Huskies men - led by McGarvey - finish third at season opening StFX Invitational Meet
ANTIGONISH, N.S. - The 2023 AUS Cross Country season got underway Saturday in Antigonish as St.FX played host to the St.FX Invitational. With temperatures soaring close to 30 degrees, and the humidity feeling closer to 40, the Huskies battled the hot conditions in their season opener.
The men kicked things off at noon with the runners navigating their way over the 8k course. Rory McGarvey and Teagan Scott placed themselves in the main lead pack and worked well together over the first half of the race. As the race started to split in the second half and the heat started to take its toll, McGarvey separated himself from the main pack and tried to push onwards for the podium. In the end, McGarvey would narrowly miss out, finishing 4th in a time of 27:37. Crossing the line next for the Huskies was captain, Joe Stewart, finishing in 18th place in 29:40. First year athlete, Alex Labrecque was the next Husky across the line, placing 33rd in 32:00.
The men's team would place 3rd overall in the team standings with a score of 102 points. The St.FX X-Men would take top spot with 24 points. Jacob Benoit of the Dalhousie Tigers was the overall individual winner.
On the women's side, the gun would go at 12:45pm to start the 8k race and the Huskies were led by Alexandra Campbell. Campbell would push herself to pick off runners throughout the race as many runners suffered from the heat. She would go on to place 31st in 36:41, followed by Gael Cameron in 38th in 37:56.
The St.FX X-Women would claim top spots in the team standings with a score of 15 points. The women's race had a three-way tie for the overall win, as St.FX teammates Mairin Canning, Allie Sandluck, and Eileen Benoit, would all cross the line in 32:07.
The Huskies are back in action in two weeks' time at the Acadia Invitational on September 23 in Wolfville.
Recap by Jonathan Peverill / Saint Mary's Athletics
Photos by Bryan Kennedy and Adam Grimmit / StFX Athletics
