Home to one of the finest cross-country courses in the country, Augustana Faculty University of Alberta will play host to the 2009 CCAA Cross-Country Running Open Championship. Things will be underway starting November 13, 2009 in Camrose, Alberta.

Open championships are always interesting due to all of the unknowns involved. There are no league standings to check on a weekly basis so athletes step onto the track not knowing how they stack up against the competitor beside them.

Last year’s CCAA Champion, Willy Komosop, was the recent winner of The Vancouver Sun Run 10 km in an astonishing time of 29:05. This race is one of the nation’s most prestigious road races and to win, Willy had to outrun Canada’s top middle/long distance runners. If Willy is planning on returning for this year’s CCAA Championship he stands out as a favourite going in.

A cross-country running enthusiast and CCAA Cross-Country Running Convenor, Brian Stackhouse is eager for this year’s championship to begin, “Augustana has an outstanding Cross Country Running course. It’s challenging with lots of hills. It’s also consistently at least 2 metres wide making it a safe course for the athletes. The organizing committee is enthusiastic and knowledgeable and they will host an excellent Championship. I strongly encourage CCAA Institutions to send runners to compete.”

Leading the way for the host organizing committee, Greg Ryan, Athletic Director at Augustana had this to say, “The organizing committee is working hard to create a great National Championship. We are working to build off the successes of Grande Prairie and St Lawrence College. The Course will be in great shape as we showcase this excellent facility in the heart of Camrose, Alberta.”

There is lots to look forward to from a spectator and athlete’s point of view with up and coming stars like Willy Komosop and a top quality course and facility like Augustana. Stay tuned for more as we inch closer the 2009 CCAA Cross-Country Open Championship.

For more information please contact:

Ryan Kuhn
CCAA Promotions and Marketing Coordinator
Tel: (613) 933-6080 ext. 2193, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it