Speed River Track and Field Club Adds Two Oregon Alum Steeplechasers To Their Guelph, Ontario-based Group

Press Release
October 1, 2009

The Speed River Track and Field Club is thrilled to announce the additions of Chris Winter and Dana Buchanan, both recent graduates of the University of Oregon. The two steeplechasers will bolster Speed River’s growing reputation as one of North America’s strongest distance training groups.

Winter, a native of West Vancouver, is a two-time NCAA finalist in the 3000 metre steeplechase. He was ranked fourth in Canada this year with a lifetime best of 8 minutes 42.03 seconds. A former World Youth Bronze Medalist, Winter has represented Canada numerous times internationally. His addition gives the Speed River group four of the top five male steeplechasers in the country.

Buchanan was runner-up at this year’s Canadian Championships. She boasts impressive range from 800 metres to cross country. The former Canadian Junior Champion at over the former distance, Buchanan was an All-American at Oregon and in 2008 qualified to represent Canada at the World Cross Country Championships. The Beachburg, Ontario native, has a lifetime best in the steeplechase of 10 minutes 28.53 seconds, which is the 13th best in Canadian history. Buchanan is currently in Beirut, Lebanon preparing for the Francophone Games where she will be running the steeplechase Sunday evening.

Speed River Head Coach Dave Scott-Thomas commented on the team’s new additions, “I think in addition to the physical talent that (Chris and Dana) bring, we have people who get it.  They are really good team players, who have really good hearts and are motivated Canadians, who are ready to lay it down.”

Winter is equally excited about his arrival, “the team has welcomed me with open arms.  The training so far has been hard but I am adapting well.  I am really excited to be here and am looking forward to what the group can create.”

Scott-Thomas couldn’t contain his excitement when it comes to the future of the group adding ”it is unbelievable, aside from what I think we will do statistically with the steeplechase and other events in the next couple of years, it is just a fantastic group of people to work with.”