Lauren Pasiuk, Queens captain, and Daniel Szucs of the RDP Kings, hope to lead their group back to a top three finish at the national championships after nearly two years off.

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

just keep running

Fresh RDP cross country squad raring to go after 2019 national bronze

Sep 13, 2021 | 9:50 AM

Red Deer Polytechnic’s cross country running team is ready to hit the trails for the first time since the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) National Championships in Nov. 2019.

The reigning national bronze medalists will look very different this year, however.

“I am excited for this season,” says Kari Elliott, Head Coach. “Over the summer months, we began preparations and trained as a group for a couple of days a week and it was really nice to get together.”

The squad conducted a two-day training camp in Red Deer at the end of August, then spent time in Banff where 14 RDP athletes competed in the annual Sulphur Mountain Challenge, a five kilometre race to the top.

Veteran Dan Szucs was the fastest male to the top, and Jenica Swartz, a first-year, led the women. The same pair topped time trials in July.

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Szucs, of Lacombe, led the Kings to 2019 gold at the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference championships. This year, he’s joined by the returning Devin Saunders, as well as 2019/2020 indoor track team member Axsivier Lawrence.

Saunders finished 10th at the 2019 CCAA championship, earning a spot on the All-Canadian team. Lawrence is coming off an Alberta Football League championship with the Central Alberta Buccaneers.

“We have also added some amazing talent to the Kings. Notre Dame grad, Ethan Duret, is looking fast and is right in the mix with our top four,” says Elliott. “Also, Jayden Wildcat and Kage Yellowfly, who finished second and third respectively at the Alberta Indigenous Games, are new recruits for us this season. These young men have already shown their speed and will add depth to our top four as well.”

In addition, Hunting Hills graduate O’Tave Edmondson and competitive cyclist Wyatt Grainger will be valuable members of the Kings this year.

The Queens have one student-athlete returning from the ACAC silver medal winning group in 2019 and Elliott has surrounded her with teammates who have a lot of potential.

“Lauren Pasiuk is our team captain and brings much needed experience to this young team. Even though the Queens collectively lack ACAC experience, we have recruited very well,” says Elliott, a two-time ACAC Cross Country Running Coach of the Year. “Newcomer Jenica Swartz has the potential to challenge for a medal at the ACAC Championships on October 30.”

Swartz is also a member of RDP’s Queens soccer squad.

“Strathmore’s Justine Larson has had a strong start to training as well,” says Elliott. “We have added Myah Cota, Kammy Park, and Halle Reid, and it is clear to me that all of our ladies are tough and want to compete.”

The season’s first formal competition is the Running Room Grand Prix #1, hosted at Concordia University of Edmonton.