Defending champion Connor Black faces strong field at the Canadian Cross Country Championships

If you are a fan of cross country, get ready for a spectacle on Saturday afternoon in the open men’s 10K field at the 2023 Canadian Cross Country Championships. Some of the nation’s top middle-distance runners are in Ottawa to contend for the national title, including reigning XC champion Connor Black, 1,500m Olympian Charles Philibert-Thiboutot, plus rising Canadian distance stars Kieran Lumb and Jean-Simon Desgagnés.

Can Connor Black go back-to-back?

Last year, Black of London, Ont., won his first national XC title, beating out Olympic steeplechaser John Gay on the final lap of five at Mooney’s Bay in Ottawa. Although Black had a successful collegiate career with the University of Guelph, his win last year came unexpectedly to most after a 10th-place finish in 2021. Black told Canadian Running that he knew he was capable of more and started his hill training in the middle of the summer in preparation to contend for the win at nationals.

Coming in as the defending champion on the same course, Black is the favourite and is looking for another spot on Team Canada for the 2024 World XC Championships after not being able to run earlier this year due to illness. The last runner to win back-to-back ACXC titles was two-time Olympian Luc Bruchet in 2017 and 2018 in Kingston.

The kings of the middle distance

Lumb and Philibert-Thiboutot have gone head-to-head in the men’s 1,500m a lot in this 2023 season, with Lumb famously edging out Philibert-Thiboutot for the 1,500m title at the Canadian Track and Field Championships in July. The two titans of the 1,500m will battle once again on Saturday, but this time over 10K on grass. It has been a while since either of them has stepped foot on a cross-country course and, in fact, competed at Canadian nationals for XC, but both men look to return not only to win the individual title but to help their respective teams win the open title for the top team.

Vancouver’s Kieran Lumb to return to Canadian Cross Country Championships

Philibert-Thiboutot arrives in Ottawa after a successful two-medal performance for Team Canada at the 2023 Pan American Games earlier this month. If a gold medal in the 1,500m and a silver in the 5,000m is any indication of his fitness, he’s determined and ready to help CAUL (Club D’Athletisme de L’Universite Laval) do whatever it takes to win the team title. Philibert-Thiboutot is a seasoned veteran and knows his strengths, plus the up-and-down and down 2K loop will make this a tactical race, which will work toward Philibert-Thiboutot’s strengths–a final kick.

For Lumb, this is his first time at Canadian XC nationals since he won the U20 title in 2017. He had a successful second half of the 2023 season, setting a Canadian record in the 3,000m (twice) and finishing top five at the World Road Running Championships in the road mile. The biggest question mark around Lumb will be regarding what sort of shape he will be in on Saturday. Lumb is coming off a short break in mid-October and has only one month of cross-country training under his belt. Lumb joins a loaded Vancouver Thunderbirds team, featuring national marathon champion Thomas Broatch and U Sports (team) gold medallists John Perrier and Javieer Tiwana.

Best of the rest

A few other athletes to watch are the Harbour Track Club trio of Max Turek, Andrew Davies and Andrew Alexander. Turek finished in the top five here last year, and Davies is coming off a bronze medal at the 2023 Canadian U Sports Championships. Alexander won the 2023 TCS Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon in 62:44 and is coached by former Canadian XC champion and Olympian Matt Hughes. In the team category, Harbour has nothing to lose, and with that loaded top three, they could surprise a few people and find their way onto the podium.

CAUL’s Philippe Morneau-Cartier has been undefeated on Canadian soil this fall, winning four consecutive XC races and the U Sports national title. Morneau-Cartier is extremely fit and has been crushing his teammate, Pan-American steeplechase champion Desgagnés, in workouts. The boys went one-two at U Sports, and both should place within the top 10 here. They have added depth with the inclusion of two of Canada’s best 5,000m runners, Thomas Fafard and Philibert-Thiboutot, making CAUL a favourite to take the men’s team title.

I would not call Royal City’s Mitch Ubene a sleeper pick, as he’s been right there, knocking on the door for a breakthrough at several national championships since graduating from the University of Guelph last year. A second-place finish in the men’s 5,000m to Ben Flanagan at Canadian nationals in July and a fifth-place finish on this course last year. This race is bound to be tactical, and Ubene is a patient and gritty runner, which could work well for him on this tough course.

Predictions

Individual top three:

1. Charles Philibert-Thiboutot (CAUL)
2. Philippe Morneau-Cartier (CAUL)
3. Connor Black (London Western Track Club)

Team top three:

1. CAUL (Club D’Athletisme de L’Universite Laval) – Quebec City
2. London Western Track Club – London, Ont.
3. Harbour Track Club – Hamilton, Ont.

For a comprehensive preview of the women’s field at the 2023 Canadian Cross Country Championships, check here.

How to watch

The 2023 Canadian Cross Country Championships will be broadcast live via AthleticsCanada.tv. The live webcast and on-demand videos will only be available for RunnerSpace +PLUS subscribers. Viewers can sign up here. Canadian Running will be on hand live-tweeting, sharing videos on our Instagram, and conducting interviews with top finishers at the championships. Follow along on our Instagram and Twitter.

The women’s open 10K is up first on Saturday morning, kicking off at 11 a.m. ET, followed by the men at noon ET. Coverage for the championships begins with the masters race at 10 a.m. ET.

Schedule

8:30 a.m. Kids’ race
9:00 a.m. Community 6K race
10:00 a.m. Masters 6K (70+) and 8K race
11:00 a.m. Open Women 10K race
12:00 p.m. Open Men 10K race
1:00 p.m. U20 Women’s 6K race
1:45 p.m. U20 Men’s 8K race
2:30 p.m. U18 Girls’ 4K race
3:15 p.m. U18 Boys’ 6K race