EDMONTON - The UVic Vikes men's 4x800m relay team won their fifth straight conference title, and
Claire Jean and
Darren Mazzei added individual gold on the opening day of the Canada West Championships.
FULL RESULTS
The men's 4x800 relay team, with team members
Daniel Mallie,
Karl Robertson,
James Barnes and Darren Mazzei, kept their medal streak alive with a narrow victory over Calgary. The Vikes crossed the line in 7:43.68, or just two tenths of a second better than the Calgary crew.
Mallie has been a member of four of the relay teams, including the team that began the streak in 2006. He missed last season with an injury. The 4x800 team is also four-time defending CIS champions.
Mazzei also successfully defended his title in the 1000m, winning the race in 2:30.51. The Regina native is also the reigning CIS gold medalist in the event.
Claire Jean captured gold in the 3000m race with a winning time of 9:53.57. It was the first Canada West meal for the Victoria native, while teammate Deidre Moran just missed out on the podium with a fourth-place finish.
The Vikes also added a pair of bronze medals with
Brittany Therrien placing third in the 1000m, and later helping the 4x800m relay team to a podium finish. The 4x800 team, consisting of Therrien,
Lauren Beaulieu,
Kendra Pomfret and J
ulia Tschanz, captured bronze with a time of 9:17.31.
The Canada West championships resume at Edmonton's Universiade Pavilion on Saturday. The Vikes featured events include the 600m, 1500m, and 4x400 relay.