Williams leads Kodiaks XC at nationals

Nov. 15, 2022 – A challenging snowy course and frosty conditions did little to slow down the Lethbridge College Kodiaks cross country teams last Saturday, as they wrapped up their season with a great showing at the 2022 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) National Championships hosted by Medicine Hat College. 

First-year runner Cooper Williams highlighted the Kodiaks performance with a great season ending run, finishing in 12^th place overall.  The Kodiaks men’s team placed 10^th in the team standings, while the women placed 16^th.

Williams blitzed through the 8km course with a time of 26:40, expertly navigating the challenging hills and slippery conditions. Cole Herbert was the next Kodiaks men’s team finisher, crossing the line in 29:50 to place 48^th overall. Justin Fisher (30:21) and Jack Bentley (31:23) rounded out the team scoring by finishing 53^rd and 60^th respectively. Chase Chambers (32:44) and Kurt Caballo (39:35) also finished the season strong. 

On the women’s side, Maria Boix-Frias was the top finisher for the Kodiaks. She completed the 6km course in 26:03, earning 39^th overall. Rosie Bouchard landed in 56^th place after completing the course in 27:02. Hannah Smith (29:49) and Rayanne Hoeflicher (30:21) showed great improvement all season and finished strong by placing 77^th and 80^th respectively.    

With the outdoor season now concluded, the Kodiaks will now shift their focus to the indoor track season which will begin in Jan. 2023.

Photos of the CCAA Nationals event can be found on the Kodiaks Flikr page.