Weekend Wrap: World Champs and Two Head Races Highlight Last Weekend of September
After eight days of competition the 2025 World Rowing Championships from Shanghai, China wrapped up on Sunday, while the Ontario rowing calendar was highlighted by two head races in Ottawa and Welland.
Team Canada sent nine boats to the starting line at the Shanghai Water Sports Centre with entries in the M2x, M4-, M8+, W1x, W4-, W4x, W8+, LW1x, and PR3Mix4+. The highest placing Canadian boat was the women’s quad, who earned a spot in the A Final by placing third in the opening round heat in the first day of competition. The crew of Shaye De Paiva, Cassidy Deane (Kingston Rowing Club), Kristen Siermachesky (Brockville Rowing Club), and Alizée Brien were back on the course on Thursday, where they faced strong competition against crews from the Netherlands, Great Britain, Germany, Romania, and New Zealand. The Dutch were the class of the field, placing first, followed by Great Britain and Germany to round out the podium. Canada finished sixth in a time of 6:54.00.
At the end of the event, Great Britain was on top of the medal standings with eight medals (3 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze). Host country China also had a strong showing with six medals, tied with Romania and Germany for the second most, followed by the Netherlands with five.
On the Ontario rowing calendar, the Head of the Welland – Five Bridges Fall Classic took place from the North Course of the Welland International Flatwater Centre on Saturday and the Head of the Rideau was run on the Rideau River on Sunday.
Hosted by the South Niagara Rowing Club, the 43rd edition of the Head of the Welland saw 352 entries from 31 clubs from Canada and the USA compete on the North Course in everything from U15 to masters and singles to eights. The competitors competed in either 3km or 5km head races depending on the event.
Bringing home the most medals at the event was the St. Catharines Rowing Club, who earned a total of 24 (7 golds, 10 silver, 7 bronze). Next on the medal tally was the Niagara Falls Rowing Club with 15 (8 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze), followed by the Niagara Rowing School with 13 (8 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze), and the Ridley Graduate Boat Club (7 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze), and Argonaut Rowing Club (2 gold, 7 silver, 2 bronze) with 11 apiece. Other Ontario clubs and programs earning medals included the Hanlan Boat Club (8), South Niagara Rowing Club (7), Don Rowing Club (6), London Western Rowing Club (5), Leander Boat Club (5), Orillia Rowing Club (5), Branksome Hall (4), Ridley College (4), Guelph Rowing Club (3), Notre Dame Rowing Club (3), Georgian Bay Rowing Club (1), Trinity College School (1), and Upper Canada College (1).
In Ottawa, 33 clubs and programs took part in the Head of the Rideau, which also featured a 3km and 5km course for the wide variety of the 295 entries participating in the annual regatta, which was celebrating its 51st year. Launching off the Mooney’s Bay Beach, a strong contingent of rowers from Quebec entered the event alongside their counterparts from Ontario and a few from the USA.
Regatta host the Ottawa Rowing Club earned the most medals at the event, keeping 27 (14 gold, 9 silver, 4 bronze) in the National Capital Region. They were followed by the University of Ottawa (4 gold, 2 silver, 7 bronze) and McGill University (4 gold, 8 silver, 1 bronze) with 13, Trent University with 12 (5 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze), and Aviron Laval with 11 (5 gold, 3 silver, 3 bronze). Other Ontario clubs earning medals included Carleton University (8), Peterborough Rowing Club (6), Kingston Rowing Club (5), Elmwood School (4), Burnstown Rowing Club (2), ONEC (2), Brockville Rowing Club (2), St. Lawrence Rowing Club (2), RMC (1), Argonaut Rowing Club (1), and Georgian Bay Rowing Club (1).
For full results from the World Rowing Championships, visit World Rowing.
For full results from the Head of the Welland, visit RegattaCentral.
For full results from the Head of the Rideau, visit RegattaCentral.
For the full regatta schedule in Ontario, visit the Row Ontario website.
Picture is property of RMC Rowing.
