Guelph looking for remarkable eighth consecutive banner sweep

OTTAWA (CIS) – The Guelph Gryphons will look to resume their domination on Saturday when the top university cross-country runners in the country gather in London, Ont., for the 2013 CIS championships.

Western University hosts the competition for the second straight year at the Thames Valley Golf Course. A total of 141 athletes from 27 schools are set to compete at noon in the women's six-kilometre race (increased by 1 km this season), while 131 runners from 23 institutions are scheduled to be at the starting line for the 10 km men's event at 1 p.m.

To say that Guelph has dominated CIS cross country in recent years would be a major understatement.

The Gryphons have swept the national team banners each of the past seven seasons and are riding an eight-year championship streak in the women's race, all CIS records.

In individual competition, their female runners have captured the last two gold medals, including Andrea Seccafien a year ago and Geneviève Lalonde in 2011, while on the men's side, Guelph had claimed four straight titles before Regina's Kelly Wiebe put an end to that streak 12 months ago, when the Gryphons had to "settle" for four finishers in the top seven, including the silver and bronze medals.  

Guelph is the overwhelming favourite to take the team banners once again on Saturday following a dominating performance at the OUA conference championships held on Oct. 26 in Hamilton, where the Gryphons swept the women's and men's titles for the ninth straight campaign, placing five female runners in the top seven and monopolizing the men's podium.

"We feel good. Racing at Thames Valley is always meaningful, it being the most established course in CIS with many memorable battles fought on its rolling hills," said Guelph head coach Dave Scott Thomas. "This year's meet is even more poignant as it is the last go round for Bob Vigars, the Western Mustangs coach and a legend in CIS.

"These are the two strongest teams we've put on the line. Every one of our athletes is in prime fitness physically and mentally, and needs to be as they square off against the best harriers in the country, all gunning for precious team points. Our expectations are simple: attempt to extend our winning streak of national titles for both women and men, and beyond that, to fill as many of the all-Canadian spots with Gryphons as possible."

In the other CIS conferences, the Dalhousie women and St. Francis Xavier men were crowned AUS champions, while the McGill women and Laval men once again prevailed in the RSEQ.

Individually, StFX's Melissa Hardy and Saint Mary's John Kuto claimed AUS gold, while UQTR's Sarah Bergeron-Larouche and Laval's Charles Philibert-Thiboutot triumphed in Quebec.

There are no cross country championships in Canada West. Results at the CIS meet determine the conference's individual and team champions. A year ago, the Victoria Vikes finished fourth in both the CIS women's and men's standings.

"The team to date has been running very well, they all worked hard over the summer and the results reflect that," said StFX head coach Bernie Chisholm. "We are hoping to improve on last year's performance and cracking the top 10 is a realistic goal for this team."

"The key for us this year is that both our conference championship and the CIS nationals have been extended from a five-kilometre distance to a six-kilometre race," said McGill coach Dennis Barrett. "Our girls are not necessarily that speedy over 5k but we feel that they are stronger and can maintain a good pace over a longer distance and it showed in the two 6k races that we ran this year."

Laval finished second in the men's standings at last year's CIS championships and head coach Félix-Antoine Lapointe is confident his troops can deliver again on Saturday.

"Our men had a great season and we hope to resume our success this weekend in London. The CIS competition has been our main goal all season and everyone is ready to go. Charles Philibert-Thiboutot is undefeated this fall is the RSEQ and he should be among the top contenders on Saturday."

CIS CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM CHAMPIONS

Women

2012    Guelph (at Western)
2011    Guelph (at Laval)
2010    Guelph (at Sherbrooke)
2009    Guelph (at Queen's)
2008    Guelph (at Laval)
2007    Guelph (at Victoria)
2006    Guelph (at Laval)
2005    Guelph (at Dalhousie)
2004    Dalhousie (at Guelph)
2003    Calgary (at Moncton)
2002    Toronto (at Western)
2001    Victoria (at Sherbrooke)
2000    Victoria (at Toronto)
1999    Victoria (at RMC / Queen's)
1998    Victoria (at Waterloo)
1997    Guelph (at Western)
1996    Waterloo (at McGill)
1995    Windsor (at Western)
1994    Victoria (at Western)
1993    Calgary (at Dalhousie)
1992    Calgary (at McGill)
1991    Toronto (at Victoria)
1990    Western (at Ottawa)
1989    Western (at UBC)
1988    Western (at Laval)
1987    Victoria (at Victoria)
1986    Victoria (at Western)
1985    Victoria (at Sherbrooke)
1984    Western (at Guelph)
1983    Western (at Laurentian)
1982    Western (at Laurentian)
1981    Western (at Lethbridge)
1980    Victoria (at Guelph)

