XC: T-birds sweep podium at CW Championships

UBC takes home double gold for third straight year

XC: T-birds sweep podium at CW Championships
October 28, 2023

KELOWNA, B.C. – The UBC Thunderbirds are making a habit of sweeping the Canada West Cross Country Championships as they made it three years in a row atop the podium, taking home double gold at the 2023 edition of championships hosted Saturday at Mission Recreation Park.

The UBC women captured their fifth consecutive Canada West Championship, beating out the Victoria Vikes by 47 points, while the Thunderbird men beat out the Vikes by 43 points to bring home their third-straight conference title.

After a measured start in the women’s race, that saw a large pack stick together for much of the opening two laps, the leaders started to pull away on the third time around the two-kilometer course. In the end, the Thunderbirds Katie Newlove held off Calgary Dinos’ rookie Chloe Turner to capture individual gold in a time of 28 minutes, 12 seconds.

Turner would finish in second place to earn the silver medal thanks to a time of 28:22 while the Saskatchewan’s Kaitlyn Harrison took bronze in 28:34.

UBC would secure the team championship as their top seven runners all finished inside the top 12, including five of the top seven.

“We have really strong group of women,” commented UBC lead endurance coach Steve Weiler. “[As for Katie] she’s been really consistent, locked in and keeps progressing. The course was a good one for her and she’s just taken off over the past two years so really happy to see her do that.”

The men’s race featured a much different strategy as the Thunderbirds burst away from the pack early, with their top three runners of Andrew Davies, John Perrier and Jaiveer Tiwana setting the pace. Davies would go on to win gold in a time of 23:40 followed by Perrier, who won silver in 23:51, marking his second consecutive year on the podium after a bronze medal finish in 2022.

Tiwana would take home bronze in 24:08.

The Thunderbirds finished the event with an impressive 18 points in the team standings as they swept the top four positions and matched the women’s team with their top seven runners in the top twelve.

“Andrew, John, and Jaiveer wanted to tag along, they wanted to show the rest of U SPORTS what we have,” added Weiler on his top three male runners. “They’re pumped [for the result] but their focus is in November.”

Following the races, the Canada West major award winners and all-stars were announced.

Newlove and Davies were named the Canada West Athletes of the Year after winning the individual titles. Turner took home Rookie of the Year honours for the women while Maximilien Filion from UBC was Rookie of the Year on the men’s side.

The Saskatchewan Huskies’ Jaira Cross Child and the Alberta Golden Bears’ Jason Ushko were honoured with the Student-Athlete Community Service awards for their athletic excellence, community service, and academic success.

UBC lead endurance coach Steve Weiler was named Coach of the Year on both the men's and women's sides.

WOMEN

TEAM STANDINGS

  1. UBC Thunderbirds – 23 points
  2. Victoria Vikes – 70 points
  3. Saskatchewan Huskies – 99 points
  4. Alberta Pandas – 136 points
  5. UBCO Heat – 148 points
  6. Calgary Dinos – 203 points
  7. Trinity Western Spartans – 257 points

INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS

Top 7 first team all-stars, 8-14 second team all-stars

  1. Katie Newlove – UBC Thunderbirds – 28:12
  2. Chloe Turner – Calgary Dinos – 28:22
  3. Kaitlyn Harrison – Saskatchewan Huskies – 28:34
  4. Jennifer Erickson – UBC Thunderbirds – 28:35
  5. Kyla Becker – UBC Thunderbirds – 28:41
  6. Holly MacGillivray – UBC Thunderbirds – 28:43
  7. Rachel Mortimer – UBC Thunderbirds – 28:44
  8. Elise Coates – Victoria Vikes – 28:49
  9. Anja Krueger – Victoria Vikes – 28:50
  10. Jouen Chang – UBC Thunderbirds – 28:52
  11. Constance Nankivell – Trinity Western Spartans – 28:57
  12. Marley Beckett – UBC Thunderbirds – 29:02
  13. Tori Bouck – UBCO Heat – 29:05
  14. Jenica Swartz – Saskatchewan Huskies – 29:27

ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

Maximilien Filion – UBC Thunderbirds – 25:01

Justin Kiplagat – Trinity Western Spartans – 25:37

Kinley Cross Child – Saskatchewan Huskies – 26:30

Carson Kroeker – Manitoba Bisons – 26:37

Ethan Meyer – Calgary Dinos – 26:52

AWARDS

Athlete of the Year: Katie Newlove (UBC)

Rookie of the Year: Chloe Turner (Calgary)

Student-Athlete Community Service: Jaira Cross Child (Saskatchewan)

Coach of the Year: Steve Weiler

MEN

TEAM STANDINGS

  1. UBC Thunderbirds – 18 points
  2. Victoria Vikes – 61 points
  3. Alberta Golden Bears – 129 points
  4. Saskatchewan Huskies – 162 points
  5. Manitoba Bisons – 170 points
  6. Calgary Dinos – 189 points
  7. Trinity Western Spartans – 199 points
  8. UBCO Heat – 217 points
  9. Regina Cougars – 297 points

INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS

Top 7 first team all-stars, 8-14 second team all-stars

  1. Andrew Davies – UBC Thunderbirds – 23:40
  2. John Perrier – UBC Thunderbirds – 23:51
  3. Jaiveer Tiwana – UBC Thunderbirds – 24:08
  4. Dylan Uhrich – UBC Thunderbirds – 24:25
  5. Jonathan Podbielski – Regina Cougars – 24:33
  6. Daniel Damian – Victoria Vikes – 24:40
  7. Will Cebuliak – Alberta Golden Bears – 24:42
  8. Riley Miller – UBC Thunderbirds – 24:45
  9. Sacha Schimmelpenninck Van Der Oye – 24:46
  10. Jaxon Kuchar – Victoria Vikes – 24:49
  11. Justin Kroeker – Manitoba Bisons – 245:52
  12. Liam Dwyer – UBC Thunderbirds – 25:00
  13. Maximilien Filion – UBC Thunderbirds – 25:01
  14. Anton Kuipers – Victoria Vikes – 25:13

ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

Maximilien Filion – UBC Thunderbirds – 25:01

Justin Kiplagat – Trinity Western Spartans – 25:37

Kinley Cross Child – Saskatchewan Huskies – 26:30

Carson Kroeker – Manitoba Bisons – 26:37

Ethan Meyer – Calgary Dinos – 26:52

AWARDS

Athlete of the Year: Andrew Davies (UBC)

Rookie of the Year: Maximilien Filion (UBC)

Student-Athlete Community Service: Jason Ushko (Alberta)

Coach of the Year: Steve Weiler