VANCOUVER – UBC rowers will be representing school and country with pride around the world, as 10 Thunderbirds have been selected by Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA) to wear the maple leaf on the international stage this summer.
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Athletes were selected based performances at the 2018 Speed Orders – National Team Trials event from June 21-30 in London, Ont.
"We're excited for the squad of athletes selected for racing opportunities this summer," said Adam Parfitt, RCA Director, Coach and Athlete Pathways. "It's a mix of returning champions and athletes new to international racing. Athletes went through a vigorous week of selection to earn their spots on this list and it's our hope that future Olympians and World Champions will emerge."
Three Thunderbirds rowers –
Clark Schultz (Grimsby, Ont.),
Sean van Gessel (Victoria, B.C.) and
Brendan Wall (Saanichton, B.C.) – will make up Canada's Men's Four entry at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships, which will run July 25-29 in Poznan, Poland.
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Photo by Kevin Light
Five UBC women will compete for Canada August 10-12 at the FISU World University Championships in Shanghai, China.
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Wolfe Island, Ont.'s
Kristina Walker will row in the Women's Double.
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"My teammates and I are beyond excited and honoured to not only represent UBC but to also represent Canada at the FISU championship this summer," said Walker. "It's exciting to see all our training come together and be granted this amazing opportunity."
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The Women's Eight boat will have a strong Thunderbird presence as
Claire Brillon (Montreal),
Savannah Sami-Bacon (Calgary), and
Lucy Vincent-Smith (Inverness, N.S.) will all be rowing, joining coxswain
Tina Yu (Victoria, B.C.).
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Alex Birkenshaw of Toronto will serve as a coxswain for Canada at the U21 Trans-Tasman Series Aug. 23-25 in Karapiro, New Zealand, while
Katie Clark of Cranbrook, B.C., is a reserve.
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- With files from Rowing Canada Aviron
