Team Canada wins mountain title

The Canadian men’s mountain running team won the NACAC championship on July 9, in Canmore, Alta.

Team Canada, led by Taylor Murphy’s second-place finish, beat the Americans by one point. Murphy, of Napanee, Ont., Adrian Lambert of Edmonton and Victoria’s Kris Swanson were all in the top six of the 7.5K uphill race, which climbed about 600 metres in elevation, and included a 130m descent.

American Joseph Gray won the individual title. Olympic skier Ivan Babikov of Canmore, Alta., was third, but he didn’t include himself in the team competition.

Gray led for almost the entire race, winning by 23 seconds over Murphy. But the team title was decided on the final and most difficult ascent, when Lambert passed American Brandon Lord to secure the championship.

In the women’s race, the United States easily won the team title over Canada. The Americans took the top two spots, with Emily Solsberg of Vancouver finishing fourth, to lead the Canadian team.

Brandy Erholtz won the women’s individual title.

The race also served as the Canadian Mountain Running Championships, and will be used to select the team for the World Mountain Running Championships in Kamnik, Slovenia on Sept. 5.

The event was held at the Canmore Nordic Centre after Grizzly Bears forced the organizers to make a last-minute course change from the Nakiska Ski Resort.

Full results available here.