UFV’s rowing team wrapped up its fall season with a solid showing at the Head of the Lake regatta in Seattle on Sunday.
The event, held on Lake Washington, is the largest fall rowing regatta on the West Coast, and drew 2,000 athletes from the high school, university and club ranks.
The collegiate races were held in the morning, and the Cascades performed very well. In the women’s collegiate/open four-plus category, the UFV crew of Ashley Bilodeau, Janelle Tucker, Suzanne Kubat, Arden Holmes and coxswain Emily Klootwyk took third place, trailing two NCAA Div. 1 boats from the University of Washington.
Cascade entries finished third and fourth, respectively, in the women’s open doubles race. In the Champ men’s four-plus category, UFV was ninth.
“Div. 1 and 2 teams from Washington, Oregon and California were entered, and we beat all Div. 2 entries in all categories – men and women,” Cascades rowing coach Liz Chisholm said. “These results give us opportunities for dual meets and training camps with Washington university crews which are very valuable for us. It won’t be hard to find those opportunities, as our results speak for themselves and for the hard work and dedication of UFV rowers. ”
Krahn and Wall to race at national championships
Kyle Krahn and Stephen Wall of the Cascades have been selected to represent B.C. at the RBC National Rowing Championships this weekend on Elk Lake in Victoria.
This regatta ends both the domestic and international rowing season for Canadian rowers, and pits province against province for the top placings in the nation. Every pre-Olympian, experienced Olympian, World Champion, and fastest rowers in each province vie for as many top placings as they can. Many up-and-coming athletes get their introduction to national rowing coaches at this regatta.
“To be selected is an incredible honour for Kyle and Stephen, and subsequently our team,” Chisholm said. “They are both quite new to the sport, but their enthusiasm and great work ethic have propelled them to some fast speed changes out on the water. I find them very coachable; quick to try the changes suggested, and willing to work very hard. The training is a huge volume of miles on the water and intensity, but they enjoy pushing each other and themselves. I am excited to see what they can do stacked up against the country’s best!”
Event website: http://www.rowingcanada.org/events/rbc-2014-national-rowing-championships
For more information, contact Dan Kinvig at dan.kinvig@ufv.ca
11/10/2014