Winnipeg Rifles “Ramrod” Wins CRC

Winnipeg Rifles team Ramrod rowed to victory at the annual Community Rowing Challenge, taking first place in A final.  The team clocked at time of 1:52.36 over the 500 meter course.  Congratulations to all the teams and participants.  We hope to see you back next year.  Full race results are available.

Peter Nykoluk Rowing Scholarship 2010

Applications are now being accepted for the 2010 Peter Nykoluk Rowing Scholarship. All Manitoba university or college bound athletes are encouraged to apply.

MRA Goes RADAR

Manitoba Rowing Associaton (MRA) will begin using the RADAR system to assess, track and determine athlete ability and development. The RADAR system will become the National Standard for Talent ID and Development in the future. The system consists of Time Trialing and a battery of ergometer tests. Based on the results athletes accumulate points that place them into developmentally appropriate groupings, Provincial Elite, Provincial Development and Club Elite. The RADAR system also provides inter-provincial comparisons to determine eligibility for further opportunity with RCA.  For information on important dates and events click here.

107th NWIRA Championship Regatta

The 107th NWIRA Championship Regatta took place this weekend on Rabbit Lake in Kenora, ON.  Over 370 entries from 10 rowing clubs from Canada and the US took part in 50 events held over the two days.  High winds and rain caused some small boat event cancellations on Saturday.

WRC athletes had strong results, with the club placing second overall in total points behind Minnesota Boat Club of St. Paul who was awarded the prized Lipton Cup.  WRC also placed second overall in the Female, Male and Master categories.  

The following boats placed first in their events:

Open Women’s 1x – Claudia Blandford
Lwt Women’s 1x – Brandi Smith
Open Men’s 1x – Paul Thiessen
Masters Men’s 1x over 50 – Vic Bartel
Open Women’s 1x Dash – Claudia Blandford
Lwt Women’s 1x Dash -  Brandi Smith
Open Women’s 4x  – Brandi Smith, Nicole Nakatsu, Kaitlin Rempel, Claudia Blandford
Open Men’s 4x  – Curtis Oleschuk, Loch Inglis, Paul Thiessen, Mark Zwaagstra
Masters Men’s 4x – Jeff Reitberger, Tom Pundyk, Vic Bartel, Andrew Lamont
Master’s Men’s 4-  - Tracy Kowal, Ryan Desilets, Eric Johnstone, Dave Cooke
Open Men’s 8+ – Tanner Prasek, Kirk Vilks, Pawel Glowacki, Loch Inglis, Mark Zwaagstra, Paul Thiessen, Andrew Lamont, Curtis Oleschuk, cox Nicole Bewski

Winnipegers Race at 128th Royal Canadian Henley

Emily Cameron, bow

Although WRC did not make the trip to St. Catharine’s this year, a number of Winnipegs took part in the 128th Royal Canadian Henley Regatta. 

Claudia Blandford, racing for Ridley Grad, took gold for the 3rd straight year in the Under 23 Womens Single.  Claudia rowed in four finals at Henley, including earning a 2nd place finish in the Senior Womens Single.  Rowing out of the Don Rowing Club, Natasha Tersigni made it to the semi-final of the Under 23 Women’s Single.  Anthony Linton, joining his University team mates from UVic, placed 2nd in the Under 23 Mens Eight event.

Three WRC members wore the maple leaf rowing for Canada at the Regatta.  Rowing in the Championship Womens Eight, Janine Hanson took first place, 13.8 seconds ahead of the USA National Team.  Emily Cameron, in her first appreance in a Canadian national team crew, rowed two exibition events in the Womens Quad and Womens Double, placing third and fourth respectively.  Meghan Montgomery raced in the Adaptive Coxed Four.

Gold at Masters Henley for Sheila Wilson

At her first Masters Henley, WRC’s Sheila Wilson won the Master A single.  She fought her way through tough conditions on the 1000 m course to cross the finish line first.  Sheila, along with crew mate Vic Bartel, placed second in the Master C mixed double.  Dave Cooke, rowing with a partner from Oklahoma, finished first in the Master A mixed double.  Cooke then teamed up with Bartel to place second in the Master A mens double .

Perfect Weather Leads to Great Racing on Rabbit Lake

Mother Nature was very cooperative this past Saturday at Rabbit Lake in Kenora, Ontario where weather conditions were perfect for rowing.  A large group of WRC athletes, from ages 16 to 83, attended Tops & Bottoms regatta and brought home many shiny new wrenches for winning their events.  First places were as follows:

 Junior Events 

Junior Women’s 1x – Kaitlin Rempel
Junior Men’s 1x – Paul Thiessen
Junior Novice Men’s 1x – Pawel Glowacki
Junior Women’s 2x – Marianne Bergmann, Kaitlin Rempel
Junior Mixed 2x – Nia Perron, Paul Thiessen
Junior Women’s 4x – Nia Perrson, Tiffany Green (Kenora RC), Marianne Bergmann, Kaitlin Rempel
Junior Men’s 4x – Jesse Reitberger, Pawel Glowacki, Loch Inglis, Paul Thiessen

Master Events 

Master Women’s 1x – Brandi Smith
Master Men’s 1x – Curtis Oleschuk
Master Women’s 2x – Brandi Smith, Nicole Nakatsu
Mixed Master’s 2x – Curtis Oleschuk, Nicole Nakatsu
Master Women’s 4x – Sheila Wilson, Crystal Evans, Nicole Nakatsu, Brandi Smith
Master Men’s 4x – Jeff Reitberger, Dave Cooke, Tom Pundyk, Andrew Lamont
Mixed Master’s 4x – Curtis Oleschuk, Peter Vilks, Crystal Evans, Nicole Nakatsu

Full results can be found here.

News from RCA on Programs & Policies

Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA) is now producing two short newsletters a year — one after each Board meeting. The purpose is to update the membership on Board business, as well as the current challenges and opportunities faced by RCA.  Click here to learn more about RCA.  Every rower at WRC is a member of RCA.

Membership Handbook

The 2010-11 Membership Handbook has now been posted under the Members tab.

Kevin Kowalyk Rows to Gold at BC Champs

Winnipeg’s Kevin Kowalyk, racing under Winnipeg Rowing Club, won the Men’s 1x, 2x and 4x at  BC Champs/Challenge West Regatta this past weekend in Victoria.  The regatta had tough competition from across BC and the US including some US National development team members.  Great job Kevin!