Lauren McNeil wins the women’s race. Photo courtesy Athletics Illustrated.
It was perfect conditions on Saturday for the return of cross country running at the University of Victoria for the Vikes open championship. Lauren McNeil from UBCO Heat won the women’s race and Thomas Nobbs won the men’s race for the UBC Thunderbirds.
UVic Vikes are hosting a Cross Country Open on Saturday, September 25 at Cedar Hill Corner, Cedar Hill Cross Rd. Open to individuals and families there will be a 6km men’s and women’s race and a 2km kids/family race. The course is a 2km loop on grass and gravel/dirt trails. There will be an athletic trainer from the University of Victoria at the meet with water and ice available near the start/finish line.
Awards will be given for top 3 individuals for Junior, University and Masters, and top team, in each 6km race. Medals for Kids/Family 2km provided by VICCA.
Entry Fee: $100 per team ($200 for combined men’s and women’s teams); $20 per individual / unattached runner. $10 per individual for 2km ($30 for family of 4).
Meet Entries Due: Please submit entries no later than 5 p.m. Sunday, September 19th, 2021
For more information contact Hilary Stellingwerff, vikesxctrack@uvic.ca, 250-686-7114.
The Victoria International Cross Country Association (VICCA) held its AGM on May 20 and elected its 2021 Board of Directors. The Society’s mandate is to organize and promote cross country events in Victoria from the regional level up to international competition. It successfully staged the 2020 Pan Am Cross Country Championships at Bear Mountain Resort in Langford, BC.
The Board boasts a wealth of experience from representatives of running clubs and sports events to Victoria’s running alumni. President of the Board is Ulla Hansen; Vice-President: Gary Duncan; Secretary: Julien Marceau and Treasurer: Paul Siluch. There are six Directors at Large: Bruce Deacon, Louise Hodgson-Jones, Christopher Kelsall, Mike Kennedy, Tom Michell, and Bob Reid.
Hansen is a 27-time Canadian National Championship Medalist and has represented Canada seven times at the World Cross Country Championships. She was part of the original bid committee for the 2020 Pan Am Cross Country Championships.
“Our Board remains committed to the advancement of the sport of cross country both regionally and internationally,” said Hansen. “Having weathered this past difficult year, VICCA is excited about the latest PHO announcement, and we are planning to host cross country racing events later this year.”
The board’s athletic alumni also includes Deacon – two-time Olympian, Pan Am Games Silver Medalist and General Manager of the 2020 Pan Am Cross Country Championships, and Michell – Provincial High School Track Champion, marathon runner and the 1996 Canadian Masters Track Champion in the 800m and 1500m.
The Local Organizing Committee for the World Athletics Cross County Championship has recommended the 2021 event, due to take place in March next year in Bathurst, New South Wales, be postponed.
World Athletics is proposing cross country returns to the Summer Olympics in 2024, 100 years after it last appeared at the Games.
Check out the feature article in Athletics Weekly.
The Victoria International Cross Country Association (VICCA) held its first AGM on May 21 and elected its 2020 Board of Directors. Coming off a successful staging of the 2020 Pan Am Cross Country Championships at Bear Mountain Resort in Langford, BC in February, the Society’s mandate is to organize and promote cross country events in Victoria from the regional level up to international competition.
The Board boasts a wealth of experience from representatives of running clubs and sports events to the best of Victoria’s running alumni. President of the Board is Ulla Hansen; Vice-President: Gary Duncan; Secretary: Julien Marceau and Treasurer: Paul Siluch. There are eight Directors at Large: Lori Chestnut, Bruce Deacon, Jonathan Foweraker, Louise Hodgson-Jones, Mike Kennedy, Tom Michell, Bob Reid and Keith Wells.
Hansen is a 27-time Canadian National Championship Medalist and has represented Canada seven times at the World Cross Country Championships. She was part of the original bid committee for the 2020 Pan Am Cross Country Championships and in March 2019 when the Society was formed, she was elected President of VICCA.
“It is a privilege to work with the Board of Directors who bring such incredible energy, wide ranging expertise and heartfelt community spirit to our Association,” said Hansen. “We are excited to build on the success of the Pan Am Cup bringing high quality cross country events to our region.”
The board’s athletic alumni also includes Chestnut, nee Bowden, who is Canada’s most successful Ironman Champion, winning the world title five times; Deacon – two-time Olympian, Pan Am Games Silver Medalist and General Manager of the 2020 Pan Am Cross Country Championships, and Michell – Provincial High School Track Champion, marathon runner and the 1996 Canadian Masters Track Champion in the 800m and 1500m.
With running competition on hold because of COVID-19, there are no immediate competitions on the horizon for VICCA, but a long term goal is to bid on the 2023 or 2025 World Athletics Cross Country Championship.
A photo finish in the men’s senior race. Image by Yen Lyesin.
Cool but sunny temperatures greeted the Pan Am athletes at Bear Mountain Resort Langford today for the 2020 Pan Am Cross Country Cup. It was a full day of racing with a community race, youth races and the Can Am Masters Challenge.
