Canada dominates continental cross country running championships

Saturday, March 01, 2008

ORLANDO – Canada won six gold medals on Saturday at the North America, Central America and Caribbean (NACAC)  cross country running championships.  Canadian runners won three of the four events in both the individual and team races.

In the senior women’s six kilometre race, Olympian Carmen Douma-Hussar of Cambridge, Ont., took the gold in 19 minutes and 24 seconds.  Korene Hinds of Jamaica was second in 19:33 and Kathleen Trotter of the U.S., third in 19:35.

Elizabeth Wightman of Unionville, Ont., was sixth, Danette Doetzel of Macklin, Sask., eighth, Lisa Harvey of Calgary ninth, Erin MacLean of Timberlea, N.S., 12th, and Suzanne Binne-Huse of Winnipeg 15th.  The six-member squad won gold in the team event with a combined time of 1:19:21.00, nine seconds ahead of the second place Americans.

Canadacompletely dominated the the junior women’s four kilometre race grabbing six of the top-eight spots. Kendra Schaff of Craven, Sask., was the winner in 13:03. Emily Reese of the U.S., was second in 13:15 and Sheila Reid of Newmarket, Ont., third in 13:18.  Lindsay Carson of Cambridge was fourth, Paula Findlay of Edmonton fifth and Geneviève Lalonde of Moncton, N.B., sixth. Tamara Jewett of Toronto was eighth.

‘’I’m very pleased with my performance,’’ said Schaff, 17.  ‘’I train indoors most of the winter so I wasn’t sure how I would fare here.  I had a good start and kept pace with the leaders and made my move past the halfway point and never looked back.’’

Canadaran away with the team title beating the U.S., by more than two minutes.

In the junior men’s six kilometre race, Aleksandr Kuternin of Toronto was the victor in 17:21, Ryan Sheridan of the U.S., was second in 17:23 and Gregg Brendan of the U.S., third in 17:32.  Nyial Majock of Calgary was fourth while Mohammed Ahmed of St. Catharines, Ont., Peter Corrigan of Calgary, Barry Britt of Hampton, N.B., and Rob Jackson of Guelph, Ont., ranked sixth to ninth respectively.

The Canadians sailed to the team title with a four-minute margin over Puerto Rico.

The only event Canada didn’t win gold was in the men’s senior eight kilometre race.  Thomas Morgan led the U.S., to a 1-2 finish clocking 22:42.  Josh Simpson was second in 22:48 and Dylan Wykes of Kingston, Ont., earned the bronze in 22:57.  Rob Watson of London, Ont., was fourth, Derek Nakluski of Kitchener, Ont., Taylor Murphy of Napanee, Ont., Joel Bourgeois of Grande-Digue, N.B., and Trevor Caldwell of Mississauga, Ont., ranked seventh to 10th.

The U.S., edged Canada for the team title.

-AC-

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