Saturday’s McGill Open at the bottom of Mount Royal Park marked the beginning of the 2010 season for the McGill Martlets and Redmen cross-country teams. The Martlets finished in second place overall, only one point shy of the University of Western Ontario Mustangs, a cross-country powerhouse. The Redmen placed fourth overall.
In the women’s 4-kilometer race, second-year Sarah McCuaig finished in second place of 190 racers with a remarkable time of 14:38. After a highly successful rookie year, McCuaig seems to have picked up where she left off.
Charlene Puél (15:14), Madeleine Cummings (15:32), Catherine Drouin-Audet (15:46), and Aimee Castro (15:54) also scored for the Martlets. The women’s team’s knowledge of the course gave them a leg up on the competition.
These experienced runners are trying to lead the Martlets to the provincial title, which they last won in 2007.
“We want to win QSSF [titles]. That is our ultimate goal,” McCuaig said. “Hopefully once we get everyone at the top of their game, that will be possible.”
On the men’s side, the favoured Mustangs took the title, with four runners finishing in the top 10. McGill’s top finisher for the 6-kilometre race was fourth-year Daniel Kramer, who placed 14th overall with a time of 20:32. Rookie Oliver Foster was a mere second behind Kramer—a promising performance in his first university-level race.
The Redmen are currently missing their 2009 season MVP Graydon Snider, who is injured with a stress fracture.
The men’s squad has experienced an extremely high turnover this season with only three returning veterans. With seven new recruits, the team is exploring its young potential.
“What is most important is to build a base and a solid team that will stay and be able to stand the test of time,” Kramer said.
McGill’s two major rivals within the Quebec conference are Sherbrooke and Laval. The two teams have emerged in the past few years and have now made notable appearances at the national level. Kramer, who has been racing against the top runners from Sherbrooke and Laval, is unsure of what kind of competition is ahead.
“It seems like there has been a lot of turnover in general. As for this whole season, it is going to be interesting to see how the young runners come in.” Kramer said. “Because it is such a young field, it’s hard to put anybody in first or last. I think it’s anybody’s game right now.”
McGill experienced a number injuries during their 2009 season and have their fingers crossed this year. Head Coach Dennis Barrett requires his athletes to train year-round and compete in indoor track & field in the winter semester. The intense and demanding routine can strain runners who aren’t careful.
“You can pound out all the mileage you want, but if you are not getting enough rest there’s not much you can do because your body is exhausted,” Barrett said.
Barrett is hopeful for McGill’s chances to take the provincial title. He is satisfied with the women’s performance this weekend and sees potential in the new and developing men’s team.
The Martlets and Redmen will travel to London, Ontario next weekend for the UWO Invitational. The race is the one of the largest of the season, fielding top teams Guelph, McMaster, and Windsor. It will certainly be an ideal opportunity for McGill to test the competition outside Quebec.
