VICTORIA – A rowing powerhouse for decades, the University of Victoria has continuously sent men's and women's rowers to represent Canada on the world stage, many of whom began their careers with the Vikes competing in events like this past week's Royal Canadian Henley Regatta.
The tradition continues leading up to the Paris 2024 Olympics with six Vikes named to Rowing Canada's 2023 World Rowing Championship team heading to Belgrade, Serbia, from Sept. 3-10.
Kirsten Edwards, Alexis Cronk and Avalon Wasteneys will represent the Vikes in the women's coxed eight, while Rebecca Zimmerman and Piper Battersby will race in the women's four. Two-time Olympian Caileigh Filmer will make her return to rowing in the women's pair.
"It's exciting to see six UVic alumna head overseas to represent Canada at the world championships this year. Having such a strong and large group selected will help promote women in sport at the grassroots level and within our current Vikes team," said
Jane Gumley, women's rowing head coach.
"Our team can't wait to cheer on their alumni as they push to qualify boats for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Having this many athletes making a splash on the world stage will continue to motivate the current program as we prepare for our fall season."
Royal Canadian Henley Regatta
As UVic rowers prepare for what is hopefully another banner season, the women continue their dominance finding success this past week at the prestigious Royal Canadian Henley Regatta, snagging five podium finishes and repeating as gold medalists in the senior women's eight plus coxswain.
Also repeating as winners, the men's team snagged a gold in the U23 men's four for the second year. Making the win extra special, the crew rowed to victory in the Szymanowski (Shims)—a hull named after Vikes alumnus Mathew Szymanowski who suffered a spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed from the neck down after a bike accident in 2019. Szymanowski won the same event while representing the Vikes eight years ago and will see the boat Christened in his honour at the 2023 Captains Barbeque on Sept. 1.
With crews on both the men's and women's sides qualifying for A-finals in the majority of events entered, the Henley was another huge success and confidence builder going into the fall season.
RESULTS
Senior Women's Eight plus Cox
1. Sofia Hof,
Nicole Cusack,
Abby Speirs,
Danica Ariano,
Kaliya Javra, Julia Schuurmans,
Ella Stemler,
Paige Letham,
Maggie Hemphill
Senior Women's Four
2.
Nicole Cusack,
Abby Speirs, Julia Schuurmans,
Maggie Hemphill
Senior Women's Pair
1.
Nicole Cusack,
Abby Speirs
U23 Women's Four
3.
Sophia Regosa,
Paige Letham, Abigail Simpson,
Sai Sai Faubert
U23 Women's Pair
2. Danica Ariono,
Kaliya Javra
U23 Men's Four
1.
Connor Attridge, Victor Lefebvre, Michael Caryk,
Jesse Harold
U23 Men's Lightweight double
2. Mathew Thompson, Oliver Batek
*Vikes men's rower
Kai Bartell brought home gold medals for hometown team St. Catharines in the Men's U23 Quad and Senior Men's Eight.
*Vikes men's rower Nicholas Murray-Coplan also won a gold medal with St. Catharines in the Senior Men's Eight.
*Vikes men's rower Sacha Jansen-Rudan brought home gold medals for hometown team St. Catharines in the Men's Lightweight Eight Dash and Senior Men's Lightweight Eight.