The U20 women was the first of the Pan Am races with 30 runners from Canada, USA, Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Panama and Colombia. The 6km course was won by Brooke Rauber from the USA in 23:12, Canada’s top junior Sadie Sigfstead was second in 23:23 and third was Peru’s Jhenifer Melchor in 23:46.
The U20 men’s field had 32 runners running 8k (4 x two km laps). From the start it was a tight lead pack with Corey Georges and Evan Bishop from the USA and Alejandro Alania from Peru jostling for the lead. During the second lap the lead kept changing with Mexico’s Cesar Daniel Gomez Ponce taking second place. In the final lap Georges pulled away to win in 27:15, Bishop was second (27:20) and Alania third in 27:27.
Georges ran a tactical race. “I tried to play it smart as I knew there were four laps, so I held back and made a move in the last two kilometres,” he said. “It is an amazing experience running here and an honour to run for my country.”
The senior women’s race was dominated by two-time Canadian Cross Country champion Geneviève Lalonde. She took the lead from the start with teammate Natasha Wodak close behind her with Peruvian Lizaida Thalia Valdivia and USA’s Carrie Verdon also in the pack. Lalonde extended her lead and with two kilometres to go it was clear she would win easily. She hit the tape in 37:37. Verdon was second in 38:09 and Valdivia was third in 38:12. Wodak came fourth in 38:24.
Lalonde (left) lead the senior women on the course. Photo by Yen Lyesin.
Lalonde, who now lives in Victoria, was bubbling with delight at her victory. “I wasn’t planning on taking the lead so early but kept it smooth and the gap kept growing,” she said. “There were such great crowds today particularly on the hills and they raised the momentum.” She found the course hard: “It was particularly challenging on the back end with the twists and turns but it wasn’t as hard as the Worlds last year in Aarhus, but it was tough for sure.”
The men’s race proved to be a nail biter with Team USA and Brazil battling it out for a podium. Anthony Rotich from the USA took the lead and in the second lap Daniel Ferreira DoNascim made a challenge. It was a tactical move with teammate Johnatas De Oliveira Cruz also moving ahead. By the fourth lap Americans Dillon Maggard and David Goodman were in contention. On the last lap Rotich and De Oliveira Cruz were neck and neck and on the home straight had a photo finish, both recording 32:50 but the Brazilian was announced the winner by a fraction of a second. Paul Ramirez from Peru was third in 33:11. Top Canadian was Connor Black finishing fifth in 33:25. De Oliveira Cruz explained afterwards it was all teamwork. “We ran as a team until the third lap and I had to decide do I stay with Daniel or pull away. So I decided to push harder.” The team prior to the race studied the course and ran on similar terrain at home to simulate the course. The 29-year-old ran the World Cross Country Championships at Aarhus, Denmark last year. “That was a tipping point for me – I decided to train hard for this event,” he said.
The day also saw exciting action in the other races. Canada took on the USA in the Can Am Challenge where the Canadians had a 18-14 lead and was undefeated on Canadian soil. Canada didn’t disappoint with a sweep in both the men’s and women’s races. Graham Cocksedge from the University of Victoria Track Club had a commanding lead in the 5K with Mark Cryderman from Campbell River, Vancouver Island, closing in over the last lap. Cocksedge was able to keep the lead to finish in 18:24 with Cryderman a few seconds behind in 18:32. Third was Brian Torrance in 18:42.
Jen Millar led from the start of the women’s race. The road race runner from Victoria is transitioning to trail and enjoyed the course. “Such a beautiful course with the tough up hills and fast downhills – you couldn’t catch your breath.” Millar hit the tape in 20:34 with Lauren King second in 21:29 Andrea Smith third in 21:47.
The Pacific Northwest Youth Cup featured the best high school runners in the region. The boy’s race was won by Victoria’s Jonah Brost in 18:13 with Joseph Curtis from Coquitlam, second in 18:17 and third was Jaiveer Tiwana from Surrey in 18:30. Ella Madsen from Coquitlam won the girls race in 19:23, second was Christina Peet Williams (Team Dogwood) in 19:48 and third was Ella Ballard (Victoria) in 19:56. The boy’s division was won by Victoria and the girl’s by Vancouver with Surrey winning the overall championship.
The day kicked off with the Community Race over 5K. Over 40 runners from BC clubs lined up to test the course ahead of the main races. Ian Searle from the Prairie Inn Harriers led the pack until Jonathan Behnke passed him with one kilometre to go to take the tape in 18:06. Searle came second in 18:29 and Matthew Galea from U of C Athletics Club was third in 19:14.
Behnke, from the Vancouver Falcons, recently won the Cedar 12K and is gearing up over the next few months for the cross country season in the fall. Asked about his prep for the race he said he did look at the map and ran some of it the day before. “I had no idea of the field, so I started fast and waited to see who came with me.”
The women’s race was won by Vancouver’s Ally Ginther in 20:51, second was Sarah Brian (Prairie Inn Harriers) in 23:59 and third was Stephanie Croft in 27:04.
