Rowing Stories:
Unless you were hiding under a rock over the past two months, it is well known within the rowing community that Jessica Sevick and Kasia Gruchalla Wesierski returned from the Paris Olympics with a silver medal in the women’s 8+. The Paris Olympics marks a significant milestone for rowing in our province in that it is the first time that two Alberta athletes returned home from the Olympic Games with a medal.
Alberta rowing has long been a significant contributor to the success of our national team but never more so than in 2024. Jessica and Kasia’s success at the Paris Olympics should demonstrate to all who row here at home, the strength of the Alberta rowing community and our ability to develop some of the best athletes in the world. When one realizes that 20% of Canada’s Olympic rowing team hailed from the Wild Rose province, we should all take pride in the success of our programs. The only question I have going forward is “Who is Next? Jessica and Kasia’s success in Paris is proof positive that with hard work and some talent you too can win an Olympic medal by training at a rowing club here in Alberta.
Summer Recap
Sometimes if you blink you will miss it, and seemingly that seems to be the case with the summer rowing season. Yet despite how fast summer seems to have turned to fall, the ARA had a remarkable 2024 season. Here are a few highlights from the past two months:
- Shaye de Paiva was part of a Rowing Canada Women’s four that won the Town Challenge Cup at the Royal Henley Regatta in Henley on Thames England.
- Six Alberta athletes took home medals at the FISU World University Rowing Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Mikaela Hothuis, Gaby Worobec, Gaby Yarema and Gaby Kieser took home bronze in the Women’s eight. Alex Ewashko won silver in the Men’s four while Eliza Dawson won gold in the Women’s pair.
- The Calgary Rowing Club took home four gold medals at the 2024 Royal Canadian Henley Regatta. Karissa Riley won both the Lightweight Women’s 1x and the Women’s Champ 1x. Orla Bailey, Trynne Mamen, Claire Ferraro and Heidi Wallin took home gold in the U17 W4x race, while Alexandra Hart and Hayley Buchannan won the Lightweight Women’s Pair.
- Remo Cramer won gold in the Men’x 2x at the 2024 CanAM Mex Regatta.
- Five ARA Athletes represented Canada at the 2024 Mega Worlds in St. Catharines Ontario. Karissa Riley competed in the Lightweight Women’s Single, Griffen Salmon in the Junior Men’s 2x, Bob Bryden in the U23 Men’s 2-, Anna Currie and Ciara Stevenson in the Lightweight Women’s Pair and Alex Marchuk served as one of the coaches on the team.
- Audra Vair wrote the FISA exam and is now an L5 Licensed umpire implying that Audra is now a World Rowing licensed umpire.
Rowing Participation
Thanks to the efforts of our clubs across the province, Alberta seems to be at the forefront of the sport across Canada. Witness the following:
- For the second consecutive year the Calgary Rowing Club had the largest number of entries of any club in attendance at the 2024 Royal Canadian Henley Regatta.
- The 2024 Lakeland Camp held in Vermilion Alberta was the largest camp (in terms of athletes in attendance) in the history of the event and had athletes from over four different clubs in attendance.
- A record number of Alberta athletes will be competing at the 2024 World Rowing Masters Regatta from September 11-15 in Brandenburg Germany.
Congratulations to all!
Provincial Carding
The ARA “Provincial Carding Program” was introduced in 2018 to provide direct funding assistance to support qualified Alberta athletes. Of the athletes the ARA has provided funding assistance to, two have gone on to win Olympic medals, three have won Pan-American medals, one has gone on to represent Canada at a Paralympic Games, two have won medals at a U23 World Championships and five others have represented Canada at a World Cup / World Championships. Furthermore, over 90% of the Alberta athletes who represented Canada at either FISU or Mega Worlds in 2024 were carding recipients at one time over the past two years. Needless to say, the ARA Funding program has been a success over the past seven years providing Alberta athletes with the financial resources they require to reach their athletic goals.
The ARA will be releasing details of its 2024 Athlete Assistance Program by the middle of this month.
Upcoming Events
ARA Board Meeting – September 18th, 2024 – Zoom
Dino Sprints Regatta- September 28, 2024 – Calgary, Alberta
National Rowing Championships –October 11-13– Welland, Ontario