For the first time in history, Vernon had three athletes competing in the National Rowing Championship: two rowers were racing in Single boats, and one in a Pair crew.
All three landed spots among the top-20 in their respective categories.
The Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA) 2022 National Rowing Championship regatta took place on Quamichan Lake, the new home of the RCA National Team, three kilometres northeast of Duncan on Vancouver Island. The event saw 208 crews representing 45 clubs from all over Canada, including active National Team members and Olympic medalists.
The athletes were racing in a 2,000 metre sprint course.
Vernon Rowing and Dragon Boat Club (VRDBC) graduate Danica Ariano, currently competing for University of Victoria, qualified 19th in the Women’s Open Pair Time Trial race with her partner Mikaela Holthuis, crossing the finish buoy line at 7 minutes 37.84 seconds. The crew did not race in their respective final. They instead decided to recover after the Canadian University Rowing Championship where they scored the gold medal in Womens Eight.
Another University of Victoria racer, Elena Masyte (17), also a VRDBC graduate, qualified 42nd overall in the Women’s Open Singles Time Trial, then made her way to the G Final, and finished first, with a time of 8:53.630, maintaining a consistent and solid lead of almost five seconds. Among the U19 female rowers in Single boats, Masyte placed 17th.
Jonas Masys (16) delighted the audience with some incredible sprinting skills in the semi-final, where he managed to pass three boats in the last three hundred metre stretch. In the G Final, Masys finished fifth at 8:14.989, placing him seventh in Canadian U17 male rowers racing in Single boats.
Full results of the RCA National Rowing Championship Regatta can be found at http://online.regattamaster.com/Pages/Regatta.aspx?regattaID=1465
Since 1997, Vernon Rowing and Dragon Boat Club is a hub for rowers and paddlers on Swan Lake. It consistently strives to provide affordable opportunities for the local community to engage in physical activity and improve their physical and mental well-being.
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roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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