Canada’s Women’s Eight wore the colours of Vancouver Island’s Maple Bay Rowing Club at the Henley Royal Regatta last week, as a tribute to Maple Bay rower Ric Tull who died in May while rowing on Quamichan Lake.
Quamichan Lake is the new home of Rowing Canada.
Adorned with tattoos in memory of Tull, the crew of Kirsten Edwards, Alexis Cronk, Kasia Gruchalla-Wesierski, Morgan Rosts, Avalon Wasteneys, Jessica Sevick, Sydney Payne, Kristina Walker, and cox Kristen Kit went on to win the Remenham Challenge Cup, Canada’s first win in the Remenham since 2015.
“In a thrilling performance, the Women’s Eight dominated the Remenham Challenge Cup, triumphing over the formidable Leander Club crew in front of an enthusiastic crowd along the renowned riverbank,” said Rowing Canada. “Right from the first stroke, they displayed an exceptional level of synchronization, delivering a convincing win and adding their chapter to Canada’s success story at Henley.”
MBRC president Susan Macdonald said it was an amazing race that Tull would have loved to have seen.
“There were several Team Canada crews who decided they wanted to wear MBRC colours and row under Maple Bay Rowing Club in memory of Ric,” Macdonald said. “It really hit home for them as many of them were on the water the day he passed away. As well, many of our masters rowers train on Quamichan Lake regularly, often at the same time as the national athletes, so they all would have seen Ric rowing often. He loved to chat with them. He once rowed at a high level himself when he was in university and had a passion for the sport.”
Winning the Remenham Challenge Cup was the second big win for Canada on the final day of the prestigious regatta as the Canadian Lightweight duo of Jill Moffatt and Jenny Casson, who wore Shawnigan Lake School colours for the race, unexpectedly outpaced the British double from Twickenham Rowing Club and Leander Club to take the woman’s double sculls event.
It was remarkable in that the Stonor Challenge is an open elite weight event at Henley, “allowing lightweight doubles like Moffatt and Casson to compete against heavyweight counterparts,” said Rowing Canada.
“With their impeccable technique and wealth of experience, the duo immediately seized the lead right from the start and flawlessly maintained their execution over the 2,112-metre course. As their younger opponents succumbed to fatigue, Moffatt and Casson demonstrated their expertise and composure, solidifying their position as elite rowers and earning their rightful place on the list of esteemed winners.”
In addition to Canada’s winners, Team Canada had some finalists as well.
A crew representing Shawnigan Lake School also placed second in the Princess Grace Challenge Cup, the women’s quad final. Shannon Kennedy, Grace VandenBroek, Carling Zeeman and Elisa Bolinger came in just behind a crew of rowers from Leicester Rowing Club and Leander Club.
The Canadian Men’s Eight, also wearing MBRC colours, placed second for the Grand Challenge Cup behind Oxford Brooke University and Leander Club. The Canadian Men’s Eight was comprised of William Crothers, Liam Keane, Cody Bailey, Josh King, Luke Gadsdon, Gavin Stone, Curtis Ames, Jakub Buczek and cox Laura Court.
And finally, dressed in the blue and orange of MBRC, Marilou Duvernay-Tardif and Carling Zeeman also raced for the Stonor Challenge Trophy, reaching the semi-finals only to be beaten by Moffatt and Casson.
