Montreal, Quebec…The UFV Cascades men’s and women’s rowing teams participated this past weekend in the 2013 Canadian University Rowing Association national championships, hosted by McGill University, in Montreal, Quebec, at the Olympic Rowing Basin. The Cascades men’s team finished tied for 18th place with three other schools with 0 points. There were 29 schools participating in the regatta. On the women’s side UFV finished tied for 15th place with Trent University Excalibur (OUA), with 7 team points. The Cascades earned their points in the women’s lightweight 2x and women’s 2 categories. There were 25 teams participating on the women’s side. The Cascades rowers at the national championships were Bethany Tait, Kaitlyn Block, Raquel Martinez and Stephanie Schoenberger.
UFV Cascades women’s program earned 7 team points
The Cascades rowers at the national championships were Bethany Tait, Kaitlyn Block, Raquel Martinez and Stephanie Schoenberger.
In the 2km time trials, on Saturday, the Open Womens pair (sweep rowing), Raquel Martinez, and Stef Schoenberger, finished with the 8th fastest time to seed them at the top of the B Final. On Sunday, in the Pool B Final race, they ended up placing 11th, earning the Cascades 3 points for the team out of a possible 6points . The women’s lightweight 2x, (sculling), Bethany Tait/Kaitlyn Block, in Saturday’s race, they placed 12th, last boat to qualify for the B Final. On Sunday the duo ended up placing 3rd in that final, earning 4 points.
“It’s important that athletes trust their training. Rowing is physically so demanding that it is painful; but, it is important to remember how hard their training has prepared them and to push through that high anaerobic/aerobic demand and trust that they have energy in reserve to draw from.” “The hope is that they don’t shy away from that physical demand at a point where they can experience a real breakthrough,”said UFV head coach Liz Chisholm, on her women’s team performance at the CURA championships.
Men’s team finished tied for 18th place
Caleb Davisson’s single race was first in the morning, on Saturday, there were 17 competitors in the men’s single event, and the finals on Sunday. Caleb had a much better race, despite the conditions, and moved himself up a couple of placings to a 12th place overall, with a time of 8:22 (89% of 1st place). The lightweight men’s 1x is a very competitive event, and boasted no less than 3 World Champions (2013) in the competition. UFV’s Emmett Campbell placed 16th.
The men’s pair was the fastest race in total time; the starters sent off 14 boats, 30 seconds apart from each other in the time trial, with all boats finishing with 40 seconds between 1st place and last place. UFV’s duo of Scott Micona and Ryan Tucker were off to a good start, but in the wind, caught a “crab” stroke which swung them 90% to starboard into another lane. They regrouped quickly, and sped down the course, to a low placing. Their determination to keep the wind’s effect at bay, brought them through Sunday’s final with a bow ball to bow ball finish against the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. They beat UOIT at the line, with a 9th place time in that event beating out Ottawa U, Dalhousie, Guelph, McMaster & UOIT; but not a high enough placing to garner points.
“Going back east for the Canadian University’s is always a bigger, more competitive event. I am very proud of the small group we took, and feel they can hold their heads high because of the way they took their “defeats” of the Time Trial and turned it into real racing on Sunday’s finals. This was a great experience!” said Chisholm.
List of schools competing:
UVic, UBC, UFV, U. of Calgary, U. of Alberta, U. of Saskatchewan, U. of Regina, U. of Manitoba, U. of Ottawa, Carlton University, UOIT, U. of Western Ontario, U. of Guelph, Queen’s University, Laurentian University, Brock University, McMaster University, Trent University, U. of Toronto, RMC, Ecole de Technologique ETS, U. of Montreal, McGill University, U. of New Brunswick, St. Francis Xavier, Dalhousie University.
Files from Liz Chisholm
Statistics from McGill University
Photos from Olympic Basin (CURA)
Such a success! Great work Cascades!