EDMONTON – Less than a second separated
Elsa Ben Hamou-Kuijpers and
Amaia Ervin-Arambarri at the finish line Saturday, as the pair led the University of Calgary Dinos women's cross country team to a one-two finish in the six-kilometre race at Running Room Grand Prix Series Race #4 at Kinsmen Park.
The Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference meet, hosted by Concordia University of Edmonton, was run on the same loop that will be used for the 2026 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) national championships.
Ben Hamou-Kuijpers won the women's race in 23:40.36, just ahead of Ervin-Arambarri at 23:40.52. NAIT's Brynn Hebert came across in 23:41.36 for third, making it a three-way finish at the front of a 72-runner field.
The Dinos had plenty of depth behind their leaders.
Csenia Irvin (24:23.25),
Sophie Jensen (24:25.27) and
Meagan Smith (24:32.45) finished sixth, seventh and eighth, all within about nine seconds of each other, so Calgary took five of the top eight spots.
Eloisa Castillo added a 10th-place finish in 25:14.82, and
Lauren Westlake placed 15th in 26:15.46 to round out the Calgary women.
In the men's eight-kilometre race,
Niklas Scherer and
Edward Healy finished fourth and fifth, less than a second apart. Scherer stopped the clock in 27:45.28, with Healy right behind in 27:46.18. SAIT's Nathan Woyessa won the race in 26:33.79.
Kai Deausy finished ninth in 28:48.50, which put three Dinos in the top 10 of a field of more than 90 runners.
Sam Prezio was 14th in 29:18.84.
The meet was Calgary's last tune-up before the conference championship, which the Dinos will host.
The Dinos will return to action Saturday, Oct. 31 when they host the 2026 Canada West Cross Country Championships at St. Mary's University.
CALGARY FINISHERS
Women (6k):
Elsa Ben Hamou-Kuijpers – 23:41
Amaia Ervin-Arambarri – 23:41
Csenia Irvin – 24:24
Sophie Jensen – 24:26
Meagan Smith – 24:33
Eloisa Castillo – 25:15
Lauren Westlake – 26:16
Men (8k):
4.
Niklas Scherer – 27:46
5.
Edward Healy – 27:47
9.
Kai Deausy – 28:49
14.
Sam Prezio – 29:19
-UC-
