Competing in Kelowna, B.C., for the 2024 U SPORTS Cross Country Championships, the University of Toronto Varsity Blues cross country teams saw some great individual success in the Saturday (Nov. 9) afternoon event.

With a full team contingent for the women's race, the Varsity Blues finished 12th overall in the team standings with 301 points. Western claimed the national banner with a championship low 60 points, followed by UBC (85) and Victoria (94).

Leading the way for the Toronto women was Julia Agostinelli, who placed 15^th overall with a time of 27:44. The remainder of the Blues Top 5 results in the 126-runner field included Sarah Luedke in 62^nd (29:04), Sophie Levasseur in 89^th (29:50), Liana De Medeiros in 95^th (29:59), and Samantha MacDonald in 103^rd (30:13).

In the men's race, fifth-year veteran Ben Shore was the line representative for the Blues. In a field of 152 runners, the U of T engineering student crossed the finish line in a U SPORTS Championship career-best 25^th place, posting an 8km time of 24:06. With improvement in each appearance at the national championship event, Shore went from finishing 111^th (27:48) in 2021 to 53^rd (26:01) in 2023, and now Top 25 in 2024.

With the cross country season coming to a close at the national showcase, several of the Varsity Blues runners will now transition indoors for the beginning of the 2024-25 track and field competition schedule. The Blues will begin their track and field schedule at the end of the month, traveling to Cornell University to compete at the Greg Page Relays, before also taking part in the York Holiday Open during the first weekend of December.

MEN'S 8KM RACE
 
Team Standings

1. Queen's Gaels: 94 pts
2. Sherbrooke Vert et Or: 130
3. Laval Rouge et Or: 145
4. Guelph Gryphons: 160
5. UNB Reds: 161
6. UBC Thunderbirds: 196
7. McMaster Marauders: 201
8. Western Mustangs: 254
9. UVic Vikes: 266
10. McGill Redbirds: 273
11. Trinity Western Spartans: 285
12. Alberta Golden Bears: 294
13. Saskatchewan Huskies: 318
14. Montreal Carabins: 319
15. StFX X-Men: 335
16. Regina Cougars: 367
17. Lakehead Thunderwolves:  437
18. Manitoba Bisons: 455
19. Waterloo Warriors: 490
20. Calgary Dinos: 513
21. UBC Okanagan Heat: 529
22. UPEI Panthers: 670

 
U SPORTS First Team All-Canadians (Top 7 Runners)

1. Philippe Morneau-Cartier, Laval, 23:19
2. Jared Howse, UNB, 23:25
3. Jonathan Podbielski, Regina, 23:32
4. Yemane Mulugeta, Trinity Western, 23:34
5. Jaocb Benoit, Dalhousie, 23:35
6. Jaiveer Tiwana, UBC, 23:36
7. Thomas Laviolette, Montreal, 23:36

 
U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadians (Runners 8-14)

8. Nolan Turgeon, Sherbrooke, 23:38
9. Max Davies, Guelph, 23:39
10. Ron Maclean, Alberta, 23:40
11. Jack Lehto, Guelph, 23:41
12. Felix Quirion, Sherbrooke, 23:42
13. Jude Wheeler-Dee, Queen's, 23:49
14. Roman Mironov, Queen's, 23:49

 

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WOMEN'S 8KM RACE
 
Team Standings

1. Western Mustangs: 60 pts
2. UBC Thunderbirds: 85
3. UVic Vikes: 94
4. StFX X-Women: 120
5. Queen's Gaels: 164
6. UBC Okanagan Heat: 193
7. McMaster Marauders: 220
8. Waterloo Warriors: 255
9. Guelph Gryphons: 257
10. Laval Rouge et Or: 269
11. Sherbrooke Vert et Or: 283
12. Toronto Varsity Blues: 301
13. Saskatchewan Huskies: 305
14. Montreal Carabins: 307
15. McGill Marlets: 312

 
U SPORTS First Team All-Canadians (Top 7 Runners)

1. Lauren McNeil, UBC Okanagan, 26:31
2. Constance Nankivell, Trinity Western, 26:42
3. Madelyn Eybergen, Windsor, 27:02
4. Paige Breedon, Waterloo, 27:15
5. Elise Coates, UVic, 27:24
6. Rachel Mortimer, UBC, 27:29
7. Ashley Maguire, Western, 27:31

 
U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadians (Runners 8-14)

8. Holly MacGillivray, UBC, 27:31
9. Marisha Thompson, UVic, 27:36
10. Elisa Tripotin, UQAM, 27:36
11. Olivia Roussel, Western, 27:37
12. Eileen Benoit, StFX, 27:37
13. Alyshia Alkerton, Queen's, 27:39
14. Ana Morariu, McMaster, 27:41