1999 University of Victoria Women’s Rowing
Women’s Roster
| NAME |
| Lauren Beck |
| Loreena Campbell |
| Sarah Catt |
| Rebecca Chisholm |
| Karen Clark |
| Rachelle de Jong |
| Gethsemane Fear |
| Bonnie Fiala |
| Jamie Garrett |
| Holland Gidney |
| Angela Goran |
| Sarah Goring |
| Christa Heard |
| Jen Heard |
| Theresa L’Heureux |
| Laura Hogan |
| Wes Hyde |
| Sara Kirk |
| Megan Kot |
| Karyn Lauridsen |
| Sarah Laxton |
| Emily Ledingham |
| Joanna MacArthur |
| Shannon Mallory |
| Darcy Marquardt |
| Sarah Nichols |
| Sarah Podolsky |
| Sheryl Preston |
| Erin Reardon |
| Kitt Redhead |
| Liz Robertson |
| Carolyn Rudden |
| Lianna Smith |
| Stephanie vander Gracht |
| Erica Weikle |
| Alia Zawacki |
Rick Crawley (Head Coach)
Paula Hale (Assistant Coach)
Kelly Mahon (Assistant Coach)
Carmen Brown (Manager)
Jack Green
Biography
The 1999-2000 University of Victoria women’s varsity rowing team said goodbye to many key athletes including Kristen Wall, Nancy Sheils and Jen Brownett from the 1998-99 crew. Head coach Rick Crawley relied on Karen Clark, Joanna MacArthur, Rachelle de Jong and Alia Zawacki for their leadership and strength as the varsity team launched into the 1999 season.
Many UVic rowers committed to summer rowing prior to the varsity season. Seven of the varsity eights crew members raced at the Henley and Canada Cup regattas. Vikes dominated the BC provincial team as they took 80 percent of the senior team selection seats. At the Canada Cup, UVic rowers on women’s Team BC team won eight of 10 possible gold medals, a silver medal and a bronze medal. Clark and MacArthur swept both the U23 pair and Sr. pair; they than rowed in the eight and dash eight. Clark was named Rowing BCs outstanding senior athlete of 1999.
As the team gathered in September to begin their varsity season, coach Crawley prepared himself for a rebuilding year, “we definitely have our work cut out for us this year…but we have the raw talent to perform and the desire to work hard. The excellent summer we had bodes well for our chances at this year’s nationals in St. Catharines.”
Travelling to Ontario for the annual Canadian University Rowing Championships (CURC), the Vikes looked to defend their 1997 and 1998 CURC titles. For the third year in a row UVIC won the prestigious women’s eight. De Jong and MacArthur also struck gold for UVic in the women’s pair event. With additional victories, the Vikes women’s crew won their third straight CURC title.
Wanting to defend her U-23 title, de Jong led the Vikes into the Monster Erg indoor national regatta. De Jong’s motivation paid off as she took home a gold medal in the U-23 event. After her victory, de Jong joined teammates Bonnie Fiala, Clark and Zawacki to capture the university women’s four title.
Rowing back outdoors, the Vikes hosted the 27th Elk Lake Spring regatta. The Vikes used the Spring regatta as training preparation since it was the last big meet before the BC championships in the summer. Receiving the tradition Elk Lake Spring regatta t-shirts, designed by head coach Crawley, was other incentives for the Vikes crew to train hard and win.
Not only did the women’s crew take home gold in the straight four and the women’s pair, but they also won the open eight in a short 1850-meter race.
Although the Brown Cup Challenge was the last race of the 1999-2000 season, the Vikes were determined to overpower UBC as they suffered a loss in their spring trip to Washington. Reshuffling the eights crew, Crawley had high hopes for the Brown Cup. For the eighth straight year the Vikes won bragging rights at the Brown Cup as they blew out UBC by a 20 second lead.
Season Summary
Summer Canada Cup: Eight gold medals, one silver and one bronze
Canadian University Rowing Championship: GOLD (1st)
- Women’s Eight: 1st
- Women’s Pair: 1st
Monster Erg Indoor Championship
- U-23 University Four: 1st
Brown Cup Challenge: Gold (1st)
