Canadian men's and women's eights crews will race this weekend in Amsterdam as part of the Heineken Roeivierkamp.
"This regatta in Amsterdam allows Rowing Canada the opportunity to form the core of the team for this summer's 2006 World Rowing Under 23 Championships early in the season," said Alan Roaf, Rowing Canada High Performance Director. "This valuable racing experience will make final selection easier and more effective."
Although these are development crews, many of the athletes have had experience in World Junior, Under-23 and other international competition.
Men's 8+
Steve Cheng - Toronto, ON (cox), Richard Anderson - Victoria, BC, Chris Aylard - Sidney, BC Andrew Byrnes - Toronto, ON, Todd Keesey - Saskatoon, SK, Jeff McGuffin - Thorndale, ON, Derek O'Farrell - Unionville, ON, Aubrey Oldham - Hamilton, ON, Robert Thomson - Ottawa, ON
Women's 8+
Emma Ferguson cox - Victoria, BC, Melanie Abbott - Brampton, ON, Lindsay Forget - London, ON, Krista Guloien - Vancouver, BC, Larissa Lagzdins - Burlington, ON, Nathalie Maurer, Vancouver, BC, Peggy Hyslop - Toronto, ON, Katie Reynolds - St. John, NB, Heather Mandoli - Kelowna, BC.
Al Morrow of London, Ont. and Terry Paul of Victoria, B.C. are coaching these crews.
Each year, the Amsterdam Rowing Club Nereus (http://www.nereus.nl/) organizes a multiple distance rowing regatta "the Heineken Roeivierkamp", sponsored by the Heineken Brewery. The Regatta, which is placed on the official FISA rowing calendar, is the traditional opening of the Dutch rowing season. This will be the 34th Heineken regatta.
The Heineken Roeivierkamp is held on the river Amstel in Amsterdam, close to the historic centre of the city, in the second or third weekend of March. Each team rows four distances: 250 meters, 750 meters, 2500 meters and 5000 meters. The general ranking is calculated by converting all times to 250 meter times (the 750 meter time is divided by three, the 2500 meter time by ten and the 5000 meter time by twenty). The sum of these converted times will provide the final score. The regatta schedule is as follows: Saturday: 250 and 2500 meters, Sunday: 750 and 5000 meters.