VICTORIA - When the UVic Vikes track team competes at the CIS Championship not only will they look to augment their conference championship success, but the men's 4x800m relay team will also be chasing their record fifth straight CIS title.
CIS CHAMPIONSHIP WEBSITE
The men's 4x800m relay team has won four straight CIS gold medals in the event, and at last weekend's Canada West championship, made it five consecutive conference crowns. This year's team members include,
Daniel Mallie,
Karl Robertson,
James Barnes and
Darren Mazzei.
Mallie has been a member of four of the relay teams, including the team that began the streak in 2006. Mazzei has been a member of two CIS-winning squads, while Robertson and Barnes are both newcomers.
Both Mallie and Mazzei will also be seeking individual gold, as they were crowned conference champs in the 1500m and 1000m, respectively. In the case of Mazzei, he is the defending CIS gold medalist in his event, while Mallie won CIS bronze in 2008.
On the women's side,
Claire Jean and
Julia Tschanz enter their first CIS meets as the Canada West gold medalists in the 3000m and 1500m, respectively. Jean, a Claremont Sec. grad, also added a silver in the 1500m, while Tschanz, a Belmont Sec. grad, netted a bronze as a member of the 4x800m relay team.
The women's 4x800 relay team includes Tschanz,
Kendra Pomfret, Lauren Beaulieau and
Brittany Therrien. Therrien also won bronze in the 1000m race.
VIKES 2010 INFO GUIDE (PDF)
In school history, the Vikes have won a total of 82 medals at the CIS Championships, including 37 gold, 21 silver and 24 bronze.
The CIS Championship take place at Windsor's St. Denis Centre from March 11-13.