Thank-You
Many within the Alberta Rowing community have likely never heard the name Rosanne Prinsen. After all she has never been in a rowing shell or a coach boat but for the past 28 years Rosanne has truly been the straw that has stirred the drink within Alberta Rowing. Rosanne started working with the ARA in 1998 and during that time has worked tirelessly behind the scenes processing membership payments, managing coach and umpire educational requirements, processing grant applications with Alberta Sport and keeping everyone within the ARA on task.
Rosanne has announced that she will be stepping back from her duties in the coming month, and with that leaves an unprecedented void in the rowing community here in Alberta. Colleen Critchley, President of the ARA in a recent statement stated the following “Her (Rosanne) commitment, professionalism, and unwavering support have shaped the ARA in countless ways. She has been a steady presence for our clubs, coaches, athletes, and volunteers, and her impact will be felt for many years to come. On behalf of the Alberta Rowing Association, we extend our sincere gratitude for her nearly three decades of service and wish her the very best in her next chapter.”
Rosanne, thank-you!
Congratulations
At the 2026 Calgary Booster Club Gala seven Alberta athletes were recognized for the athletic achievements over the past twelve months. Karissa Riley was recognized with the Art Smith Endowment Grant while Anna Washbrook, Tryne Mamen and Heidi Wallin and Claire Ferraro were recognized with the Bob Freeze grant.
Congratulations to all!
2025 ARA Rowing Camps.
The ARA will be hosting at least two camps in 2026. The first of which will be the Lakeland Rowing Camp which will take place from July 17-19, 2026. The 2026 event will once again be open to athletes of all ages and skill levels and are expecting this year’s event to be the best yet. Registration for this year’s event can be found at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdd3r1Sw1_ye10KGSWPbRwGdloZPXGC3LH6HrThfJOOSmf3lw/viewform
The second on-water camp will be hosted in conjunction with the Central Alberta Boat Club (CABC). The camp is largely geared towards athletes under the age of 21. At this time the ARA has not finalized a date but are expecting it to run in early September. Please stay tuned.
In addition to these two events the ARA is examining a few other potential camp opportunities this summer.
World Cup I
Rowing Canada announced its lineup for World Cup I to be held from May 29-31 in Seville Spain. Of the 10 athletes announced to the team three of them or 30% of Canada’s team hails from the Province of Alberta which for the first time in this writer’s memory Alberta has more athlete representatives than British Columbia.
Curtis Ames and Axel Ewashko will team up with Stephen Rosts and Ryan Clegg in the Men’s four while Shaye de Paiva will represent Canada in the Women’s 4x.
Rowing Stories
Not so much a story but a celebration. RCA recently hosted an alumni event in the City of Calgary celebrating the achievements of national team athletes both from today and years past. The event provided reflection on the incredible legacy Alberta athletes have made on our sport internationally. In Calgary alone, there are rowing alumni representing 72 years of international competition, and Edmonton has just as many alumni representing its great city.
Alberta’s impact on the sport of rowing however, does not rest solely in our athletic endeavours. The volunteers, officials and coaches within Alberta are also significant contributors to the sport internationally. Alumni events provide time for reflection and the take-away from this past event was profound. Thank-you all.
Upcoming Events
Paddle Pike –Saskatoon Saskatchewan – May 30 & 31,