Balancing the demands of medical school with time on the water might seem impossible to some, but for one Victoria-based rower and umpire, Chanel Ghesquiere, it’s simply part of how she stays connected to the sport she loves.

“I started rowing in 2017 after my first year of university, and I rowed with Victoria City Rowing Club’s competitive program during my undergrad,” she explains. “I also coxed for the masters, including the 2018 World Rowing Coastal Championships.” Her connection to the sport has continued ever since. “I’m currently rowing recreationally at VCRC a few days a week,” she adds.

Her academic path has been equally busy. Outside of rowing and umpiring, Chanel is a first-year medical student at UBC, based at the Island Medical Program in Victoria. She holds an undergraduate degree in microbiology from the University of Victoria and a Master of Science in experimental medicine from UBC.

Her journey into umpiring began during the pandemic. “I took the Level 1 course in 2020 because I wanted to feel connected to the rowing community when we couldn’t be on the water,” she says. “I continued along the umpire pathway when I moved to Vancouver and started my master’s, I loved that umpiring connected me to the rowing community, but was flexible enough to work around my schedule.”

That flexibility and sense of purpose have kept her involved. “I’ve continued umpiring as it gives me the opportunity to contribute to the rowing community in a meaningful way, and I find it incredibly rewarding to be a small cog in the regattas that give young athletes positive racing experiences and lifelong skills and lessons,” she says. “The umpire community is also very welcoming, and a few important mentors played a large role in leading me to become an umpire. I also wanted to help make a change in umpiring, as an athlete I noticed areas that I thought I could play a role in changing and improving (sometimes you have to be the change you want to see!). This also has supported my decision to pursue becoming a CU.”

“I love being on the water (the best view of racing!) and being able to help provide safe and fair opportunities for athletes to race,” she continues.

Her experiences have taken her to some of the country’s most exciting regattas. She had the opportunity to go to Canadian Henley this past summer, where she learned a lot about high-level racing and the nuances of a high-stakes regatta.

For those thinking about getting involved, her advice is simple. “Even if you don’t see yourself or your experiences reflected in the current umpire population, know that this is an incredibly supportive community with a welcoming and inclusive environment that is working hard to diversify our community,” she says. “There are so many opportunities and avenues that umpiring can take you, and so much support from the community to help you reach them. Also, there’s no downside to taking the free courses online, and the training is very flexible in terms of timing. You can also take umpiring as far as you’d like; you can stick to local regattas, or attend provincial, national, or even international events! Your involvement with rowing doesn’t have to be limited to just one aspect; you can row and umpire, too! I have definitely umpired at regattas where the next day I switched to racing!”

For Chanel Ghesquiere, umpiring has become more than a way to stay involved; it’s a reminder that there’s space in umpiring for everyone, no matter their schedule or stage of life.

Interested in becoming an umpire? Learn more about how you can get involved HERE.