World Beaters!
At 8am on Monday February 17, 2020, 11 members of the University of Calgary women’s rowing team stared in their attempt to break a world record of rowing one million meters consecutively on an indoor rowing machine. 70 hours, 36 minutes and 49 seconds later the University of Calgary accomplished its goal eclipsing the previous world record held by a team of women from New Zealand by nearly 15 hours. Congratulations to the team of Courtney Kruschel, Rebecca Fung, Andrea Ornawaka, Hannah Anderson, Anna Bender, Carli Klapstein, Asha Bansal, Arianna Mamer, Claire O’Brien, Catherine Ohler and Taylor White. A news story on this achievement can be found by following the link https://globalnews.ca/news/6573422/dinos-women-million-meter-challenge/
Two days later, 10 women from the Calgary Rowing Club started a world record pursuit of their own by attempting to row further on an indoor rowing machine in 24 hours than any other women’s team before. By 4pm on Saturday February 22, 2020 the team of Natalie McMurray, Courtney Kruschel, Lucy Lu, Sara Elkady, Elana Taub, McKenzie Lukacs, Anna Currie, Libby Wheeler, Kass Padendo and Oliviay McMurray rowed 345.8km for a 24 hour average of 2:04.9 smashing the previous world record by over 13km. News of the achievement can be found by following the link https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/u-of-c-rowers-break-fall-short-of-world-record-24-hour-row
Not to be forgotten amongst the record setting performances was Alberta’s contribution to the National Rowing day on February 22, 2020. According to ARA President Peter Walsh, Alberta finished 2nd in Participants behind BC, 3rd in total meters behind ON and BC and first in metres rowed per capita. Great performances all around!
CANADA SUMMER GAMES
Results from the 2020 Alberta Erg Championships demonstrate that Alberta has a strong contingent of CSG aged athletes., but acknowledge that still have a long road ahead of us if we are to achieve the results we all desire. The next CSG event the ARA has scheduled is a province wide 2K test for Saturday April 4, 2020 which will help lead into our planned on-water camp in Invermere British-Columbia for the weekend of April 17 through 19, 2020.
While the ARA welcomes all CSG aged eligible athletes to participate in the Invermere camp, we acknowledge that we can only accommodate a select few given our limited resources. The ARA will use erg scores from November 2019, and as well erg results from Alberta erg champs to determine an initial invite list. Additional invites will be extended following the erg piece on Saturday April 4, 2020. CSG athletes who are not extended invites are encouraged to still attend but will be asked to work with their local clubs to organize boating arrangements, transportation and accommodation.
Initial invites will be distributed to club coaches by Saturday March 14, 2020.
ARA Erg Championships
The ARA thanks the Central Alberta Rowing Club for once again hosting a successful erg championship this past weekend. Despite the snow-covered roads, over 100 athletes participated in this year’s event. The level of interest in our sport throughout Alberta is very encouraging and is a testament to the quality of volunteers, coaches and officials that are found all across this province. Results from the event have been distributed to your coaches. Should you wish to obtain a copy of the results please get in touch with them.
Rowing Tidbits
- In the February 2020 report the ARA commented on the success of our athletes abroad but forgot to include Kendra Hartley of the ERC who finished in third place at the Canadian Indoor Erg Championships. Congratulations Kendra
- The 2020 National Rowing Championships will be held in Welland, Ontario from September 17th through to September 20th.
Upcoming Events
RADAR Submissions due between January 29 and March 31, 2020