UBC Women stun Cal-State San Marcos; Men place 2^nd at Conference Championships

Devin Rajala

SAN MARCOS, CA – The top four scoring UBC women ran sub 18 minutes in the women’s 5km at the A.I.I. Conference Cross Country Championships on Saturday in San Marcos, California. Sophomore Jackie Regan was the overall individual winner of the race in a time of 17:12 and led the ladies to victory in one of the most impressive performances in UBC cross-country history by the lady thunderbirds. The ‘t-birds’ beat out current #1 NAIA ranked team, Cal-State San Marcos on their home course with an overall team total of 25 points. Cal-State San Marcos was second with 38 points.

Fellow sophomore, Maria Bernard was close behind Regan in a personal best time of 17:18. Heather Slinn put up her best performance of the year- cracking 18 minutes for the first time in a time of 17:47, which was good enough for 5^th place. Amelie de Fenoyl and Sarah Reimer both cracked the top ten in times of 17:55 and 18:01, respectively. Rhiannon Evans ran a personal best time of 18:26 for sixth spot on the team, while Micha Gutmanis rounded out the teams top seven in a time 18:37 for 12^th spot overall.

The UBC men’s team came into the 8-kilometre race as slight pre-race favorites but ended up coming second to a strong squad from Cal-State San Marcos. Lucas Bruchet had another impressive race coming second individually in a time of 24:27. Danny Lyon of Cal-State San Marcos won the race in a time of 24:18. In team scoring, #4 NAIA ranked Cal-State San Marcos won the race with a total of 24 points- beating UBC by 12 points as the birds’ had an overall team tally of 36 points.

Following Bruchet, team captain Tim Huebsch placed seventh overall in a time of 25:35. Matt Galea, Jack Williams and Tim Smith all snuck into the top ten in times of 25:50, 25:56 and 25:57, respectively. Bilal Shamsi ran 26:06 to solidify himself a spot on the team that will travel to the NAIA Cross Country Championships in two weeks in Vancouver, Washington. William Cliff rounded out the thunderbirds top seven runners in 17^th spot overall in a time of 26:24.

Both teams will now travel to the NAIA Cross Country Championships in Vancouver, Washington on November 17^th.