Posted: December 4, 2005

Athletics: Simon Bairu of Regina wins Canadian cross country running title for fourth straight year

VANCOUVER-Simon Bairu of Regina won the men's race at the Canadian cross country running championships for the fourth straight year on Saturday while Olympian Carmen Douma-Hussar of Cambridge, Ont., took the women's crown at the Jericho Beach Park course.

In the men's 10 kilometre race, Bairu, who won his second straight NCAA title with the University of Wisconsin to weeks ago, snared the gold under sunny and cold conditions in 30 minutes and 04 seconds. Paul Morrison of Montreal was second in 30:06 and Kurt Benninger of Chepstow, Ont., third in 30:29.

"This was the toughest of my four wins," said Bairu, 22. "I knew I was the target. The NCAA's took a lot out of me so I was a bit surprised to come here and win again. Paul Morrison gave a great challenge but I was able to outdistance him in the last mile and had a great finish. My strategy coming in was to do as little work as possible for the first eight kilometres. If anyone made a move I just stayed on them but I never made a move."

In the women's six kilometre race, Douma-Hussar was the winner in 20:13 for her first national cross country title. Tara Quinn-Smith of Toronto was second in 20:25 and Malindi Elmore of Calgary, runner-up the last two years, third in 20:34. Defending champion Rebecca Stallwood of Burlington, Ont., was ninth. Emilie Mondor of Mascouche, Que., the 2002 and 2003 champion, sprained her ankle in a road race last month and didn't compete.

"Carmen's been one our top cross country runners for the past few years as well as on the track," said Martin Goulet, the director for endurance programs for Athletics Canada "She showed today she is already in great shape which is promising for the track events at the Commonwealth Games (in March) as well as the cross country worlds (in April)."

In the women's five kilometre junior race, Katie Van Buskirk of Brampton, Ont., used her experience as a track runner to get the gold medal in 17:28. Anita Campbell of Abbotsford, B.C., was second in 17:37 and Tarah McKay of Kitchener, Ont., third in 17:43.

"Anita and I ran the whole race together until the last 500 metres," said Van Buskirk, 18, third last year. "I'm also an 800-metre track runner and I was able to use my speed to take off from her and sprint home. I knew I was capable of winning this race."

In the men's eighth kilometre junior race, 17-year-old Sean Fleming of Regina was a surprise winner in 25:31. John Black of Bloomfield Hill, Ont., and Allan Brett of Ottawa both clocked 25:32 with Black awarded second spot. Only two seconds separated the top-five.

"In the sixth lap I felt they were pulling away from me but I hung on until the last 400 metres, kicked and managed to get to the finish first," said Fleming. "I followed my coach's advice by sticking on the pack until the end. He had a lot of confidence in me that I could get a strong result here."

Goulet said the championships were a big success.

"The participation level and the quality of races were excellent," he said. "It's a sign the cross country running program in Canada is in excellent shape and has a great future."

Saturday's performances will help serve as selection criteria for the Canadian team at the world cross country running championships in April 2005 in Japan.

Complete results are available from: BC Athletics.