to their name.

Championship website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/xc/index

The Gryphons, who won only the women’s title last year at home, will be looking to win back a pair of team banners on Saturday on the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City, after conceding the men’s championship to Victoria. Laval, which is hosting the national race for the first time since 2011 and fourth time in the last decade, overtook the men’s No.1 ranking from Guelph the entire campaign, the first time the Gryphons men hadn’t been ranked on top of the country since Oct. 27, 2009.

The Rouge et or will be challenged by the reigning champion Vikes, who head into the national meet after steadily climbing to the No.2 ranking in the final poll of the season with a win at the B.C. Provincial Championships two weeks ago.

 A total of 190 athletes from 33 schools are set to compete at 1:00 p.m. in the women’s six-kilometre race (up from 167 a year ago), while 193 runners from 32 institutions are scheduled to be at the starting line at 1:40 p.m. for the 10 km men’s event (up from 178). The races will be streamed live on SportsCanada.tv.

START LISTS & LIVE RESULTS: CLICK HERE

To say that Guelph has dominated CIS cross country for the past decade would be a major understatement. The Gryphons have claimed the team banners nine of the last 10 seasons and are riding a 11-year championship streak in women’s action.

In individual competition, Guelph athletes have captured seven of the last eight men’s gold medals and three of the last five women’s titles.

However, this year’s OUA championship held two weeks ago also signaled a changing of the guard. While the Gryphons earned their 13th straight women’s provincial gold medal, Guelph came up short in their bid for a sweep, finishing in third behind Western and Windsor in the men’s race after 11 straight banners.

“Our women are hoping to extend their national title streak to 12 years and seem in good shape to do so. We have a veteran team with lots of experience up front and good depth,” said Guelph head coach Dave Scott-Thomas. “Leading us will be former CIS bronze medalist Kate Ayers, who just finished 4th at the OUA championships in one of the closest front-end battles in conference history. Heather Petrick, former OUA cross country champion, has been neck and neck all season. Former CIS 4th place finisher Katrina Allison also plays a significant role in the team performance.”

Athletes from other OUA schools to keep an eye on this weekend include Clair Sumner and Julie-Anne Staehli of Queen’s, along with Lucia Stafford – sister of 2016 Olympian Gabriela Stafford – of Toronto who made up the women’s podium at the conference championships, as well as male medallists Corey Bellemore of Windsor, Kevin Tree of Lakehead and Jack Sheffar of Western. Staehli won CIS gold in 2013 and silver in 2014.

In the other conferences, the Dalhousie women and StFX men repeated as champion in the AUS, while in the RSEQ, McGill claimed the women’s banner while Laval captured their sixth straight men’s championship

Individually, Dalhousie’s Colleen Wilson and StFX’s Calvin DeWolfe finished atop the podium in the Maritimes, while Mélanie Myrand of McGill and Yves Sikubwabo of Laval triumphed in Quebec.

“Our student-athletes and myself as a coach have gained a lot of experience in the last couple of years,” said Laval head coach Félix-Antoine Lapointe, who was a member of the coaching staff at the Rio Paralympics in September. “What is interesting is that the current generation that will run on the Plains of Abraham was, for the most part, on the national podium in the four previous seasons and have learned a lot from these championships. This year, unlike other years, we are viewed as favorites. We must assume it and deliver and I’ll say that as a group, since the beginning of autumn, we act as if we are the favorites. A No.1 (ranking) in the U Sports Top 10 is flattering, but what is most important is how we see ourselves as a team. We see ourselves as the best team in Canada and we are preparing like it during training sessions. We want to be ready to deliver a good performance on November 12.”

There are no cross country championships in Canada West. Results at the CIS meet determine the conference’s individual and team champions. A year ago, the Vikes men’s team championship marked their first in nearly two decades, since winning four in row from 1994 to 1997. Fifth-year Vikes runner Shoayb Bascal had a strong showing at the B.C. provincial championships, finishing in fourth place. The veteran crossed the finish line in 11th last November in Victoria’s upset victory.  On the women’s side, Trinity Western (silver) and Calgary (bronze) women both reached the national podium last year.

U SPORTS TEAM CHAMPIONS

Women
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
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)

U SPORTS INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS

Women
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
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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