The VIRA Cup for the top team was won by the Prairie Inn Harriers.
The Nations Cup saw over 175 kids from 22 schools run a 1.6km loop. Students from grades K – 2, 3 – 5 and 6 – 8 started in waves with each school having been designated a Pan Am country running in the country’s team colours.
“After almost a year and a half of planning and preparing, the races came together perfectly,” says Bruce Deacon, the event General Manager. “We again showed the world that the Victoria running community is second to none in putting on world class events.”
In the Pan Am team results Canada won the U20 Female and Senior Female categories. The USA won the U20 Male and Senior Male. Overall the USA was first with Canada second and Peru third.
The Pan Am Cup is in conjunction with the NACAC (North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association) Cross Country Championships. The inaugural event was in 2005 and held in Florida. In 2015 the Pan Am Cross Country Cup was added to the event. In the NACAC Championships on Saturday Canada won the U20 Female and Senior Female titles and USA the U20 Male and Senior Male titles.
Bear Mountain Resort
The Victoria-based group Victoria International Cross Country Association (VICCA) – learned Wednesday that their bid proposal was successful for the 2020 Pan Am Cross Country Cup.
The Association of Panamerican Athletics and Athletics Canada informed VICCA of the news via email, “It is my pleasure and honour to inform you that the Association of Panamerican Athletics has selected Victoria as the 2020 site of the Pan Am Cross Country Cup,” wrote Victor Lopez, president of the APA.
“This is a wonderful day for Victoria as we have taken our critical first step towards bringing the 2023 World Cross Country Championships to Vancouver Island. This is a journey that will leave a lasting legacy that will get more kids excited about running,” said Bruce Deacon, two-time Olympian.
The 2020 Pan Am Cross Country Cup will take place during the second or third weekend (TBD) of February at Bear Mountain on a course that will take in parts of the Jack Nicklaus-designed 18-hole Valley Course.
“I have directed cross country races in Victoria for 35 years and hosting the Pan American Cross Country Cup at Bear Mountain next February will certainly be one of the highlights besides the 1994 Commonwealth Games,” said Bob Reid VICCA committee member. “We have a very experienced and conscientious organizing team assembled and can assure that the event will be successful and well supported by all runners and running clubs on Vancouver Island. It is the first step in showcasing Victoria’s ability to stage a first-class cross country event to the world in hopes of applying for the World Cross Country Championships in 2023.”
The 2016 Cup was held in Vargas, Venezuela and the 2018 Cup was held in San Salvador, El Salvador. The five-star Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort & Spa will serve as host hotel in partnership with the four-star Four Points by Sheraton Victoria Gateway.
“The bid would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of the entire committee as well as the assistance by Jonathan McMillan at ‘94 Forward, Keith Wells CEO of the Greater Victoria Sport Tourism Commission as well as support from the Tourism Event Program from Destination BC, VIA Sport and the City of Langford,” said bid chair Christopher Kelsall. “Additionally, we would like to thank BC Athletics, Athletics Canada and of course the Association of Panamerican Athletics and their council. The support of the Westin Bear Mountain Resort & Spa, Bear Mountain Golf and Country Club and Ecoasis is also greatly appreciated.”
“This event has never been held in North America, but in February of next year, runners from across the Americas will ‘Run Wild’ in Canada—at Bear Mountain. This is a great honour for our region and will help us immensely with our next goal of attracting the 2023 IAAF World Cross Country Championships.’
“We couldn’t ask for a more perfect backdrop than The Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort & Spa to host, organize and celebrate international athletes as well as local school groups and participants. This is going to be a running festival that everyone will be able to participate in,” said Cathy Noel, race manager of the GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon.
A Victoria, BC group is in the process of putting together a bid to win the right to host the 2020 Pan Am Cross Country Cup.
The cross-country meet is scheduled to take place in Canada during the third or fourth weekend of February 2020. The question is where? Apparently, the only other competing bid is from nearby Vancouver.
The deadline date to submit the bid is December 31, 2018.
“We are currently creating a society named Victoria International Cross Country Association (VICCA). The role of VICCA will be to seek out cross-country events to bid on and organize in Greater Victoria, including provincial, national, regional and international competitions. We want to help return cross-country to its former glory as the crown jewel in athletics. The venue we have identified, with its 5-star hotel resort as an athlete’s village and the stunning course – not only for spectators but for athletes too – will absolutely be a game changer for cross-country,” Said bid committee chair Christopher Kelsall, who is the managing editor of Athletics Illustrated and Victoria Sports News.
The group also includes local organizers from the sport of running including the long-time treasurer of the Prairie Inn Harriers Running Club, Bob Reid, Cathy Noel, who is currently the race manager of the GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon and founder of the Goddess Run. Also, two-time Olympic marathon runner Bruce Deacon is part of the bid group.
“Bringing the 2020 Pan Am Cross Country Cup to Victoria is an important first step towards hosting the 2023 World Championships; the ultimate prize,” said Deacon.
© Copyright – 2018 – Athletics Illustrated
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