HAMILTON – The Lakehead Thunderwolves are targeting a six-peat as Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Nordic skiing champions this Saturday and Sunday at Monora Park in Orangeville, Ont.
The Thunderwolves have won both the men’s and women’s team titles in each of the last five seasons, but there will be six teams looking to end the streak, including Carleton, Guelph, Laurentian, Nipissing, Queen's, Toronto and Waterloo.
Lakehead has gone through a number of changes since last year, losing two-time defending male individual champion Chris Hamilton (Thunder Bay, Ont.), as well as fellow 2009 OUA all-stars Scott Sullivan (Thunder Bay, Ont.), Linnaea Kershaw (Sudbury, Ont.) and Amanda Holsworth (Orillia, Ont.). But the Thunderwolves remain a threat, led by defending OUA women’s individual champion Britt Bailey (Thunder Bay, Ont.) and two-time OUA all-star Anna Crawford (Lake George, N.Y.). First-year skiers Kara Jaspers and Daphne Haggarty, both of Thunder Bay, Ont., had strong showings in an OUA qualifier in January, finishing first and fourth, respectively, in a junior 10km classic race in Gatineau, Que. The men will feature Greg Kilroy (Powassan, Ont.), Lachlan Armstrong (Thunder Bay, Ont.), former Guelph Gryphon Owen Gray (Owen Sound, Ont.) and Josh Robinson (Timmins, Ont.).
Colin Abbott (Whitehorse, Yukon) and Alana Thomas (Mississauga, Ont.) will look to lead the Carleton Ravens to their first OUA title since 2004. Abbott finished second behind Hamilton f! or last season’s individual men’s crown, but he has been on top of the leaderboard this season with wins last month in the 10km classic in North Bay, Ont. and the 10km free and 30km classic in Gatineau, Que. Thomas has also been victorious in the 15km classic and 5km free in Gatineau, Que. Adele Lay (Eden Mills, Ont.), Matthias Purdon (Owen Sound, Ont.) and Brittney Pearson (Whitehorse, Yukon) are other student-athletes expected to end Carleton’s title drought this weekend.
The Laurentian Lady Vees are also a threat, with Mary Thompson (Woodstock, Ont.) winning both the 10km free and 6.5km classic in North Bay, Ont. last month. Janel Sauder (Stratford, Ont.) has also been near the top of the leaderboard! in races this season, and will look to continue her strong campaign. The Voyageurs will be led by first-year skier Evan Odell (Mississauga, Ont.) and second-year veteran Konrad Wiltmann (Dillon, Ont.).
Other notable skiers expected to make inroads this weekend include Henry Reich (Mahtomedi, Minn.) of the Waterloo Warriors, who finished first in the men’s 15km free in North Bay, Ont. Matti Little (Sudbury, Ont.) and Laura Hewitt (Orillia, Ont.) of the Guelph Gryphons are also threats for all-star recognition.
The competition begins on Saturday at 9 a.m. with the men’s 10km classic, followed by the women’s 5km at 10 a.m. Team relays will take place in the afternoon, as the men’s 3x5km goes at 2 p.m. and the women’s 3x2.5km starts at 2:45 p.m. The championship ends Sunday with the women’s 10km freestyle at 9 a.m. followed by the men’! s 15km freestyle at 10:30 a.m.
2010 OUA NORDIC SKIING CHAMPIONSHIP
Monora Park, Highway 10, Orangeville, Ont.
Saturday, February 20
9 a.m. - Men’s 10km Classic
10 a.m. - Women’s 5km Classic
2 p.m. - Men’s 3x5km Relay
2:45 p.m. - Women’s 3x2.5km Relay
Sunday, February 21
9 a.m. – Women’s 10 km Freestyle
10:30 a.m. – Men’s 15 km Freestyle
Source: OUA
