Lakers Cross-Country - On your mark, get set, Go!

Nipissing’s men’s and women’s Lakers Cross-Country teams opened the 2012 season at the 36th annual Laurentian Open Race on Sunday, September 9.Just under 115 runners finished the 5km event, which was attended by teams from Laurentian University and Cambrian College, and was open to runners from the community. Nipissing University and North Bay stole many of the top spots, with high-school runner Graham Hansel and Laker Terry Doiron taking the second and third spots overall in 16:35 and 17:34 minutes respectively. Nipissing athletes Jordan Scott (18:27) and rookie Matt Chalmers (18:33) took 5th and 6th, while Brandon Brown and Kevin Durkee claimed 8th and 9th for the Lakers. The Lakers’ men beat Cambrian to take the men’s team title.
The top female of the day, and also the 10th fastest runner overall, was Nipissing assistant coach Donna Mae Robins, who ran 19:42 for the same distance. Melissa McKiel (21:24) was the first Nipissing athlete across the line, and the 8th female overall. Felicia Saunders (22:21) and Amy Claridge (22:22) rounded out the top-3 female Lakers. The women placed second behind Laurentian University in the team competition, ahead of Cambrian College.
The Lakers will compete this Saturday at Thompson Park in their annual intra-squad event, before their first major competition September 22, the Western International in London, Ontario.