Visions of Olympic invitations fuelled runners through a brutal autumn grunt up Spray Lakes hill, as the Alberta World Cup Academy hosted its third annual Spray Drag race on Saturday (Oct. 12).
The event is both a fundraiser and fitness test for some of the best skiers on the North American scene.
Graham Killick won the 7.5 kilometre uphill race with a time of 29:55, 30 seconds off the course record. Michael Somppi finished second (30:09) and Jess Cockney was third (30:18)
Cross Country Canada still has at least two spots left on its Olympic men’s team (one sprinter and one distance spot) and Killick has his eyes set on the distance spot. He’s shown improved fitness and commitment all year long, crushing every running race he’s been in. The academy coaches are hopeful that will translate onto snow, where he’ll be tough to beat in the 15 km classic race.
“My goal is to make the Olympics. That’s the main focus. Something like this (running uphill) is similar to classic diagonal stride and that’s my specialty,” Killick said.
He pushed his limits on the course, much to the pleasure of his coaches.
“It was one of the hardest races I’ve ever done. It’s just a grind. I was trying to increase the pace on the flat sections, where I’m a little more efficient. I drafted going into the hill, then tried to go at a pace that I thought I could hold, but it was on the edge of what I could hold. By the top, there was no power left, but I had a makeshift sprint left,” Killick said.
Brittany Webster, who represented Canada at the 2010 Olympics and is in contention to do so again, was the top female racer. She finished the five kilometre race in 24:50.
“Aww man, It did hurt for sure. It’s one of those courses where it hits you halfway through and it only gets harder,” Webster said.
She’s coming off of four 20-hour training weeks, including a nine-day stint of intensity work near Los Angeles. Her body is absorbing the training well, she said.
“I’m feeling really good. I’ve done lots of training and being able to run fast after that is a good thing for me.”
Canada could take another three or four women to Sochi this winter and selections will come down to Olympic trials at the beginning of January. Webster said the 10 km classic race at trials is ideal for her.
“For the first time in a long time, my training has been consistent. I’m lucky in that I’ve qualified before, and with a 10 km classic qualifier, I couldn’t ask for anything more,” Webster said.
Zoe Roy finished second on Webster’s heels, clocking a time of 25:20. She’s also got her sights on Sochi and just finished a training camp with her Ski Ninja teammates in Kelowna, where they stayed at the Tantalus winery.
“I think the race was faster than last year. I wanted to beat last year’s time, and that’s always a confidence boost.”
She and Webster have battled it out all summer on the running circuit, and Roy appears to be in great shape heading into the ski season.
Somppi wasn’t far off Killick in the men’s race, finishing strong. The Thunder Bay native set a personal best on the course after a very consistent training season.
He’s also after one of the Olympic distance spots, where he’ll be in the mix.
“I’m happy with today. It gives me some confidence going into the season,” Somppi said.
Cockney finished third, but wasn’t happy with his fitness on the day. He didn’t have as many training camps as he had hoped (he hasn’t been on snow since May) and feels he has some speed work to do.
“I actually haven’t had a very consistent summer of training, but I have a month until I head to Europe,” Cockney said.
He’ll start the season on the World Cup. If he manages a top six finish overseas, he’ll earn a ticket to Sochi. Otherwise, he’ll battle it out with Phil Widmer and Canadian sprinters for the final spot on the Canadian team.
“It means everything. It’s why I get up in the morning,” Cockney says. “I’m aiming for a top six finish on world cup – then there’s no doubt.”
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