Competition/ Nov 7

Weekend Wrap: Strong Performances by Ontario Schools at Canadian University Rowing Championships

The Henley Course in St. Catharines welcomed rowers from across the country over the weekend as the Canadian University Rowing Championships took place on Saturday and Sunday.

Hosted by Brock University, the CU’s featured two days of impressive performances from the best university rowers in the country. The 2022 national champions were crowned on Sunday after a full day of final races, and two BC schools brought home the national banners. The UBC Thunderbirds won their sixth men’s championship in eight years, while the Victoria Vikes women’s team won their first national championship since 2012. The top-placing Ontario schools were the Brock Badgers and Western Mustangs who finished second overall on the men’s side and women’s side respectively. The Queen’s Gaels also had an impressive regatta, finishing fourth overall for both the men and women.

The regatta featured 12 medal events, six each for the men and women with six Ontario schools claiming medals. The Brock Badgers won the most medals for Ontario schools with five, earning two golds, a silver, and two bronze. The Western Mustangs were next with four (2 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze), followed by the Queen’s Gaels with three (2 silver, 1 bronze), and the Trent Excalibur (silver), Ottawa Gee-Gees (silver) and Toronto Varsity Blues (bronze) with one apiece.

In addition to the action on the course, individual major award winners were also announced over the weekend. Ontario-based award winners were Stephen Harris and Thomas Markewich of Brock University, who were named men’s co-athlete of the year along with Patrick Keane of the University of Victoria, while Rhiannon Crichton and Vienna Scholten of the University of Ottawa were named the winner of the Above and Beyond Athlete of the Year.

A new award in honour of Brock head coach Peter Somerwil was also announced by the Canadian University Rowing Association and named Somerwil its first recipient. The Peter Somerwil Award for Development of University Rowing recognizes individuals who support the next generation of rowers and the future of the sport.

Individual Major Awards
Women’s Athlete of the Year – Alizée Brien (University of Montreal)
Men’s Co-Athlete of the Year – Patrick Keane (University of Victoria) and Thomas Markewich & Stephen Harris (Brock University)
Women’s Team Coach of the Year – Jane Gumley (University of Victoria)
Men’s Team Coach of the Year – Mike Pearce (University of British Columbia)
Above and Beyond Athlete of the Year – Rhiannon Crichton and Vienna Scholten (University of Ottawa)
Coach Builder of the Year – Joe Rochon (Concordia University/ETS)
Peter Somerwil Award for Development of University Rowing – Peter Somerwil

Women’s Final Point Standings
1. Victoria 106
2. Western 100
3. UBC 90
4. Queen’s 82
5. Brock 58
6. Toronto 53
7. Ottawa 40
8. Trent 31
9. Calgary 29
10. Carleton 25
11. McGill 22
12. Montreal 21
13. StFX 20
14. Guelph 16
15. Saskatchewan 15
16. Dalhousie 13
17. McMaster 13
18. Fort Langley 1

Men’s Final Point Standings
1. UBC 123
2. Brock 104
3. Victoria 101
4. Queen’s 60
5. Western 58
6. McGill 50
7. Toronto 30
8. StFX 24
9. Guelph 22
10. Carleton 21
11. Calgary 18
12. Montreal 17
13. Waterloo 12
14. McMaster 11
15. Trent 9
16. Dalhousie 7
17. ETS 6
18. Fort Langley 5
19. Nipissing 5
20. Alberta 3