Men

2012    Guelph (at Western)
2011    Guelph (at Laval)
2010    Guelph (at Sherbrooke)
2009    Guelph (at Queen's)
2008    Guelph (at Laval)
2007    Guelph (at Victoria)
2006    Guelph (at Laval)
2005    Windsor (at Dalhousie)
2004    Windsor (at Guelph)
2003    Windsor (at Moncton)
2002    Guelph (at Western)
2001    Guelph (at Sherbrooke)
2000    Guelph (at Toronto)
1999    Guelph (at RMC / Queen's)     
1998    Windsor (at Waterloo)
1997    Victoria (at Western)
1996    Victoria (at McGill)
1995    Victoria (at Western)
1994    Victoria (at Western)
1993    UBC (at Dalhousie)
1992    Sherbrooke (at McGill)
1991    Toronto (at Victoria)
1990    Ottawa (at Ottawa)
1989    Manitoba (at UBC)
1988    Manitoba (at Laval)
1987    Ottawa (at Victoria)
1986    Ottawa (at Western)
1985    Western (at Sherbrooke)
1984    Queen's (at Guelph)
1983    Queen's (at Laurentian)
1982    Toronto (at Laurentian)
1981    Queen's (at Lethbridge)
1980    Alberta (at Guelph)
1979    Queen's (at Toronto)
1978    Toronto (at Toronto)
1977    Toronto (at Queen's)
1976    Western (at Guelph)
1975    Toronto (at Victoria)
1974    Toronto (at Guelph)
1973    OUAA All-Stars (at RMC / Queen's)
1972    OUAA All-Stars (at RMC)
1971    Western (at UNB)
1970    Western (at UBC)
1969    Guelph (at MacDonald)
1968    Saskatchewan (at Dalhousie)
1967    Toronto (at Guelph)
1966    Toronto (at Guelph)
1965    Toronto (at Guelph)
1964    Manitoba (at Guelph)
1963    McMaster (at Guelph)

CIS CROSS-COUNTRY INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS

Women

2012    Andrea Seccafien, Guelph
2011    Geneviève Lalonde, Guelph
2010    Jessica Pearo, McMaster
2009    Megan Brown, Toronto
2008    Megan Brown, Toronto
2007    Lindsay Carson, Guelph
2006    Megan Brown, Toronto
2005    Beth Wightman, Toronto
2004    Kristina Rody, Guelph
2003    Beth Wightman, Queen's
2002    Sarah Dillabaugh, Ottawa
2001    Beth Wightman, Queen's
2000    Debbie Buhlers, Waterloo
1999    Teresa Duck, Western
1998    Nathalie Côté, Ottawa
1997    Nathalie Côté, Ottawa
1996    Nathalie Côté, Ottawa
1995    Missy McCleary, Windsor
1994    Linda Thyer, McGill
1993    Lisa Harvey, Calgary
1992    Lisa Harvey, Calgary
1991    Anna Gunasekera, Victoria
1990    Anna Gunasekera, Victoria
1989    Lucy Smith, Dalhousie
1988    Lucy Smith, Dalhousie
1987    Brenda Shackleton, Victoria
1986    Brenda Shackleton, Victoria
1985    Brenda Shackleton, Victoria
1984    Jill Purola, Western
1983    Sylvia Ruegger, Guelph
1982    Nancy Rooks, York
1981    Anne-Marie Malone, Queen's
1980    Sylvia Ruegger, Guelph

Men

2012    Kelly Wiebe, Regina
2011    Andrew Nixon, Guelph
2010    Kyle Boorsma, Guelph
2009    Matt Brunsting, Guelph
2008    Matt Brunsting, Guelph
2007    Alex Genest, Sherbrooke
2006    Geoffrey Kerr, Calgary
2005    Cristiano Mauricio, Windsor
2004    Cristiano Mauricio, Windsor
2003    Eric Gillis, StFX
2002    Jamie Epp, Saskatchewan
2001    Jerry Ziak, Victoria
2000    Jamie Epp, Saskatchewan
1999    Graham Cocksedge, Victoria
1998    Jeremy Deere, Calgary
1997    Guy Schultz, Western
1996    Éric Jobin, Sherbrooke
1995    Jeff Schiebler, UBC
1994    Joël Bourgeois, Moncton
1993    Brendan Matthias, Toronto
1992    Graeme Fell, UBC
1991    Brendan Matthias, Toronto
1990    John Halvorsen, Ottawa
1989    Richard Charrette, Ottawa
1988    John Halvorsen, Ottawa
1987    John Halvorsen, Ottawa
1986    John Halvorsen, Ottawa
1985    Bob Rice, Ottawa
1984    Paul McCloy, Memorial
1983    Paul McCloy, Memorial
1982    Brian Rhodes, Alberta
1981    Paul McCloy, Memorial
1980    Paul Williams, Toronto
1979    Peter Butler, Calgary
1978    Paul Williams, Toronto
1977    Paul Williams, Guelph
1976    Brian Stride, Brock
1975    Joe Sax, Western
1974    John Sharp, Toronto
1973    John Sharp, Toronto
1972    Rick Munro, Dalhousie
1971    Grant McLaren, Western
1970    Dave Smith, York
1969    Grant McLaren, Guelph
1968    Dave Smith, York
1967    David Bailey, Toronto
1966    David Bailey, Toronto
1965    Jerome Drayton, Toronto
1964    Chris Williamson, UNB
1963    Bruce Kidd, Toronto