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Competition/ Mar 9

Varsity Blues and St. Mary CSS Big Winners at McMaster 2×4 Challenge


The members of the Toronto Varsity Blues rowing team and St. Mary Catholic Secondary School were the big winners over the weekend at the McMaster 2×4 Challenge as the two schools led the way in university and high school competitions respectively.

The McMaster 2×4 Challenge, a unique team relay event in which four teammates compete on one erg to reach a total of eight kilometres, took place at the McMaster University Student Centre in Hamilton, Ont. on Saturday, March 7. The 13th edition of the indoor regatta featured athletes from 17 schools and clubs who competed in university, high school and club divisions.

In the University division, the Toronto Varsity Blues took home three of the four titles, winning the University Women’s (97.95%), Varsity Women’s (97.13%) and Varsity Men’s (92.76%) team trophies. The University team trophy is presented to the team with the top average percentage of the record time in all three events (varsity, lightweight varsity, and novice) while the varsity team trophy is won by the team the top average percentage of the record time in the varsity and lightweight varsity events.

The host McMaster Marauders claimed the other trophy available in the university division, winning the University Men’s team trophy with 88.93%.

There were two team trophies available in the high school ranks, both of which were won by St. Mary CSS of Hamilton. The high school competitions featured senior, senior lightweight, junior and junior lightweight divisions, with the Crusaders winning both the women’s (65.94%) and men’s (46.02%) team trophies.

In the club competition, the hometown Leander Boat Club led the way winning the junior women’s event as well as the junior mixed event, where they set a new regatta record. A split squad of Leander and Barrie Rowing Club also athletes won the senior mixed event. Rounding out the winners for the day were Hanlan Boat Club in the junior men’s race and Alchemy X-Fit in the masters men’s race.

The McMaster 2×4 Challenge was the last event on Ontario’s indoor rowing calendar for 2020. The Early Bird in St. Catharines, Ont. is the next regatta on the schedule and will see the action move outdoors for the year on Sunday, April 26. To view our events calendar with all upcoming Ontario events please visit our website.

Category Winners:

University
Varsity Women – Toronto Varsity Blues – 24:59.5
Varsity Men – Toronto Varsity Blues – 22:28.0
Lightweight Varsity Women – Toronto Varsity Blues – 26:52.5
Lightweight Varsity Men – Western Mustangs – 22:43.4
Novice Women – Toronto Varsity Blues – 26:31.4
Novice Men – Waterloo Warriors – 25:02.1

High School
Junior Women – Bishop Tonnos – 29:13.0
Junior Lightweight Women – St. Mary CSS – 32:26.3
Junior Lightweight Men – Westdale SS – 28:46.9
Senior Women – St. Mary CSS – 27:22.3
Senior Men – St. Mary CSS – 24:17.6
Senior Lightweight Men – St. Mary CSS – 26:18.2

Club
Junior Women – Leander Boat Club – 26:37.4
Junior Men – Hanlan Boat Club – 28:35.3
Junior Mixed – Leander Boat Club – 27:16.1 *new record
Senior Mixed – Leander Boat Club / Barrie Rowing Club – 22:54.5
Masters Men – Alchemy X-Fit – 23:31.9

For full results please visit RegattaCentral.