VICTORIA – The University of Victoria men's and women's rowing teams open the 2024-25 season at the Western Canadian University Rowing Championships on Oct. 5 in Burnaby, BC.
 
The women's rowing team is coming off another banner season after successfully defending their 2022 national championship title with a first-place finish at the 2023 Canadian University Rowing Championships (CURCs) last November.

While putting on one of their best performances in recent history and taking top five finishes in every race at last year's CURCs, the men's rowing team finished just shy of another national championship taking third place overall.

Both teams are once again on the hunt for a national title, this year at home, with UVic playing host to the 2024 Canadian University Rowing Championship Nov. 2-3, at Elk Lake.

Women's rowing key returners
Lightweight rowers Ellie Sousa and Sai Sai Faubert are set to be key contributors to the Vikes success this season. After a summer spent representing Canada at the Under-23 World Rowing Championships in St. Catharines, ON, both athletes return primed and ready to push the pace in 2024. Their time training alongside the nation's top talent has sharpened their skills, positioning them for a strong start.

With the goal of performing well in the small boats at the forefront, third year student-athlete Elena Masyte will also play an important role and is hoping to improve upon lasts year's third place finish in the lightweight 2x at Western Canadians.

A position often overlooked, fourth year coxswain Sofie Hof brings a breadth of experience to the Vikes, having led the varsity 8+ to a first place showing and both Western CURCs and CURCs in 2023, and will continue to steer the team toward success this season.

Men's rowing key returners
Since Giancarlo DiPompeo arrived on the scene in 2021, he's been nothing short of remarkable. A 2023 national champion, he won the lightweight 1x title at the 2023 CURCs and helped the Vikes lightweight 2x and lightweight 4+ boats to fourth place finishes. His momentum continued this summer as he represented Canada at the FISU World Rowing Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands, where he earned a silver medal in the men's lightweight sculls division. DiPompeo then capped off the season by competing for Canada again at the U23 World Rowing Championships.

"Giancarlo is extremely disciplined. He's balancing training with studying engineering which is remarkable, but he is always looking for a way to make even the most mundane things competitive. He's always competing, even if it's with himself," said men's rowing head coach, Aalbert Van Schothorst.

Other key returners on the men's side include team captain Kai Bartel, Michael Caryk, Quinn Storey, Victor Lefebvre, Samuel Ree, Andrew Hubbard and coxswain Sascha Jansen-Rudan, who all represented the Vikes on Team Canada at the FISU World University Games.

Second-year Vike Victor Lefebvre of Longueil, QC, is an up and comer to watch. After getting his start in a single, Lefebvre wanted to make the jump to the large boat. He moved across the country to join the Vikes and has been steadily improving ever since. At 6'5", Lefebvre is a powerful athlete and has been training with the national program up island, adding to his arsenal and hopefully helping the Vikes enroute to a national title.

Women's off-season additions
First-year lightweight rower Kate Watson joins the Vikes from Claremont Secondary School and the Victoria City Rowing Club, bringing a wealth of experience as a rookie. Fresh off representing Canada at the Under-19 World Rowing Championships, Watson's dedication is clear—having spent close to 20 hours a week training over the summer to prepare for Worlds. Her impressive fitness and work ethic will be key assets as she embarks on her first season with the Vikes.

Fellow Claremont graduate Sadie Green is another promising addition to the team. As a newcomer, she will quickly gain valuable experience coxing the junior varsity squad this fall, stepping into a vital leadership role.

Holly Crosby is another new arrival with a big upside and plenty of potential according to head coach Jane Gumley. "She is just one of those athletes that's the full package. She works hard, she wants to learn, and she's got such a positive attitude."

Men's off-season additions
Although James Gemmill is new to the Vikes, he brings a strong rowing background with him. A graduate of Oak Bay High School and a member of the Victoria City Rowing Club, Gemmill spent a busy summer competing for Canada at the Under-19 World Rowing Championships, alongside fellow Vike and Claremont Secondary School alumnus Quinn McCoy.

Joining the influx of young local talent is Gabe Dyer from Shawnigan Lake High School. Getting his start playing basketball at the University of Guelph, Dyer made the transition to rowing and returned to the West Coast to continue his athletic career with the Vikes.

"Gabe is athletic, competitive and he works on learn as much as he can and making the most out of every session. He's got a sense of purpose, he's ambitious and he's got a passion for the sport, which is the trifecta," said Van Schothorst.   

Coaches notes
"We're looking for a banner repeat and to do that we've got to perform well in the small boats and continue to build up the junior varsity crew to compete at a higher level," said Gumley.

"One of our big goals this year is to get more guys racing starts, get them experienced travelling and get them prepared to race. That experience builds sports literacy and confidence. We're chasing a CURC title and to do that we need to be competitive every day and have a consistent drive to compete," said Van Schothorst. "Our team philosophy is to build trust which is the backbone of risk taking in sport."