Friday, September 26th, 2025 – Shanghai, China

Katie Clark lined up as the first Canadian boat to race on day six of the World Rowing Championships in Shanghai in the Women’s Single Sculls (W1x) Semifinal 2.

All crews launched cleanly off the start, with Ireland’s Fiona Murtagh, an Olympic medalist, establishing an early lead. Clark stayed composed and aggressive, holding one of the highest stroke rates in the field through the opening three minutes to remain firmly in contention.

By the 1000-meter mark, Clark was sitting in third position behind Ireland and Spain, with Lithuania’s Viktorija Senkute—also an Olympic medalist—pressing hard. Shortly after the halfway point, Lithuania edged into third, setting up a tight battle for the final qualifying spot.

With Ireland breaking clear at the front, Clark unleashed a powerful sprint in the closing stages, surging back into contention. In a dramatic finish, Spain held on by just 0.41 seconds.

“Until I crossed the line, I didn’t know what was going to happen,” Clark reflected.  

Canada finished in fourth place despite a strong final push over the last 250 meters.

After the race, Clark noted the progress she had made:

“It was a big step up from the heats, and I went out there with the intention to leave no stone unturned and have my best race. I’m super proud of the end result. It’s such a tight field, and it’s exciting to be in it.”

Clark crossed the line in 07:37.23 to secure a place in the B Final. She will return to the water on September 27 at 10:15 PM PT, 1:15 AM ET, and 1:15 PM local time in Shanghai.

Looking ahead, she emphasized the opportunity the next race presents:

“I feel like B Finals are a really good way to test athletes and see how they bounce back from things. I’m really excited to go and deliver my best performance. Every time I went down the course this year, I elevated and made it better, and I have one more chance to make the end of this year really count!”

With clear skies overhead, the Women’s Four of Shaye De Paiva, Alexis Cronk, Sally Jones, and Brenna Randall lined up for the B Final in Shanghai.

“Going into it, we wanted to keep everything really simple as a crew, and I think we executed that out of the start,” says Sally Jones.

Following a late lineup change due to a medical circumstance in the Women’s Eight, Shaye De Paiva stepped into the crew to replace Caileigh Filmer. Despite the adjustment, Canada settled quickly into their rhythm and came out strong off the start.

De Paiva explained the mindset going into the race. “We were confident that we’d rowed this lineup before. We apply the same method for all our boats, trying to stay long and strong and together!”

Through the opening 500 meters, Canada sat close behind Australia, with all crews pushing a high stroke rate to establish early positioning.

“We know we are pretty quick out of the block, and we wanted to keep that up today to see what we can do with the fast-starting Australians and try to keep pushing in the field the whole way down,” elaborated Sally.

By the halfway mark, Australia continued to lead, while Canada held firm in second place ahead of Denmark, Ireland, France, and Japan.

As the race progressed, Australia extended their advantage, but Canada remained composed, defending their position against mounting pressure from Ireland. In the closing stages, Ireland launched a late charge, yet the Canadians responded with determination to hold their ground.

Crossing the line in second place, Canada secured 8th overall in the Women’s Four (W4-), delivering a strong performance in the B Final in 06:44.89.
 
Stay tuned today for more racing:

PR3 Mix4+ Final B:  September 26 10:15 PM PT |1:15 AM EST | 1:15 PM local time CREW: Abbygayle Durliat, Stu Chase, Jay Berner, Marie Danielle Main, and Teija Patry

LW1x Final B: September 26 10:25 PM PT | 1:25 AM EST | 1:25 PM local time
CREW: Karissa Riley

W8+ Final B: September 26 10:41 PM PT | 1:41 AM EST | 1:41 PM local time
CREW: Cassidy Deane, Alexis Cronk, Parker Illingworth, Kristen Siermachesky, Shaye De Paiva, Alizée Brien, Sally Jones, Brenna Randall, and Kristen Kit

M8+ Final B: September 26 10:49 PM PT | 1:49 AM EST | 1:49 PM local time
CREW: Maijken Meindertsma, Samuel Stewart, Ryan Clegg, Axel Ewashko, Trevor Jones, Terek Been, Joel Cullen, Steven Rosts, and Laura Court
 
When and Where 
2025 World Rowing Championships
September 21-28, 2025
Shanghai, China
 
How to Follow
CBC Live Stream 
CBC Rowing Schedule 
 
Join the conversation
@rowingcanada on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X: #UnitedByWater #TrueNorthStrong #WRCHShanghai #WRCH25

Colleen Coderre
RCA Communications Lead
coderre@rowingcanada.org

Cassie Turkstra
RCA Communications Coordinator
cturkstra@rowingcanada.org