KELOWNA, BC - Last weekend, the fastest teams and student-athletes from across the country met at Mission Recreation Park in Kelowna, BC for the U SPORTS Cross Country Championship.

Competitors battled across a fast, flat, and grass-covered eight-kilometer course consisting of four, two-kilometer loops.

The laps were fast and furious as the athletes charged through the course, which featured very little elevation, a lot of twists and turns, and a hay bale jump near the finish.

Laurier's lone representative was team captain Ian Young, who qualified to compete in the national championship the past two years by finishing in the top 30 at the provincial championships.

Young ran a fantastic race by pushing the pace early to gain a good position on a course which narrows early, making it hard to pass from behind.

The business major from London, Ont. split through his five-kilometer marker in a personal best time of 15:35, then continued to hold pace, eventually finishing in a blistering 24:56 for 80th place.

Young will now prepare to compete in indoor track and field this fall and winter as well as returning next year to lead the cross-country team in his final season as a Golden Hawk.

FULL RACE RESULTS