(FREDERICTON, NB) The 2019 Atlantic University Sport Cross Country seasons come to an end on Saturday, with the running of the Subway AUS Championships, at Kingswood Golf, just outside of Fredericton.
In separate races, the women and men will each cover eight kilometres over Kingswood’s undulating driving range and the course’s 8th, 10th and 15th holes.
The women’s race begins at 12:00pm. The men go at 12:45pm.
“The course will demand a lot of the runners,” said Reds head coach Chris Belof. “It’s a difficult and technical course that will challenge the competitors. I think it’ll produce some good races.”
The shortened 2019 AUS season has been dominated by St. FX on both the women’s and men’s side of the schedule.
The season’s first race was cancelled when the remnants of Hurricane Dorian threatened Halifax.
Jane Hergett, of St FX, won the first two events of the women’s three race season, while Acadia’s Madalynn Higgins won the third, after second place finishes in the first two.
Jacob Benoit, of St FX, was runner-up in the season opener, then won the second event.
The Reds skipped races two and three, focusing on out-of-conference competition.
“We shifted some things around to make sure the right groups got the right efforts at the right times,” said Belof.
Belof likes his team’s chances on the weekend, saying both the women’s and men’s squads are diligent and hard-working groups.
On the women’s side, he expects Fredericton’s Hannah Cormier to lead the way.
“Her dedication and her work ethic have increased significantly this year. It’s really been something special to be a part of,” he said. “She's shown podium potential and has been working at a rate that will put her in the mix.”
“My training has been pretty consistent this year and we’ve done a lot of training to prepare us for the grass course,” said Cormier. “I’m really hoping to qualify for the U SPORTS Championship this year, so my goal is to make top seven. I’d be thrilled if I can capture a spot in the top three.”
Belof says any one of a number of the men could emerge on Saturday, but points to Isaac Cull, who has raced and trained well.
“He’s shown he is capable of mixing it up with the best in the AUS,” said Belof. “He’s really bought into what it takes to be successful in our sport. His attention to recovery has been outstanding, and really allowed him to get to a new place this year. It will be fun to see how that fitness plays out on Saturday.”
“Training has gone well for me,” said Cull. “This is my first year where I haven’t been injured in our buildup to the AUS Championships, and it has felt great.”
Cull sees potential for the Reds in running on a course so close to home.
“We believe that we have a shot at winning this year, and it would be nice to get all the boys to U SPORTS this year. Anything short of that wouldn't be satisfying.”
Top finishers from Saturday’s AUS Championships will qualify for the U SPORTS Championships, in Kingston, Ontario, on November 9th.