VICTORIA - The 2026 Canadian Henley Regatta provided the University of Victoria Vikes rowing program with an opportunity to measure itself against one of the deepest and most competitive fields in North America. By week's end in St. Catharines, the Vikes women had delivered one of the program's strongest Henley performances in recent memory, capturing five gold medals, while the men's squad added several notable results and continued to build momentum heading into the fall season.
The women's team exceeded expectations throughout the regatta, winning gold in the U23 women's eight, U23 women's eight dash, U23 Women's coxless four, U23 lightweight coxless four and U23 lightweight double sculls.
Leading the charge was the Vikes U23 women's eight, which captured both the championship event and the Bell Canada Women's Eight Dash Trophy. The crew of
Sophia Regosa,
Tiegan Szulc,
Addison Stenzel,
Avery Coughlin,
Elyse Jobling,
Isabel Harold,
Violet Scholz,
Ciara Allington and coxswain
Madeline Sellars showcased the speed and depth emerging throughout the women's program, firmly establishing themselves among the country's top U23 crews.
The success extended well beyond the eight. Cedar Wink, Emma Botari,
Stella Graham and
Anna Cain claimed gold in the U23 lightweight four, while the U23 women's four of Jobling, Harold, Stenzel and Scholz swept their division to add another championship title. Combined with the lightweight double title, the results demonstrated the Vikes strength across both sweep and sculling events.
More importantly, the performance signalled the continued rise of a young women's squad determined to return to national prominence. After falling short of national gold last season for the first time in four years, the program entered 2026 with several new faces and a renewed focus on development. What was viewed by many as a rebuilding year has quickly begun to look like the foundation of the next successful chapter in Vikes rowing.
"We're excited for the fall season," said women's head coach
Jane Gumley. "This is a great end to the summer and will hopefully set us up well for the fall."
On the men's side, lightweight rowers
Billy Thornton and Oscar Humphries enjoyed a breakthrough regatta of their own. The pair captured gold in the lightweight men's pair after also competing in both the U23 and senior lightweight double events.
Now competing in their first season of U23 eligibility, Thornton and Humphries demonstrated they can race successfully against older and more experienced crews. Their progression has been particularly impressive after winning the U19 double at Canadian Henley in 2025. Returning one year later to claim the Senior Lightweight Pair title represents a significant step forward in their development and highlights the continued strength of the Vikes lightweight program.
The heavyweight men's program also produced a strong showing. The senior men's eight finished third in a competitive field behind California Rowing Club and the FISU Games crew racing under the UBC entry, which included Vikes athlete
Thomas Boruta. The crew posted a program-record time of 5:34.7, finishing just five seconds behind California and establishing a new benchmark for the program.
The regatta also marked the Canadian Henley debut of incoming freshman Arthur Cardoso Goncalves. A member of the Brazilian national team program, Cardoso Goncalves raced in both the U23 and senior lightweight men's singles and will join the Vikes this fall, bringing valuable international experience into an already talented lightweight group.
Attention now turns to London, Ontario, where four Vikes athletes will represent Canada at the FISU Games. Boruta and
Giancarlo DiPompeo will compete in the Canadian men's eight, while Gabriel Dyer and
Simon Whittaker will race in the men's four.
The transition from Canadian Henley to international competition is a fitting next step for a program that continues to build momentum.
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