Several Canadian National Rowing Team members will join club crews from across North America in one of the world's largest regattas, the Head of the Charles, in Boston this weekend (Oct. 23 and 24).
The Canadian Olympic women's eight will compete as the London Training Centre (LTC) in the Championship Eights, and the London Training Centre will also have a boat in the Championship Four (Women). LTC won both of these events at the Charles last year. Multiple Olympic medallist Lesley Thompson-Willie will cox another boat, entered as UVic, in the Championship Four event.
Olympian Jon Mandick of Victoria, B.C. who competed in the lightweight men's four that finished fifth in Athens, will race in the Championship Men's Singles in a field that includes 2004 Olympic men's single silver medallist Juri Jaanson of Estonia.
2004 World Championship medallist (lightweight quad) Matt Jensen of Innerkip, Ont. will compete in Lightweight Men's Single, and Gen Meredith of Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Que. and Sheryl Preston of White Rock, B.C., who were both part of the silver-medal winning lightweight women's quad at this year's World Championships, will race in the Lightweight Singles event in Boston. Liam Parsons of Thunder Bay, Ont., also a World Championship medallist, will row with Jay Patry of the Kingston Rowing Club in a double. Former National Team member Matt Swick will row with his brother Nathan Swick for the Ridley Graduate Boat Club, also in a double.
Many Canadian clubs will participate in the Charles - including a large contingent from the Ottawa Rowing Club, several Canadian university crews (including Queens University defending its course record in the Collegiate Women's eight), and many Masters rowers, including a women's eight from Victoria City Rowing Club coached by former Olympian Theresa Luke and Don Rowing Club member Heather Snell, who is rowing in the Row as One (cancer survivors) crew. Other strong Canadian Masters come from Leander Boat Club (Hamilton), Toronto Sculling Club, Hanlan Boat Club (Toronto) and Western RC, among others.