Paul Smith's College Snowshoe Team Dominates the Field at Canadian Nationals in Fenelon, Ontario

2026 Canadian Snowshoe 5 & 10 K Nationals

Eganridge Resort, Fenelon Falls, Ontario 

 1 February 2026 

Eliot Soderholm wins 10K Canadian National Championships;

Bryce Shannon and Mat Matis place 1^st and 2^nd in Men's Junior (U-20) 10K Nationals; Morgan Cheney, Chloe Freund and Joanna Kercher sweep women's 5K podium

The Paul Smith's College Snowshoe Team headed to the Kawartha Lakes Region, about an hour east of Toronto for the 2026 Canadian National Snowshoe Championships for the 5 and 10K, held at the Eganridge Resort in Fenelon Falls, Ontario. 

Forty – five athletes athletes took part in the 5 and 10K races, while many more took part in the citizen races later in the afternoon over the same course.  The races were held on the Eganridge Resort Golf Course on a loosely groomed hilly course, on about 4' of packed powder snow in slightly above zero temperatures and bluebird skies. 

Men's 10K: Eliot Soderholm continued his string of major victories, winning the Canadian National 10K Championship in 41:32, followed by Julian Pinsonneault of St. Hyacinthe, Quebec in 43:58.  Eliot and Julian finished in the same order at the World Championships in Brillion, Wisconsin back in December.  

Bryce Shannon (FY: Sparrowbush, NY) won the Junior Men's (U-20) men's 10K in 54:33, while  fellow PSC runner, Mat Matis (FY: Susquehanna, PA) placed second with a time of 59:54. Both Shannon and Matis earned similar junior national and World Junior Men's honors at US Nationals as well as the World Championships in Brillion. 

Women's 5K: The three women from Paul Smith's College swept the podium in the 5K distance, led by the event winner, Morgan Cheney (JR: Prattsburg, NY) with a time of 35:49, followed by Chloe Freund (JR: Clinton, NY) in 41:09, and Joanna Kerchner (JR: Bath, PA) in 44:33.  This was an awesome team performance by the Paul Smith's College women at the national level. 

Men's 5K: Brock Boissey (FY: Cadyville, NY) placed second in the men's 5K with a time of 32:29, followed by Reece Perry (FY: Malone, NY) in fourth with a time of 38:33, and Timothy James (FY: Lancaster, MA) in fifth in 41:28. This trio placed top three in the Men's Junior (U-20) category, taking a clean sweep at Canadian Nationals. 

The ten runners from Paul Smith's College won the overall team performance award at the Canadian Snowshoe Nationals for their outstanding performance in the 5 and 10K events.  It may well have helped to have the youngest team of runners as well as the largest contingent taking part in the national championships. 

Next on the schedule is the Summerstown 5 and 10K Races in Cornwall, Ontario this coming Saturday February 7^th.  Then on Monday February 9^th is the annual 2K Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Snowshoe Races with a start time of approximately 6:30 PM. If you are in the neighborhood, and have a desire to see the best collegiate snowshoe team in the nation, stop up to Dewey Mountain and you can race if you want or cheer on the runners.  As this is only a 2K (1.2 miles) many of the Paul Smith's College runners will treat this as a sprint. 

2026 Paul Smith's College Results – Canadian National Championships,

Fenelon Falls, Ontario

23 Finishers the 10K: 10 women and 13 men

22 finished the 5K: 14 women and 8 men

Women's 10K Winner: Rachel Thiessen, Ottawa, Ontario – 1:00:49

Men's 10K Winner: Eliot Soderholm, Paul Smith's College – 41:35

Women's 5K Winner: Morgan Cheney, Paul Smith's College – 35:49

Men's 5K Winner: Peter Quevillon, Port Stanley, Ontario – 28:50