Rowing Canada Aviron has announced a realignment in the management of its High Performance Program. The role of High Performance Director is under review and Alan Roaf, who has held the job since last year, will no longer be in this position.
"Alan has made a significant contribution to Rowing Canada, first as Executive Director and in his time as High Performance Director," said RCA's VP of High Performance, Phil Monckton. "However, after considering many factors, we have found that this position needs to evolve."
"The 2007 season is a pivotal one in our preparation for the 2008 Olympic Games. We must focus our available human and financial resources toward the immediate goal of Olympic qualification and ultimately Olympic medals," said Monckton. Qualification for the Beijing Olympic Games is based upon results from the 2007 World Championships in August (Munich, Germany), where Canada hopes to qualify at least nine boats for the 2008 Games. Rowing is viewed as one of Canada's top summer sports, with the goal of winning at least three medals at the next Olympics.
Monckton will update RCA's Board of Directors on these developments and outline an interim plan for the management of the team at this weekend's Rowing Canada Aviron Board Meeting in Mississauga, Ont.
Rowing Canada Aviron's National Team training camps get underway next week under the guidance of its world-renowned coaching staff - Mike Spracklen, Bent Jensen, Terry Paul and Laryssa Biesenthal in Victoria; and Al Morrow and Carsten Hassing at the London (Ontario) Training Centre.
The next major event for RCA's high-performance athletes is the inaugural Canadian Championships, which will be held in Welland, Ont. Nov. 5 to 7.