Weekend Wrap: Ontario Clubs Head South of the Border for HOCR

While all was quiet on Ontario regatta courses, plenty of Ontario rowers were in action over the weekend at the Head of the Charles in Cambridge, MA.

A total of 23 Ontario clubs participated in the annual event, with 63 entries across a wide range of boat classes and age categories. The HOCR took place over three days (Oct. 20-22) and the saw the participants compete in a three-mile (5km approx.) head race on the Charles River. The Head of the Charles, which has been running since 1965, is the largest three-day head race in the world, and this year featured 2598 entries from 792 clubs from across the World.

Several Ontario-based clubs reached the podium at the event including the Toronto Sculling Club, Notre Dame Rowing Club and Don Rowing Club who’s members each earned gold medals. The Toronto Sculling Club duo of Norma Wilkie and Tracey Black placed first in the women’s grand master doubles 60+ category, while the Don Rowing Club’s Elizabeth Najjar and Marianna Jankowski claimed gold in the women’s youth doubles. Notre Dame’s gold medal was won by the women’s youth coxed quad of Malarie Jones, Emma Goedhart, Sarah Stacey, Juliette Freure, and Avery Coles (coxswain). Clara Van Dyk, who trains out of the Ontario NextGen Performance Centre, also earned a medal for Notre Dame this weekend, placing second in the women’s youth single.

The 2023 Santiago Pan Am Games also began this weekend, with the rowing events taking place from Oct. 21-25. Stay tuned later in the week for a Pan Am Games recap.

For full results from the Head of the Charles, visit RegattaCentral

For the full regatta schedule in Ontario, visit the Row Ontario website.

Photo is property of the Hanlan Boat Club