VANCOUVER – Maria Bernard placed fifth in the women's race, and Luc Bruchet was sixth in the men's event, pacing the British Columbia squads to a pair of second-place finishes at the UBC Invitational Saturday Oct. 22 at Jericho Beach Park.
 
A rare home meet for the third-ranked women and 22nd-ranked men, the competition drew teams from the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island. There was plenty of mud on the course thanks to rain showers overnight and in the early morning, but the clouds parted by the afternoon and the races got underway with perfect running conditions.
 
In the women's race, Bernard sat in the front pack for the opening loops, but it was ultimately Victoria's Ellen Pennock who won the race in 17:22, while Bernard slipped to fifth, in 17:54. UVic runners filed out the top four, with Stephanie Trenholm (17:39), Deirdre Moran (17:43), and Alicia Roske (17:52) placing second through fourth respectively. With their fifth runner placing sixth overall, UVic also secured the team title ahead UBC. Jackie Regan led a trio of 'Birds across the line placing 13th in 18:25, followed by Sarah Reimer, 14th in 18:26, and Amelie de Fenoyl, 15th in 18:27. Zanny Venner closed out the team's scoring, finishing 18th in 18:40.
 
The men's race didn't really get heated until the third lap (of four) when four runners, including UBC's Bruchet, surged and broke away from their chasers. Like the women's race, a UVic runner, Cliff Childs, took top honours on the day, breaking the tape in 24:53. Childs' teammate Dylan Haight was second, in 25:04, followed by Point Grey Track and Field's Sam Pawluk in 25:08, and Ryan Cassidy and Jackson Bocksnick, both of UVic, in fourth (25:15) and fifth (25:18), respectively. Bruchet ran to sixth on the day, timed at 25:20. Also scoring for the 'Birds were Jordan Smith, ninth in 25:56, Theo Hunt, 12th in 26:02, Justin Kent, 16th in 26:18, and Tim Huebsch, 17th in 26:25. UVic held off the 'Birds for the men's team title, placing five runners in the top ten.
 
NEXT UP
The road to Nationals goes through the Regional Championships in San Marcos, Calif., two weeks from now. There, the 'Birds will look to secure berths for the NAIA Championships by winning Regionals, or maintaining their ranking in the top 25 teams nationally. Cal State San Marcos, ranked second on the women's side and eighth on the men's, hosts the races, and will be sure to provide stiff competition.