The Carleton Ravens Nordic Ski teams are off to a good start at the Canadian Colleges and Universities Nordic Championships (CCUNCs) in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Que.
Kendra Murray and Ingrid Hagberg placed third in the sprint, but head coach Chris Mamen said he thinks they could have captured silver, or even gold, if they hadn’t been saving energy for the week of racing to come.
“This is a huge result,” he said via email. “[Murray] is a first-year athlete, still a junior in cross country ski terms, and has three years ahead of her.”
Hagberg, a third-year skier, said this has been her best season so far. She was among four women who were named Ontario University Athletics (OUA) all-stars, in addition to five of the men.
She said she hopes to get an individual medal at nationals and to become a CCUNC All-Canadian, meaning she’ll have to place in the top six.
“I’m also hoping to be able to attend the 2013 FISU World University Games,” Hagberg added.
Kyla Vanderzwet has also shown great form this week on the women’s side and will be a team leader in the events, Mamen said.
The men had a slightly rougher start on March 17 with a fourth-place finish.
“I think it was a bit of bad luck on an awful course,” Mamen said.
“Conditions were really wet and slushy in the sun and slightly harder packed in the shade,” team member Holly Jones said in an email.
Peter Beisel, who is in his second year at Carleton, is a previous OUA relay champion and all-star. He placed fifth in his race March 19, but Mamen said to watch out for him this week.
“We train year round, approximately 550 hours [a] year,” said Beisel, a member of Ontario’s ski team, via email.
Leeland Hawkings, another strong competitor on the male team, had the flu last week and is still recovering, Mamen said.
Mamen said to watch out for Murray and Vanderzwet on the women’s side, and Beisel, Hawkings, and Nansen Murray on the men’s squad in upcoming events.
“[Murray’s] a true fighter and will get stronger as the week wears on,” he said.
The championships conclude March 24.
