It’s still cross-country season for 12 Canadian athletes competing at FISU
A group of 12 student-athletes, plus three coaches, are representing Canada at Saturday's FISU World University Cross-Country Championships.
It’s a busy weekend for Canadian university athletes across North America and overseas.
York University in Toronto is hosting the CIS Track and Field Championships, Birmingham, Ala. is the site of the NCAA Division One Track and Field Championships and finally, there’s a group of 15 in Italy for the World University Cross-Country Championships.
Known as the International University Sports Federation (FISU) cross-country championships, 12 student-athletes and three coaches are in Cassino, located about halfway between Naples and Rome, for Saturday’s race.
Schedule
5 a.m. EST (11 a.m. local time): Women’s 6K
6 a.m. EST (12 noon local time): Men’s 10.7K
Canadian athletes qualify for the biennial event by placing well at the national university championships, which took place in November in Guelph, Ont.
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Head coach Kip Sigsworth told Canadian Running via email that the team had a smooth trip to Italy and that athletes got in one final workout on Thursday. Sigsworth, the cross-country head coach at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ont., added that the hilly course has been muddy as of late.
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The University of Victoria is represented by three athletes, all on the men’s side, after the Vikes ended Guelph’s nine-year domination as the team champions at the CIS cross-country championships in November. Kevin Tree of Lakehead University was the top finisher among selected athletes earning a silver medal at the fall championships.
Sarah Wismer of the national championship-winning Guelph squad is the lone representative for the Gryphons.
Meanwhile, Stefanie Smith was the top finisher among Canadian female qualifiers winning individual bronze at the CIS cross-country championships.
Women
Emma Cook-Clarke – Calgary
Karissa LePage – Alberta
Stefanie Smith – Windsor
Claire Sumner – Queen’s
Colleen Wilson – Dalhousie
Sarah Wismer – Guelph
Interview with Sumner:
Claire Sumner (CAN) #WUCCrossCountry2016
Claire Sumner, of team Canada, introduces herself #FISU #WUCCrossCountry2016 #Cassino Claire Sumner, una delle atlete della nazionale canadese, si presenta
Posted by World University Championship Cross Country Cassino 2016 on Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Interview with Cook-Clarke:
Emma Cook-Clarke (CAN) #WUCCrossCountry2016
Emma Cook-Clarke, of team Canada, introduces herself #FISU #WUCCrossCountry2016 #Cassino Emma Cook-Clarke, una delle atlete della nazionale canadese, si presenta
Posted by World University Championship Cross Country Cassino 2016 on Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Men
Ryan Cassidy – Victoria
Olivier Collin – Victoria
Matt McNeil – Dalhousie
Blair Morgan – McMaster
Forrest Simpson – Victoria
Kevin Tree – Lakehead
Coaching staff
Head Coach & Team Leader: Kip Sigsworth (Lakehead University)
Assistant Coach: Brant Stachel (Queen’s University)
Assistant Coach: Paula Schnurr (McMaster University)
The official website can be found here. Canadian Running will be posting a recap following the conclusion of Saturday’s race.
Kingston, Ont. hosted the event in 2010, the only occasion that the competition has been held in Canada.
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