Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA) is on track to qualify up to nine boats for the 2023 Pan American Games after a successful five days of competition at Concepción, Chile and gaining valuable experience for the 19 athletes representing the nation at the qualification regatta.

The women’s pair of Olivia McMurray (Airdrie, AB) and Kailani Marchak (Victoria, BC) highlight the Pan American Games Qualification Regatta winning gold in a time of 7:33.32 some six seconds ahead of the USA pair that won silver and should book their slot for the boat in the Games with the victory.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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On the final day of competition, women’s double Kristen Siermarchesky (New Liskeard, ON) and Shaye De Paiva (Calgary, AB) claimed bronze with a time of 7:12.35, to put a stamp on a positive regatta for the nation.

 

 

“We came to this qualification regatta with a goal to qualify as many boats as possible and I believe we have done just that,” RCA NextGen Program Lead Chuck McDiarmid said. “Not only to qualify the boats but also to win two medals it has been a great regatta. More importantly, this has been a wonderful opportunity for these emerging rowers to wear the Maple Leaf on the international stage. We head home from Chile with valuable data and information and know what we must work on as we head towards the Pan Am Games later this year.”

Women’s single sculler Alizée Brien (Val-David, QC) finished fourth with a time of 7:59.66 narrowly missing out on the medals. With men’s single sculler Andrew Hubbard (Calgary, AB) finished sixth in the final with a time of 7:14.45.

Men’s double of Michael Ciepiela (Brampton, ON) and Shane Willis (Dundas, ON) finished fifth in the final recording a time of 6:42.62. While lightweight men’s double of Giancarlo DiPompeo (Thorold, ON) and Emerson Crick (Halifax, NS) finished sixth in the final clocking a time of 6:33.62.

Narrowly missing the medals were the women’s four crew of McMurray, Kendra Hartley (Calgary, AB), Nicole Cusack (North Delta, BC) and Marchak finishing fourth in 6:42.84, 4.40 seconds behind the Mexican four for the bronze medal.

Another crew to just miss out on a medal but on track to gain boat qualification is the women’s quad, featuring Siermachesky, De Paiva, Claire Kendall (Stockholm, Sweden) and Kerin Hudson (Kinburn, ON) who finished fourth in 6:54.37, missing out on the podium by 2.26 seconds, providing motivation for October. The men’s quad of Ciepiela, Willis, Victor Lefebvre (Longueuil, QC) and Hubbard powered to victory in the Final B in a time of 6:23.32.

Connor Attridge (Burnaby, BC) and Gunnar Platt (Shawnigan Lake, BC) powered to second in the men’s M2- Final B with a time of 7:11.01 in challenging conditions. Before going on to join Quinn Storey (Burnaby, BC) and Mitchell Rodgers (Merrittion, ON) to make up the Men’s four that finish eighth overall but gained valuable experience on the international stage.

Qualification requirements for the Pan American Games are still being finalized which may result in more Canadian crews earning qualification slots for the Games. The 2023 Pan American Games are scheduled to take place in Santiago, Chile from October 20 – November 5, 2023 with the rowing events being contested October 21-25 in San Pedro de la Paz, Chile.

RCA would like to thank Federacion Paraguaya de Remo, the official federation for Paraguay Rowing, for lending our crews boats for the Pan American qualification regatta. A gracious gesture from another member of the World Rowing family, showing that we all are truly united by water.

 

2023 Pan AM Qualification Regatta team:

• Connor Attridge – University of Victoria (British Columbia)
• Alizée Brien – Montreal Rowing Club (Quebec)
• Michael Ciepiela – Brock Rowing (Ontario)
• Emerson Crick – University of British Columbia (Nova Scotia)
• Nicole Cusack – University of Victoria (British Columbia)
• Shaye De Paiva – Queens University / Calgary Rowing Club (Alberta)
• Giancarlo DiPompeo – University of Victoria (British Columbia)
• Kendra Hartley – Calgary Rowing Club (Alberta)
• Andrew Hubbard – Queens University / Calgary Rowing Club (Alberta)
• Kerin Hudson – Ottawa Rowing Club (Ontario)
• Claire Kendall – University of Toronto (Ontario)
• Victor Lefebvre – University of Victoria / Aviron Knowlton (Quebec)
• Kailani Marchak – Victoria City Rowing Club (British Columbia)
• Olivia McMurray – Calgary Rowing Club (Alberta)
• Gunnar Platt – Shawnigan Lake School / BC NextGen Performance Centre (British Columbia)
• Mitchell Rodgers – St. Catharines Rowing Club / University of Victoria (Ontario)
• Kristen Siermachesky – Brockville Rowing Club / BC NextGen Performance Centre (Ontario)
• Quinn Storey – University of British Columbia (British Columbia)
• Shane Willis – Peterborough Rowing Club / BC NextGen Performance Centre (Ontario)