Posted: February 3, 2004

Athletics: NCRA Helps Woods And Engel To World XC

From Gilles Lamenoise:

At the annual Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club’s Awards Banquet held on Friday January 31st, the National Capital Runner’s Association showed their support of junior distance runners Katie Engel and Mike Woods by awarding them $200 each to help finance their upcoming trip to the World Junior Cross-Country Championships in Belgium.

“The NCRA is in full support of junior distance runners such as Katie and Mike,” said President Glendon Pye. “We are very proud of their achievements in our community as well as nationally. Now they have a chance to represent their country on the world stage. We wish them all the best.”

The two local Lions athletes qualified for the World event based on their top finishes in the Canadian Junior Cross-Country Championships November 30th that were held in Sunnybrook Park in Toronto.

Woods, a Hillcrest high school student and Engel a student of South Carleton, must pay their own way to the event due to a lack of funding in amateur sports in recent years.

The NCRA has also donated $100 to the Lions to support a fundraiser the club has organized for Woods and Engel with the Ottawa 67s and the Running Room.

“It is great to receive this kind of support,” said Woods. “I really appreciate it.”

The NCRA conducts some of Ottawa’s best road races and provides a social club atmosphere for runners in the national capital region.

For more information on the NCRA please visit www.ncra-ottawa.com.

For more information on the Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club please visit www.ottawalions.com