VANCOUVER – One of the most storied rivalries in Canadian university rowing takes center stage tomorrow in the provincial capital when the UBC Thunderbirds and Victoria Vikes take to the Gorge Waterway in Victoria for the 30^th running of the historic Brown Cup.
 
BROWN CUP WEBSITE
 
"This event has become a great tradition in Canadian rowing that pits arguably the top two Canadian university programs against each other," said Mike Pearce, the head coach of UBC Men's rowing. "Competing and winning this race has become a major milestone in a student athlete's career and is an important event they will remember for the rest of their lives."
 
The Brown Cup mimics a format made famous by the historic Oxford vs. Cambridge annual boatrace. The UBC men are seeking their third consecutive Brown Cup victory, while the women are looking to take first place for the first time since 2018. While the rivalry with Victoria is the primary focus, athletes will also be looking to earn spots on Canada's roster for both the 2023 Pan Am Games team and the 2024 Summer Olympics.
 

 
The men have not lost a race this year. Notable victories included: The Head of the Charles (Boston, MA), the Canadian University Championships (St. Catherines, ON) and the Rowing Canada National Championships (Duncan, BC). The UBC men will be looking for their 10^th Brown Cup title and will be drawing on the experiences of Brendan Wall, Liam Smit and Axel Ewashko – All of whom have two-or-more Brown Cup victories on their resume at UBC.


 
Mike Pearce adds, "This Men's group has been together for a while with most of this team having raced at the Henley Royal Regatta in England last summer with great success. These experiences have provided some great confidence in the group which they hope to bring to the race on Saturday.
 
The UBC Women are a team on the rise. They finished third at the Canadian University Rowing Championships, and Pearce and UBC Women's rowing head coach Craig Pond are looking forward to the challenge and opportunity that this weekend will present as they look to secure their fifth ever Brown Cup victory. Alex Birkenshaw leads all UBC women with three Brown Cup appearances while the experience of Laura Stankiewicz and Gabriella Worobec will also be heavily relied upon.


 
"The Women have been building capacity throughout the year to match a deep UVic team but racing in small boats has proven some very competitive abilities," observed Pearce. "But the team knows they will have to be on top of their race execution to win the day this year. We've been in this position before and have found success so managing focus is a big part of the plan."
 

 
The race will be live streamed so be sure to catch the action here. There will also be a live viewing event for UBC Alumni on the Gorge.

"We are really pleased the event has a great live stream as it can be challenging for rowing fans to follow this kind of race," concluded Pearce. "It will be great for everyone to see how the crews and coxswains handle the turns and conditions under the pressure of racing."