BURNABY – As the first major event of the varsity season, the Western Canadian University Championship (WCUC) provides the opportunity for this year's T-Bird crews to test themselves against the best the region has to offer.
Along with regular competitors UBC, UVic, SFU and UFV, the 2025 tournament also welcomes Calgary to Burnaby Lake on Saturday, October 4th. The races happen from around 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (PT).
"This regatta comes fairly early in the season so we are still in the process of fine-tuning our crews," said UBC Women's Rowing head coach
Craig Pond. "That being said, I feel we have had a very productive start to the year and training has been very effective. If the team can stay focused on the process, I think we should fare well against our competition this weekend."
The Thunderbird women's crew aims to reclaim the title for themselves, after they finished in second place behind rivals UVic at last year's championship. The men's team has taken first place at each of the last two WCUC events, with the Vikes again standing as their stiffest competition.
"The whole team has made steady improvements since coming together in late August," stated UBC Men's Rowing head coach
Mike Pearce. "We've made a couple of technical modifications that are helping produce some good speeds throughout the program. Selection for our boats was also tight and intense, so that will carry over and give confidence at race pace in the season's opener."
This weekend's action is the beginning of a very busy month for the UBC squads, as they will soon head to Boston's Head of the Charles Regatta on the 18th and 19th, Victoria's Head & Tail of the Gorge event on the 25th and 26th, and then the Canadian University Rowing Championships in Montreal from October 31st to November 2nd.
With 14 first-years in the fold between the men's and women's programs, the WCUC presents the first opportunity for some of the new T-Birds to show their stuff on a bigger stage.
"We have several returning athletes filling out our varsity boats this fall but our new recruits have been working hard to make an impact on the roster and mixing well with the veterans," remarked Pond. "Although it's early in the season still, I suspect that we will see at least four athletes from our roster race at the national championships for their first time."
"The incoming class of athletes are doing a great job adapting to our program and are having an impact," added Pearce. "Especially in the lightweight events, two first-year guys in particular,
Simon DeLuca and
Jack Harris, are doing a great job filling some big shoes. It's going to be exciting to see the depth of the program in action."
The Thunderbirds will certainly have the chance to show that new depth in Saturday's races, happening at Burnaby Lake.
