The 41st Head of the Charles regatta wrapped up this afternoon in Boston, and Canadians had some strong showings in several categories of racing.
The Canadian National Team's London Training Centre's entry in the Lightweight Eights (Women) won its event in 17:41.641 (over 4,820 metres). The boat included Gen Meredith of St. Anne-de-Bellevue, Que., Tracy Cameron of Shubenacadie, N.S., Shona McLaren of Victoria, B.C., Mara Jones of Aurora, Ont., Sheryl Preston of North Delta, B.C., Amber Cuthbertson of St. Catharines, Ont., Jennifer Neufeld of Winnipeg, Man., and Liz Urbach of Carp, Ont.
The coxswain was Brian Price of Belleville, Ont., two-time World Champion in the National Team men's eight (2002-2003). At the Charles, men are permitted to guide women's boats and vice versa.
"It was a lot of fun," said Price. "The lightweight women typically row in small boats so they aren't used to having a coxswain telling them what to do. So I think it was exciting for them to have that extra push - they didn't have to think as much, just row. Winning by 19 seconds, when they typically don't train in an eight, reflects the quality of the athletes." Three of the rowers in the this eight (Cameron, Jones and Urbach) are reigning World Champions (lightweight quad).
The lightweight eight was coached by Laryssa Biesenthal, whose last appearance at the Charles was in 1999 as an athlete.
Quinte Rowing Club was fifth in the same event, and University of British Columbia was seventh. Queen's University was 11th in the men's lightweight eights, and Brock was 18th.
In the Championship fours event, Thunderbird Rowing Centre's (UBC) Rob Weitemeyer (2005 World bronze medallist), Ben Rutledge (former World Champ - men's eight), Kyle Hamilton (former World Champ - men's eight), Thorsten Schmidt and cox Jane Maxwell won in 16:19.722. Hamilton's Leander Boat Club was ninth in the same event.
In the Championships fours for women, the University of Victoria took top position in 19:07.069. UBC was tenth.
The London Training Centre boat, including former Olympic (1980 to 2000) coxswain Lesley Thompson-Willie, was third in the Championship Women's Eight event. USRowing's boat won this event.
In the Championships men's eight, Princeton beat last year's winner Cambridge University of Britain. Cambridge, which included Canadian National Team member Kip McDaniel of Cobble Hill, B.C., was second. University of Victoria was 24th in this event.
Canadian crews won both the men's and women's lightweight fours events. In the men's event, Ottawa Rowing Club won in 17:15.230; Don Rowing Club (Mississauga) was seventh, and Peterborough Rowing Club was 11th.
In the women's lightweight fours, the University of Victoria, won in 19:14.697; Brock University was third, McGill was ninth and Hanlan Boat Club (Toronto) finished in 10th position.
Western Rowing Club's Matt Jensen was fifth in 19:35.210 in the lightweight single. Jensen is a 2005 World Bronze medallist in the lightweight men's quad. Andrew Borden of Toronto's Bayside Rowing Club was 12th and Burnaby Lake Rowing Club (David Strasser) was 16th. Quebec's Boucherville was 17th.
Ridley Graduate's Michelle Prince was third in 22:02.218 in the lightweight women's singles, and Diana Aucoin of the same club was 10th. Don Rowing Club's (Mississauga) entry was 20th.
In the Collegiate Eights Men - out of 41 boats - Western (London, Ont.) finished fourth, McGill was fifth, Queen's was eighth, Thunderbird (UBC) was 13th, Peterborough Rowing Club finished 14th and Brock University was 16th.
Trent University was the top Canadian finisher in the Collegiate Eights (Women) event at seventh, followed by Brock in eighth, Queen's in 23rd and McGill in 34th out of 46 boats.
St. Catharines Rowing Club won the Youth Double (men) in 19:09.918 and were fourth in the women's Youth Double.
In the Youth Eights Women, St. Catharines Rowing Club was 16th.
In the Youth Fours Men event, fourth place went to South Niagara Rowing Club, sixth to Upper Canada College, and 16th to Peterborough Rowing Club.
Out of 47 entries in the Youth Fours (women), Ottawa Rowing Club was 18th, Havergal (Toronto) was 20th, the Quebec (Association Québécoise d'Aviron) entry was 30th, Argonaut Rowing Club (Branksome) was 39th, Belleville was 40th and Hanlan (Toronto) was 44th. The Quebec and Argonaut entries were assessed penalties that added a minute to their times.
In the Collegiate women's double, Port Moody Rowing Club (BC) was fifth.
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Canadian Masters Summary (Sunday):
In the Master Fours Women (40+) event, the Toronto Sculling Club (Shannon Crawford, Norma Wilkie, Cathy Coles, Jenn Blunt, cox Francine Raymond) was second overall in 22:01.067. Kingston was 12th in the Masters men's event.
In the Master Singles Men event Vancouver Rowing Club's Dale Hawkins, who is a native of Australia, was second in 20:30.539. Western Rowing Club (Glen Burston) was 12. In the Master Singles Women, Canadians took places 11 (Kingston) and 12 (Fredericton).
Senior-Master Singles Men (40+) - Argonaut Rowing Club's Robert Blunt, who won this event last year, was third overall out of 55 boats that finished the race. Ridley Grad's Tony Biernacki was ninth.
Senior-Master Singles Women (40+) - Ottawa Rowing Club, Ontario (Marni Harris) - ninth. Argonaut Rowing Club (Barbara Schneider) - 11th.
Canadian entries finished in 8th (North Star, Nova Scotia), 10th (Boucherville, Que.), 14th (Argonaut, Toronto) and 16th (Montreal) in the Master Doubles Men (40+).
In the Master Doubles Women, Argonaut Rowing Club (Susan Kitchen, Anne Hodkin) were seventh, with Barrie Rowing Club finishing 11th and St. Catharines in 12th.
In the Grand-Masters Singles (men), the Western Rowing Club's Kari Juurakko was sixth in 22:08.742 out of 60 entries. Twelfth went to Ridley Graduate Boat Club (John Pauls) and 13th to Victoria City Rowing Club (John Alexander).
The Head Of The Charles Regatta attracts thousands of athletes and is the world's largest two-day rowing event.