TOWER OF POWER
Don’t look now but Alberta has become a breeding ground in developing some of the country’s finest female athletes; consider the following:
* Of the eight women vying for a spot on Canada’s U23 Women’s National Team four had direct connections to Alberta Rowing. Olivia McMurray and Nicole Hare were both prominent members of Alberta’s Canada Summer Games Team in Sherbrooke Quebec, while Madelaine Thiel and Sabrina Proctor each spent a season here in Alberta. Each of these four athletes has a realistic chance of representing Canada this coming summer.
* Isabelle and Aline Belzil are returning home after competing in the 2014 CSSRA Regatta in St. Catharines, Ontario. Representing MacDonald High School in Edmonton, Alberta, the Belzil sisters finished in sixth place in the Senior Women’s Double.
* Nicole Hare was selected to the 2014 Pac 12 All Conference Team representing the Washington State Huskies this past year.
* 1 National Champion, 2 Canada Summer Games medallists, 2 finalists from the 2014 CURC Regatta and a number of Henley finalists represented their respective clubs in the 2014 Calgary –Edmonton Boat Race. After 5km of racing Calgary and Edmonton were deadlocked. In the final 200m the Edmonton crew coxed by Rolland Dennett increased their rate to take the 2014 title by the narrowest of margins. Needless to say a testament to the quality of women’s rowing here in the Wild Rose Province.
UNIVERSITY ROWING AND THE ARA
In the May 2014 ARA Bulletin it was announced that the ARA was playing host to the 2014 Western Canada University Rowing Championships in Leduc, Alberta. After some careful consideration, the ARA has decided, in the best interest of the athletes, to host the event in Calgary, Alberta.
We understand that some individuals may be disappointed by the fact that the race-course will only be 1,500m as opposed to the traditional 2,000m in Leduc, Alberta. However, in Calgary we can provide athletes with the amenities they may require come late October in the Prairies; specifically shelter, running water and indoor plumbing.
Over time we at the ARA hope we can host the WCURC event on a 2,000m course in Leduc, Alberta but on a date that is earlier in the calendar year; until then Calgary will prove to be a good substitute.
REGATTA SANCTIONING
Is your club looking to host a Regatta in the coming year? If so, you will need to obtain regatta sanctioning. Any regatta involving clubs outside of your own home-town, Rowing Canada must sanction the event before the regatta can be held. Regattas that are run without sanction are not covered under RCA’s liability insurance policy and RCA umpires are not to umpire at non-sanctioned events.
So as to assist clubs with this matter the ARA has introduced a document outlining RCA Regatta Sanctioning protocols. Information about this important matter can be found on the ARA’s Club Resources webpage. Click on the Regatta Sanctioning tab.
HENLEY FUNDING
Do you have aspirations of competing at the 2014 Royal Canadian Henley Regatta? Does your erg score better the ARA’s Gold, Silver and Bronze Erg Standard? If so, you may be eligible for a grant to assist you in attending this event. Details will be forthcoming in the coming weeks.
2015 WESTERN CANADA SUMMER GAMES
The Western Canada Summer Games (WCSG) is a multi sport inter-provincial competition held every 4 years that provides development opportunities for amateur athletes. The 2015 Games to be held in Fort McMurray, Alberta will represent the first opportunity our athletes have to showcase their talents in the lead-up to the 2017 Canada Summer Games. The ARA recognises the development opportunities that arise from the WCSG and with the opening ceremonies now only 16 months away we are beginning to take steps to prepare our U18 athletes (As at December 31, 2014). With this in mind the ARA is looking to host a couple of introductory camps in the fall of 2014. Stay tuned.
TID BITS OF ROWING NEWS AROUND THE ROWING WORLD
- Ohio State repeated as National Champion at the 2014 NCAA Rowing Championships. Brown and California rounded out the top three spots.
- May 31, 2014 marked 800 days until the start of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil
- Olympic Bronze Medallist Julien Bahain has given up rowing under the French flag to hopefully compete for Canada at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil
Upcoming Events
- Regina Sprints – June 14, 2014 – Regina, Saskatchewan
- Prairie Rowing Championships June 28th Leduc, Alberta
- Alberta Open – July 12, 2014 Calgary, Alberta