Oar’s well that ends well.
The Nanaimo Rowing Club had a strong finish to the season at the annual Head of the Gorge and Tail of the Gorge regattas in Victoria last month.
The club garnered two second-place finishes and one third-place result at the races, hosted by the University of Victoria at the Gorge Waterway Park.
The Head of the Gorge race Oct. 24 saw the junior women’s quadruple scull finish as runner-up to a Victoria crew on the 4.5-kilometre course. Comprising the Nanaimo team were Riley Knight, Ayla Malainey, Meg Montgomery and Makala Mullaly. Also that day, junior sculler Madison Wagenaar placed third in open women’s singles.
In the next day’s Tail of the Gorge 3.5km race, the Nanaimo women’s eights placed second behind Brentwood College in one of the closest races of the day. Knight, Montgomery, Malainey, Mullaly and Wagenaar were joined in the boat by Morgan Burke, Marina Mandziuk, Erin Berry-Dillen and coxswain Claire Thomas.
“This event marks the end of the fall racing season for the club, with athletes transitioning to their winter training in order to prepare for what should be an even more successful spring racing season,” said Kate Rutherford, club president, in a press release.
One of the highlights for the club this past season was its participation at the 133rd Royal Canadian Henley Regatta in St. Catharines, Ont. in August, when it garnered podium finishes.
For more information about the Nanaimo Rowing Club, please e-mail nanaimo.rowing@gmail.com or call 250-756-0570.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com