X, DAL in a running battle for AUS honours

By Glenn MacDonald, Sports Reporter, The Chronicle-Herald\r\n\r\nOct 26, 2007 - A pair of Czech exchange students will lead the charge for St. Francis Xavier at this Saturday�۪s Atlantic University Sport cross-country championships at Point Pleasant Park.\r\n\r\nDavid Gerych and Monika Priebischova are undefeated against competition from the Atlantic conference this season and will look to keep that streak going in the biggest event on the AUS cross-country calendar.\r\n\r\n"Monika has fit in extremely well; she has made the transition very smoothly," said StFX coach Bernie Chisholm, the defending two-time AUS coach of the year. "I�۪m looking to continue that success this weekend.\r\n\r\n"David, too, has done extremely well and fit in great with the rest of his team," Chisholm added. "He�۪s a quiet leader who the kids look up to and respect greatly."\r\n\r\nThe Czech runners will be up against some stiff competition through the south-end Halifax park.\r\n\r\nGerych�۪s teammates Lee McCarron and Andrew Harris, the conference�۪s top rookies the previous two seasons, will be among the favourites on the men�۪s side looking to dethrone 2006 AUS cross-country champion Russell Christie of Dalhousie. John Corbit and rookie Peter Corrigan will also challenge for the nationally ninth-ranked Tigers.\r\n\r\n"Certainly Dal is favoured; they have the horses," Chisholm said. "But I�۪m looking for our guys to run well and if they do we should be competitive enough to compete for the title."\r\n\r\nBesides Priebischova, Dal�۪s Caroline McInnes, last year�۪s top cross-country athlete, and StFX�۪s Heather Mosher, the defending conference rookie of the year, should take centre stage in the women�۪s competition.\r\n\r\n"StFX has one of the best women�۪s teams in the country this year," Dal coach Dan Hennigar said in a news release, "and we know we�۪ll be entering the championships as underdogs. But we�۪ve been there before. I think it�۪ll make for an exciting meet."\r\n\r\nThe two-time defending champion X-Women are ranked fifth in the CIS.\r\n\r\n"Our girls are healthy and look forward to defending our title," Chisholm said. "Heather Mosher has started off slow but in the last couple of races, she has been looking very strong.\r\n\r\n"But we realize it won�۪t be a cake walk. "\r\n\r\nAlthough the Tigers claimed the top two podium spots in the men�۪s and women�۪s race in 2006, it wasn�۪t enough to bring home the team banners.\r\n\r\nStFX snapped Dal�۪s four-year stranglehold on the men�۪s championship when it captured the title last year in Antigonish. Dal had won four straight.\r\n\r\nChisholm expects the Tigers will look for retribution on their home course.\r\n\r\n"It should be a tough weekend," the X coach said.\r\n\r\n"Having the home fans and knowing the course on a daily basis certainly is an advantage. I�۪m sure Dal will use it to their advantage."\r\n\r\nThe cross-country championships open at noon on Saturday with the women�۪s five-kilometre race. The men�۪s 10K begins 45 minutes after the women start.\r\n\r\nThe CIS championship is Saturday, Nov. 10 in Victoria.