Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA) is proud to announce that Canadian rowing coach Stéphanie Marchand has been nominated by World Rowing and selected to participate in the Women in Sport High Performance Pathway (WISH) programme, funded by Olympic Solidarity for 2025–2027.

“I feel extremely fortunate to have been given the opportunity to participate in the WISH program,” said Stéphanie.

Marchand has been the Head Coach at McGill University since 2023 and brings a wealth of experience to the international stage. Her coaching background includes leadership roles at the FISU World University Championships, the 2022 Canada Summer Games, among many others.

“I am happy to be part of a program which will allow me to meet other women coaches from around the world, share our experiences, learn from each other, and discover other realities of leadership. I am very excited to continue the rowing-specific mentoring relationship and to integrate new knowledge and experiences into my coaching opportunities, particularly as head coach of the McGill University rowing team—I want to continue to develop the program and raise the bar.”

As part of the WISH programme, Marchand will be mentored by Michelle Darvill, a renowned Canadian and international athlete and coach.

“It is a pleasure to be a part of the WISH programme and support the IOC’s initiative to address gender parity in coaching,” says Darvill. “World Rowing’s nomination of Stephanie means that she will be exposed to world-class coaches and leadership. Bringing back this knowledge to Canada will no doubt have a huge impact on athletes and coaches alike.”

Marchand expressed her excitement to work with Darvill again, after a successful mentorship experience during FISU this past year, saying:

“I am honoured to have had the opportunity to be mentored by Michelle Darvill this summer, an Olympic and high-performance coach I have admired since my early days as an athlete.”

Marchand’s application was reviewed by the Olympic Scholarships for Coaches programme, which will provide her with a scholarship to cover her tuition for WISH. RCA will also support the nomination and mentorship of Marchand throughout the program.

Colleen Miller, Manager of Coach Education and Development, shares her excitement about the continued support of women coaches. “RCA continues to elevate support for coaches in Canada with Mentorship support through their pathway. WISH is an ideal opportunity to level up coaches’ knowledge and mentorship at an international level.”

Stéphanie will join the 2025 cohort launch to the WISH program on December 9^th, 2025.  She will arrive in the United Kingdom in March, as part of the program.

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