By Thomas Becker, UPEI Athletics
Allie Sandluck led a strong STFX pack, as the X-Women claimed their second consecutive AUS Women's Cross Country title Saturday afternoon.
Sandluck finished the 8 km race in 30:17, 10 seconds faster than the next runner. STFX had five of the top-10 finishers with Mairin Canning placing second, followed Eileen Benoit in fourth, Tanna Burke in seventh and Breanna Sandluck in ninth.
"I just think about all the training I've put in," Allie said. "Coming up that final hill, I knew I had more in the tank."
Allie also praised the team dynamic, saying that they keep each other accountable on and off the course.
"We have such a strong team this year and we were able to work together pretty much the whole race," Allie said.
The Dalhousie Tigers, who won seven-straight banners from 2013-19, finished with silver. Lauren Lowther and Danielle Keefe completed the race in the fifth and sixth position to lead their team.
The third-place UNB Reds also had two runners finish in the top-10. Sierra Rodrigues reached the finish line in third place, while Hilary Bishop came in at 10th.
Ava Stefanovich-Thomson was Acadia's strongest runner, leading the team to a fourth place standing. The fifth-place Université de Moncton Aigles Bleues were led by Sophie Black, while Katie Richard finished eighth for the sixth-place UPEI Panthers.
Rounding out the field were the Memorial Sea-Hawks who were led by Maria Chafe, followed by Saint Mary's with Jacqueline Moore pacing the Huskies.
The second race featured a dominant performance from the Dalhousie Tigers, who captured their third straight AUS Men's Cross Country championship.
The Tigers fielded another strong team, as their top five runners—Hudson Grimshaw-Surette, Nick Robertson, Will Cox, Aidan Goslett and Daniel Rosen—finished fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and 11th.
Saint Mary's Andrew Peverill continued his AUS supremacy, as he earned his third straight gold medal in a time of 24:37.
"It's all about having a positive mindset all the way through even when things don't necessarily go as planned." Peverill said. "If you're not having fun, why are you out there?"
Peverill's Huskies squad just missed the podium as the fourth place school. The UNB Reds claimed silver with Jared Howse crossing line in second, while teammate Mitchell Kean finished ninth.
Leading the pack for the third-place STFX X-Men was Jacob Benoit, who finished third overall.
Levi Moulton was the Memorial Sea-Hawks' strongest runner, as he placed eighth. While Moncton's Damien Canal finished 27th for the sixth-place Aigles Bleus.
Coming in at seventh were the host UPEI Panthers, whose top runner on the afternoon was Jack Roberts.
AWARD WINNERS & TIGERS RESULTS
At the end of the event, Hannah Trites was named the 2022 AUS Women's Cross Country Student-Athlete Community Service Award winner and head coach Rich Lehman received the 2022 Bernie Chisholm Award for Men's Coach of the year.
WOMEN
5. Lauren Lowther 30:59 AUS First Team All-Star
6. Danielle Keefe 31:04 AUS First Team All-Star
16. Sofia Day 32:00
17. Jayne Borrens 32:11
23. Hannah Trites 33:01
25. Molly Pert 33:10
27. Mackenzie Kitchen 33:13
MEN
4. Hudson Grimshaw-Surette 25:13 AUS First Team All-Star
5. Nick Robertson 25:18 AUS First Team All-Star
6. Will Cox 25:25 AUS First Team All-Star
7. Aidan Goslett 25:31 AUS First Team All-Star
11. Daniel Rosen 25:47 AUS Second Team All-Star
16. Lukas Rudaitis 26:28
23. Alec Freeman 27:19
Up next is the 2022 U SPORTS Cross Country Championship, co-hosted by Dalhousie and Saint Mary's Saturday, November 12 at the Links at Brunello Golf Course.