Rowing Canada Coaches Conference.
Once again in 2026, the Rowing Canada Coaches Conference was a virtual affair. The two-day conference concluded with the Rowing Canada Awards of Excellence which celebrates the achievements of athletes, coaches and officials from across Canada over the past 12 months. Alberta athletes were represented at the event with Gabriella Worobec, being recognized for her athletic achievements in 2025. In addition, to the achievements of individual athletes Alberta’s own Alex Marchuk was recognized as Rowing Canada’s coach of the year.
Rowing Stories
Alex Marchuk transitioned to rowing from the sport of swimming, starting in the Junior program at the Calgary Rowing Club and took to the sport quickly. In 2007, Alex was named to the provincial team representing Alberta at the Western Canada Summer Games and later went on to represent Alberta at the 2009 Canada Summer Games in Prince Edward Island.
Upon graduating from the Junior program in Calgary, Alex moved to Victoria to attend the University of Victoria. At the University of Victoria, Alex would go on to captain and stroke the Women’s 8+ to a National Championship at the Canadian University Rowing Championships.
After a distinguished career at the University of Victoria, Alex decided to retire from the sport and opted to support the Junior Rowing program in Calgary. Quickly elevating the coaching ranks, Alex represented Team Alberta at the 2013 Canada Summer Games in Sherbrooke Quebec, but while in attendance at these games she had an epiphany (likely beside the athlete chapel – inside joke). She had more to contribute as an athlete and shortly thereafter Alex resumed training while maintaining her coaching duties in Calgary.
In 2015, Alex was selected to represent the Calgary Rowing Club in the women’s 8+ event at the Royal Canadian Henley. The boat went on to win Henley Gold, the one championship that eluded Alex in her athletic career. Alex went on to represent Calgary at the Henley Royal Regatta in the women’s quad in 2017 before retiring a second time at the end of the year.
Since assuming the Head Coach duties of the Junior Program in Calgary in 2019, Alex has helped build upon the legacy of her long time mentor Chris Davidson, in the creation of a program that is respected across this country. Today, on account of Alex’s leadership athletes across this country are thriving on the national circuit, with many going on to represent Canada at Junior, U23 and Senior World Championships. Her successes as a coach have not gone unnoticed. In 2025, Alex was nominated to the Made in Canada Coach’s program; a program whereby coaches participate in a unique set of opportunities with the goal of one day leading the next crop of Olympic and Paralympic athletes onto the podium.
Alex on behalf of the Alberta Rowing Association congratulations on being selected as Rowing Canada’s Coach of the Year in 2025. A well-deserved recognition.
ARA Erg Championships
Hard to believe how far the ARA erg champs have come. The event has been ongoing for the past 30 years when the writer himself was an athlete. At the time the event flip flopped between local clubs across Alberta and was literally a 60-minute event with a handful of participants. Today, the event is held in a state of the art athletic complex in Blackfalds, Alberta, attracts over 150+ athletes from clubs across the province and helps kickstart the competitive rowing season. The growth of this event is a testament to the efforts of the coaches and volunteers within the Central Alberta Rowing Club.
This year’s event is slated to take place on Saturday March 7, 2026 at the Blackfalds Field House just north of Red Deer. If you have not already registered but plan to do so simply inform your club coach and they will take care of the rest. The cost to register is $35. Registration opened on February 7, 2026. Details on the event can be found via the link
https://www.regattacentral.com/regatta/events/?job_id=10260&org_id=0
National Rowing Day 2026
In conjunction with all rowing communities across the nation, Alberta rowers are challenged to heat up their indoor rowing machines for Indoor Rowing Day in Canada – Coast to Coast 2026!
The purpose is to gather Albertans and Canadians on an indoor rowing machine on Saturday February 21, 2026. We want to create a wave of indoor rowing with the goal of crossing Canada from coast to coast at least once! The concept of the event is incredibly simplistic. Hop on an erg whether it be in your local club, gym, or even basement on the morning of the 21st and row as many km’s as you possibly can. Upon completion submit the amount of km’s rowed by emailing indoorrowingdayincanada@gmail.com.
Let’s do this together and see if Alberta can lead our nation in recording the greatest number of kilometres of any province in Canada.
Upcoming Events
National Rowing Day 2026 – Saturday February 21, 2026 – Locations across Alberta
Alberta Erg Champs – Saturday March 7, 2026 – Blackfalds, Alberta