VICTORIA – The University of Victoria Vikes women's rowing team were golden at home winning the Western Canadian University Rowing Championship on Oct. 28 at Elk Lake. The Vikes women took gold in five events to edge UBC by 10.5 points for conference bragging rights.
 
RESULTS
 
The women's coxed four of Kirsten McKay, Judy Beestermoeller, Layla Balooch, Lise McCracken and coxswain Jess Wallace kicked off the Vikes' medal run winning the first finals race of the day in 7:07.8 ahead of UBC.
 
Second-year Vike and national team standout Caileigh Filmer won the women's single event in 7:24.89 ahead of UBC's Rachel Vukovich. Filmer went on to win two more golds with the women's pair and eight.
 
Avalon Wasteneys and Filmer had an impressive finish in the pair, edging team mates Olivia King and Morgan Cathrea for gold. Wasteneys and Filmer finished in 7:12.79, while King and Cathrea crossed in 7:15.95. UBC finished third in 7:27.19.
 
The Vikes junior varsity eights of Kirsten McKay, Judy Beestermoeller, Imogen White, Roza Kalashnikoff, Layla Balooch, Kirsten Edwards, Piper Battersby, Elise McCracken and coxswain Hannah Kennedy edged UBC to top the podium in 6:17.91.
 
The varsity eight closed out the women's competition with a dominating performance over two UBC crews. Coxswain Cassidy Fernandes commanded the crew of McKenna Simpson, Larissa McKinlay, Jessica Stewart, Cathrea, King, Chapman, Wasteneys and Filmer to gold in a time of 6:05.12. The Vikes finished seven seconds ahead of UBC's eight (6:12.41).
 
The Vikes women's dominating performance garners them their fourth overall western regional championship, last won in 2011 and previously won in 2009 and 2010.
 
Up the next the Vikes will have a quick turnover as they prepare for the Canadian University Rowing Championship at Burnaby Lake on Nov. 4-5.
 
2017 WCURC TEAM STANDINGS

1. Victoria, 182 pts
2. UBC, 171.5 pts
3. Calgary, 60.5 pts
4. Alberta, 27 pts
5. Simon Fraser, 21 pts
6. Lakeland, 8 pts
7. Fraser Valley, 6 pts
8. Regina, 4.5 pts

 
VIKES WCURC GOLD MEDAL WINNERS
 
W4+ (7:07.8) Jess Wallace, Kirsten McKay, Judy Beestermoeller, Layla Balooch, Lise McCracken
 
W1x (7:24.89) Caileigh Filmer
 
WJV8+ (6:17.91) Hannah Kennedy, Kirsten McKay, Judy Beestermoeller, Imogen White, Roza Kalashnikoff, Layla Balooch, Kirsten Edwards, Piper Battersby, Lise McCracken
 
W2- (7:12.79) Avalon Wasteneys, Caileigh Filmer
 
WV8+ (6:05.12) Cassidy Fernandes, McKenna Simpson, Larissa McKinlay, Jessica Stewart, Morgan Cathrea, Olivia King, Maxine Chapman, Avalon Wasteneys, Caileigh Filmer