University of Victoria Vikes runner Rachel Francois proved her highly successful rookie season was no fluke, as she defended her gold medal in the 600 metres on Saturday at the CIS national track and field championships in Edmonton.
Francois, a St. Albert, Alta., native, raced to a time of 1 minute, 29.69 seconds, giving her a new school record. Jenna Westaway of the University of Calgary was second in 1:29.91, while Guelph鈥檚 Rachel Aubry was third in 1:30.02.
And Francois鈥� day was far from finished after her 600m title. In the afternoon, she led the Vikes 4x400-metre women鈥檚 team to a bronze medal, the first medal ever by a UVic 4x400 women鈥檚 team. Jenica Moore, Grace Annear, Kendra Pomfret and Francois on the anchor, ran for a time of 3:48.10.
Francois鈥� gold helped UVic finish eighth overall in the team rankings with two gold medals and two bronze. Guelph was the overall winner with 18 medals, followed by Toronto with 13.
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Two Islanders get national call
Two Lower Island Soccer Association graduates are well on their way up the national soccer ladder.
Elise Wyatt of Cowichan Valley and Emma Fletcher of Gordon Head have been selected to attend the Canadian Soccer Association鈥檚 women鈥檚 Under-20 National Excel Camp which runs from Saturday through March 25 in Portland.
National U-20 team head coach Andrew Olivieri will oversee the camp, as they begin preparation for the 2014 U-20 Women鈥檚 World Cup. The Canadian players will also play a friendly against the University of Oregon on March 22.
Wyatt is a striker who currently plays for Depaul University in Chicago, while Fletcher, a midfielder, is a member of the Vancouver Whitecaps women鈥檚 team.
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Medal haul for Strathcona skiers
The Strathcona Nordic Ski Club sent 27 skiers to Revelstoke for the recent sa国际传媒 Midget Cross-Country Skiing Championships and they brought home a load of medals.
The Mount Washington-based club finished second overall in the club rankings.
Leading the way was double-medallists Emmy Stapff and Victoria鈥檚 Amelia Wells, who earned silver and bronze medals. Stapff won the gold medal in the classic technique race, while Wells earned the bronze. Wells then went on to win silver in the sprint event.
Other medallists included Stephen Lamon, Carson Damery and Gavin Johnston.
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Poulton squashes competition
Gerry Poulton may be retired but he鈥檚 anything but slowing down.
The former chemistry professor at the University of Victoria just returned from the 2013 U.S. Masters Squash Championships in Stamford, sa国际传媒icut, bringing with him a gold medal.
Poulton rolled through the 70-plus division, winning all three of his matches, including a straight-set win over American Jay Nelson in the gold-medal game.
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Minor football ready for kickoff
Spring football is upon us, so the Greater Victoria Minor Football Association is gearing up for it annual registration weekend.
Boys and girls aged 6 to 13 are welcome to register for teams which play out of Gordon Head, Saanich, Victoria, West Shore, Peninsula and Sooke.
And all equipment 鈥� helmet, shoulder pads, kidney belt, pants and knee and thigh pads 鈥� is included.
Registration takes place Saturday at Copley Park (600 Parkridge St.) from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
For more information, visit victoriafootball.ca.
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Senior lacrosse players wanted
The Victoria Senior C Lacrosse League is gearing up for another season.
The league is holding its player registration on Monday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Archie Browning Sports Centre in Esquimalt.
For more information, visit victoriaseniorlacrosseleague.ca or call 250-727-2969.
