International
Laval’s Roger to represent Canada at 2020 FISU World University Speed Skating Championship
The International University Sports Federation (FISU) was informed by the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training of the Kingdom of Morocco that they decided to cancel the 2020 World University Cross Country Championship in Marrakech, Morocco, due to the coronavirus outbreak. The Championship was to be held on 7 March 2020. Click here for full details.
2019 U SPORTS team champion and First Team All-Canadian Kara Blair of the Queen’s Gaels leads a group of seven All-Canadians named to Team Canada for the 2020 FISU World University Cross Country Championship.
Blair, who helped lead Queen’s to a U SPORTS team title in November, finished fourth individually, while also earning a conference team title at the 2019 OUA Cross Country Championships.
The Westport, Ont., native is joined on the roster by national champion teammate Marley Beckett, and fellow First Team All-Canadians Kate Current of Western, and Josh Martin of Windsor, along with four Second Team All-Canadians from the 2019 U SPORTS races.
At the conference level, the 2020 roster has combined to earn 14 all-star nominations, 14 team medals and 15 major awards, highlighted by 2019 RSEQ Athlete of the Year Élodie De Coene of the Montreal Carabins.
Members of team Canada have also had success in track and field, including two-time U SPORTS medalist Royden Radowits of Alberta, who won silver and bronze at the 2018 national meet in the 1,500 and 3,000m respectively. Blair, Current, Martin and Robert Kanko of Queen’s also won conference medals at the OUA Track and Field Championships.
Returning for his third straight FISU World University Cross Country Championship is UBC’s Brant Stachel, who leads the coaching staff. Stachel earned back-to-back team silver medals as an assistant with the Gaels before becoming the head coach of UBC this season, and capturing Canada West Coach of the Year honours. At the 2018 World University Championship in Switzerland, he led Canada to a combined sixth-place finish.
“I’m beyond excited to be back helping our top Canadian cross country runners for a third time. We have an amazing team made up of student-athletes from all over the country, with many first-time national team members,” said Stachel. “With the new mixed-gender relay added to the event, this promises to be an exciting championship.”
Two-time U SPORTS Fox 40 Coach of the Year Félix-Antoine Lapointe, who won the national championship with the Rouge et Or men in 2016 and women in 2018, will serve as assistant coach. Lapointe’s stellar career at Laval also includes 13 RSEQ Coach of the Year honours, including nine with the men’s team (2011-19) and four with the women’s (2014-15, 2017-18). Alberta’s Alexandra Yaworski rounds out the staff as medical representative.
The 2020 FISU World University Cross Country Championship will be held in Marrakech, Marrocco.
TEAM CANADA ROSTER
|
First Name |
Last Name |
School |
Hometown |
Elig. |
Program |
|
Marley |
Beckett |
Queen's |
North Vancouver, B.C. |
3 |
Engineering |
|
Kara |
Blair |
Queen’s |
Westport, Ont. |
4 |
Kinesiology & Health Studies |
|
Kate |
Current |
Western |
Cobourg, Ont. |
4 |
Engineering |
|
Joanna |
Williams |
Trinity Western |
Campbell River, B.C. |
5 |
Psychology |
|
Elizabeth |
Laurie |
Laurier |
Kitchener, Ont. |
4 |
Communications Studies |
|
Élodie |
De Coene |
Montreal |
Laval, Que. |
3 |
Medicine |
|
Josh |
Martin |
Windsor |
Courtice, Ont. |
4 |
Business |
|
Nicholas |
D'Alessandro |
Windsor |
Hamilton, Ont. |
4 |
Human Kinetics |
|
Félix |
Lapointe-Pilote |
Laval |
Saguenay, Que. |
2 |
Industrial Relations |
|
Royden |
Radowits |
Alberta |
Drayton Valley, Alta. |
4 |
Kinesiology Sport & Rec |
|
Joshua |
Zilles |
Windsor |
Kitchener, Ont. |
4 |
Human Kinetics |
|
Robert |
Kanko |
Queen’s |
Toronto, Ont. |
5 |
Mechanical & Materials Eng. |
TEAM STAFF
Head Coach: Brant Stachel, UBC
Assistant Coach: Félix-Antoine Lapointe, Laval
Medical : Alexandra Yaworski, Alberta