Several of Canada's top rowers raced today at the 43rd Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston. Canadian National Team members won both the men's and women's Championship singles events.
Malcolm Howard of Victoria, B.C. won the men's Championship singles in 17:39.445; New Zealand's Mahe Drysdale, rowing under the West End Rowing Club's banner, was second in 17:40.133. Finishing seventh was National Team veteran Kevin Light of Sidney, B.C. (18:15.941). Both Howard and Light are 2007 World Champions in the men's eight; while Drysdale is the three-time World Champion in the singles event. Thirty-one rowers finished the race this afternoon in this event.
In the Championship Singles for women, the London Training Centre's Darcy Marquardt of Richmond, B.C. was first win 19:14.519. Jane Rumball of Fredericton, N.B. was seventh after being assessed a 10-second penalty. Marquardt and Rumball rowed in the women's pair that qualified for the Olympics at the 2007 World Championships in Munich this summer and were World Champions in the pair in 2006.
"Darcy knew the course and read it very well today," said Canadian women's coach Carsten Hassing.
"I knew there would be a lot of fighting for positions behind me, so I just focused on my race and technique," said Marquardt, who won this event for the first time after competing for the third straight year in the single at the Charles. "However, there is something missing and that's our friend the late Glen Davis (who traditionally funded this trip for the women). This race was for Glen."
Courtney Macintosh, rowing for the St. John's Rowing Club, was 16th, Catherine Crawley was 18th, Isabelle Teolis of the Montreal Rowing Club was 20th, followed by Julie Collens of the Western Rowing Club in 21st.
National athletes Anna-Marie de Zwager of Victoria, B.C. and Krista Guloien of Port Moody, B.C. were third in the Championship women's doubles event in 18:19.603. London Training Centre's Isolda Penney of Kingston, Ont. and Peggy Hyslop of Kamloops, B.C. were sixth in 18:38.929, and Janine Hanson of Winnipeg, Man. and Rachelle de Jong of Regina, Sask. were seventh in 18:42.876.
In the Championships Men's Double, the Western Rowing Club's Cameron Sylvester of Caledon, Ont. and Timothy Colson of London, Ont., who have rowed for Canada in the Under-23 lightweight division, were second to a US Rowing crew. 2007 Canadian National Team members Gabe Bergen of 100 Mile House, B.C. and Rob Weitemeyer of Coquitlam, B.C. were sixth after being assessed a penalty of 20 seconds.
Steven Van Knotsenburg of Beamsville, Ont, rowing with Jamie Faris of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. finished 14th in the same event.
More quick Canadian highlights for Saturday:
-In the club's women's fours the Don Rowing Club won in 19:10.746; the Argonaut Rowing Club was sixth in the same event.
-The University of British Columbia was second in the Collegiate Fours Men in 17:14.064. The Western Rowing Club was third in the Collegiate Fours Women in 19:39.020.
-The Toronto Sculling Club was second in the Masters Women's Fours (40+)
-A Western Rowing Club entry was second in the Master Doubles Men (40+).
-The Don Rowing Club (Mississauga, Ont.), in the Master Eights Women (40+), was fifth out of 31 crews.
-Ottawa Rowing Club's Julie Shearer was sixth in the Club Singles Women, out of 35 rowers.
The Head Of The Charles Regatta, the world's largest two-day rowing event, was first held on October 16, 1965. Racing, which is held on a three-mile course on the Charles River, continues on Sunday.