Travaglini as good as advertised as Trojans men's team dominate
September 16, 2017
second Grand Prix event of the year Saturday afternoon at Confederation Park.
(Bretany Tourout/SAIT Trojans)
The highly-touted newcomer to SAIT led a strong Trojans men's team to victory on Saturday at the season's second Grand Prix event of the year - the Jordan Fish Memorial - finishing first in the eight kilometre race in a time of 26:52 (mins:sec).
"First of all, I was super pumped to be running in the Trojans red this week," said Travaglini (3rd year, Calgary, Bachelor of Applied Technology - Geographic Information Systems). "What worked today was that we did a workout on Tuesday of this course that we ran today, so it was some really good planning by our coaches. We knew the course, the ups and the downs, and when to push."
Red Deer College took second place and Lethbridge College placed third in the event co-hosted by the Trojans the St. Mary's University Lightining at Confederation Park.
Travaglini, who captured the National Mountain Running championship this summer, wasn't the only Trojan to hit the podium. In fact, two of his teammates - Jacques Saayman (2nd year, Fort McMurray, Alta., Bachelor of Business Administration) and Daryl Ross (2nd year, Calgary, Business Administration) finished right behind him to grab second and third place, respectively.
Saayman completed the loop in 28:20, while Ross clocked in at 29:43.
Fellow Trojans Brant Lauweryssen (1st year, Business Administration) was the fourth SAIT runner to earn points for the team, placing ninth in 32:04.
With a win last week in Edmonton as well, the Trojans men's team have cemented themselves as the ones to beat heading into the conference championships slated for late October at Red Deer College.
"We definitely have talked about it during the warmups and cool downs. We're excited for what the year has in store," said Travaglini, 24.
On the women's side of things, Ricki Christopher (3rd year, Herbert, Sask., Medical Radiologic Technology) helped the Trojans women's team to a second place in the team event with her fourth-place finish in the 6km run with a time of 26:31.
Red Deer College placed first in the team standings. Lethbridge took bronze.
Close behind was rookie Emilie Mann (1st year, Respiratory Therapy), who crossed the finish line in seventh place (26:59). Rounding out the two other runners scoring for the Trojans in the event was Hannah Dawe (1st year, Calgary, Emergency Medical Technician) - ninth place (27:23); and Alea Stockton (5th year, Respiratory Therapy) - 14th place (29:06).
For a team that struggled to find enough runners to qualify in the team events the past few years, the Trojan females showed Saturday that they are contenders for a medal come the conference championships.
The 6km distance is new to all ACAC female runners this season, who in the past ran 5km. Christopher said she definitely felt a difference compared to last season.
"Especially in the middle of the race, it gets to you mentally when you know you have that extra kilometre to go and you're hurting and don't know how much to push," Christopher said with a laugh. "It's something and myself, and the team, will work on."
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