Fears of more wild storms on finals day at the 2014 RBC National Rowing Championships never materialized. However the wind did pick up as the athletes took to the water on Sunday morning, finals day.
Rowers and para-rowers from across the country were attempting to step onto the coveted podium to lay claim to the title of National Champion.
The athletes had already had two days of racing in pristine conditions as they progressed through the preliminary rounds at Elk Lake, home to one of Canada's rowing centers. Elk Lake is the training base for the men's national team program.
Because of limitations in the size of the lake, athletes raced on an 1850 meter course this weekend, 150 meters short of the 2000 meter Olympic distance. For better or for worse, athletes had to adjust their race plan to account for the shorter course length, equal to about 30 seconds of rowing, depending on the boat class.
A number of Olympians competed this weekend, including 6 silver medalists from the 2012 London Games and a bronze medalist from the 2008 Beijing Games.
London Olympian Lindsay Jennerich, silver medalist at this past summers World Rowing Championships and newly crowned National Champion for 2014, said the conditions were fast on the course.
"It was a good weekend overall," added Jennerich. "I think we are doing the right things in the lead up to Rio."
This regatta is just one of the many steps for the athletes on their route to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which is less than two years away. The National Rowing Championships are a small boat regatta and as such, all of the athletes race in pairs or singles.
A new and popular feature at this year's event was the live online streaming component, with accompanying commentary, of the regatta that has been provided by ViaSport.
Following this regatta, athletes will commence their winter training program in preparation for the all-important Olympic qualifying regatta next summer.
The following athletes are the newly crowned senior National Champions in for 2014.
Men's pair: Martin Barakso & Tim Schrijver, National Training Center BC
Men's single: Rob Gibson, National Training Center BC
Women's pair: Jennifer Martins & Susanne Grainger, London Training Center
Women's single: Carling Zeeman, London Training Center
Lightweight men's pair: Brendan Hodge & Eric Woelfl, London Training Center
Lightweight men's single: Mark Henry, London Training Center
Lightweight women's single: Lindsay Jennerich, London Training Center
AS men's single: Loren Pearson, Rowing BC
AS (arms/shoulder) women's single: Elsa Lalonde, Ontario
TA men's single: Cameron Sinclair, Ontario
TA (trunk/arms) women's single: Shafiq Felicia, Rowing BC
LTA men's 2x/2- : Richa Herlinveaux & David Blair, Ontario
LTA (leg/trunk/arms) women's 2x/2- : Alexa Meiklejohn & Lianne Gibson, Ontario