Canadian crews won four golds and two silvers at the Commonwealth Rowing Regatta today in Nottingham, England.
Canada had strong first-place finishes in the men's pair, women's double, lightweight men's pair and women's single events, and picked up silver medals in the women's pair and men's four events.
“We were hoping to win, but we knew it would be tough,” said Stacey Norwood of St. John, N.B., who rowed in the women’s double. “The weather conditions were going to be quite testing with a heavy crosswind, but we just kept our heads in the boat and tried to pull as hard as we could and focused on our own race. It turned out really well.”
“It was a long race with a headwind,” said Victoria’s David Kay of the men’s pair competition. “We just settled into our rhythm.... The conditions were similar to what we train in at home. We usually avoid rowing into a straight headwind when we can."
Events continue tomorrow – Canada will show its strength in both the women’s and men’s eights.
The last time the Commonwealth Games included rowing as one of the events was in the UK in 1986, when Scotland hosted the event in Strathclyde Park. Since then, Commonwealth Rowing Championships - not an official Games event - have been held on two occasions, in London, Ont. on Fanshawe Lake in 1994 and 1999.
Web site: http://www.festivalofrowing.co.uk/
Men's pair 1. CAN 7:04.03 (David Kay of Victoria, B.C., Geoff Hodgson of Yukon) 2. AUS 7:09.83 3. ENG 7:11.64 4. RSA 7:27.70 5. NIR 7:51.56
Women's double 1. CAN 8:04.42 (Stacey Norwood of St. John, N.B., Laura Middleton of Toronto) 2. ENG 8:28.87 3. WAL 9:01.44 4. NIR 9:08.54
Women's pair 1. SCO 8:43.75 2. CAN 8:52.43 (Emily Boyle of Port Elgin, Ont., Bonnie Fiala of Enderby, B.C.) 3. ENG 8:55.50
Lightweight men's pair 1. CAN 7:45.19 (Eric Oinonen of Thunder Bay, Ont., Liam Parsons of Thunder Bay) 2. ENG 7:52.58 3. WAL 8:02.88 4. NIR 8:12.89 5. SCO 8:17.96
Women's single (Jane Rumball of Fredericton, N.B.) 1. CAN 8:35.75 2. ENG 8:41.11 3. SCO 9:01.99
Men's four 1. AUS 6:33.26 2. CAN 6:38.43 3. ENG na 4. SCO na
-- Rowing Canada Aviron Jackie Skender