Thursday August 29, 2019 – Victoria, BC
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
Four Canadian crews have been selected to take part in the inaugural World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals in China this fall.
 
From October 25 to 27, crews will take to the water in Shenzhen, China at the Dameisha International Aquatics Centre to compete in rowing’s newest discipline, which combines barefoot beach sprints with a buoyed open water slalom course.
 
The first ever Canadian Rowing Beach Sprints regatta, which was held on August 17 in St. Catharines, Ontario, determined the selection of the Canadian crews.
 
Aubrey Oldham (Hamilton, ON) had a strong performance at the regatta and will race in China in both the men’s solo and the mixed double events, joined in the latter by D’Arcy Arends (Utopia, ON). Sarah Pidgen (Orillia, ON) will race in the women’s solo and in the mixed coxed quadruple sculls along with Steve Dmytrasz (Toronto, ON), Mikayla Arends (Ottawa, ON), Lorne Thomas (Georgetown, ON) and coxswain Georgia Greenwood (Mississauga, ON).
 
“Beach Sprint rowing is an exciting new format of our sport, and we are looking forward to having Canadian rowers take part in the first ever World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals,” said Adam Parfitt, RCA National Team Operations Director. “It was great to see some close finishes and exciting racing at the Canadian Rowing Beach Sprints, especially with the recent success of the Victoria-hosted 2018 World Rowing Coastal Championships and the increase in interest in coastal rowing across the country.”
 
More information on the 2019 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals can be found at www.worldrowing.com

Women’s Solo (CW1x)
Sarah Pidgen	Don Rowing Club
Men’s Solo (CM1x)
Aubrey Oldham	Leander Boat Club
Mixed Double (CMix2x)
Aubrey Oldham	Leander Boat Club
D’Arcy Arends	Barrie Rowing Club/University of Western Ontario Rowing Club
Mixed Coxed Quadruple Sculls (CMix4x+)
Sarah Pidgen	Don Rowing Club
Steve Dmytrasz	Don Rowing Club
Mikayla Arends	Barrie Rowing Club/University of Western Ontario Rowing Club
Lorne Thomas	Don Rowing Club
Georgia Greenwood (coxswain)	Don Rowing Club/St. Catharines Rowing Club

-30-

For more information:
Colleen Coderre
RCA Communications Lead
comm@rowingcanada.org

Liz Montroy
RCA Communications and Events Coordinator
lmontroy@rowingcanada.org

Photo: Alan Oldham/FISA