The Victoria Vikes kept two former first-place finishers off the podium Nov. 12 as the Huskies fell short of winning their first-ever Canada West women’s cross-country title.

Fifth-year Huskies Jodi Souter and Caitlin Warkentin, who had both won the conference race in the past, finished fourth and sixth, respectively, at the Canada West championships last weekend at Laval University.

“I had [hoped for a better result] because of previous higher national finishes,” said Souter. “That being said, I fared much better this time than previously at this course. I had raced this course before and I knew it was going to challenge my weaknesses.”

Souter ran the five-kilometre competition in 18:47 while Warkentin finished in 18:49.

The Vikes took the conference’s top three spots and were awarded first place honours as a team.

The Dogs finished second.

Souter, who won the Canada West race in 2009, took a year away from school in 2010 to focus solely on running — she continued to compete in national competitions, but not at the university level.

With her return to the Huskies team this year, the combination of Souter and Warkentin, who finished first last year, was perhaps the best chance the Dogs had ever had for a conference title.

Unfortunately, Victoria was too strong.

“We wanted to win the Canda West championship, but Victoria, who placed second in [Canadian Interuniversity Sport], had an amazing year as well,” said Souter.

The championship, which also doubles for the national competition, sees all university runners from throughout Canada compete together. After the race, their times are ranked both nationally and by conference.

Souter crossed the line at 13th in Canada while Warkentin finished in 16th. The Huskies were fourth, nationally, as a team.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better result. We were four points off a CIS team medal,” said Souter. “Our team went into the CIS championship with a goal of top five. Getting fourth and only being four points off of third in the CIS is fantastic.”

Souter, who was named a CIS second team all-Canadian and a Canada West first team all-star, was one of four Huskies to grab all-star mentions.

Warkentin and Marcia Richards, who claimed seventh in the conference, won first team Canada West honours. Leia Fedyk, who finished 11th, was named a conference second team all-star.

On the men’s side, the Huskies finished sixth in the Canada West and 14th nationally.

Samir Marin had the best time of all the Dogs in the ten-kilometre run. His 33:58.2 was 42nd in Canada but earned him a Canada West second team all-star mention because it was 11th in the conference.

No other Huskies male athlete was given the all-star nod.

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Photos: Michel Arnautovich