Rowing Canada's National Team Trials, also known as Speed Orders, are to be held this June 9 and 10 in Victoria.
Lightweight and heavyweight athletes from rowing clubs across Canada will compete for a chance to train and compete with the National Team. Based on performances at the Speed Order regatta, Senior and Under 23 rowers will be selected to Rowing Canada's training camp in which crews for the 2005 World Championships will eventually be picked.
"It is the first selection activity along the road to Beijing, and we expect exciting results from this weekend's racing," said Rowing Canada's High Performance Director, Alan Roaf. "There is a nice balance between veteran and new athletes, so the next wave will be coming through as we had hoped."
Returning heavyweight rowers include Olympians Cam Baerg of Saskatoon, Sask., Kyle Hamilton of Richmond, B.C., Ben Rutledge of Cranbrook, B.C., Kevin Light of Victoria, B.C., and Andrew Ireland of Hamilton, Ont. In the lightweight category, athletes include Jon Mandick of Victoria, Matt Jensen of Innerkip, Ont., Liam Parsons of Thunder Bay, Ont., Jeff Bujas of Grimsby, Ont. and Doug Vandor of Dewittville, Que.
Some athletes (including Olympic silver medalist Barney Williams and former men¹s eight members Scott Frandsen, Andrew Hoskins and Joe Stankevicius) are not participating this weekend for various reasons, but may join the team at a later date.
"Compared to the year following the Sydney Olympics, Rowing Canada is ahead in its talent pool in 2005. Systematic development of younger rowers combined with the fine performances of Canada's national crews leading up to Athens have created a sense of enthusiasm for Beijing, and we have many more athletes participating than ever before," said Roaf.
Women's trials will be held the following weekend (June 17 to 19) in London, Ontario on Fanshawe Lake.
National Team Trials Elk Lake, Victoria (local time)
Thursday: 8 am -10 am heats; 5pm 6:30 pm repechages
Friday 8 am-10 am semi finals
Friday 5 pm 7 pm finals