How do you spend your Saturdays?

Recently, three junior rowers spent a Saturday morning on the water with Joy Ward Fera. Joy has been out almost yearly since 2014 to take a row in a double with our youth to offer encouragement and tips on correct posture or depth of blade in the water or controlled slide and more.

Rockies Rowing Club appreciates the time and energy Joy puts into those sessions and the support she offers to our rowers like Danielle Macdonald and Katie Clark who have taken rowing to the next level.

After the 2014 BC Summer Games, Danielle went on to row at Brentwood for her high school years and was very successful winning more than one gold medal at the CSSRA’s with her crew. Danielle is now at University studying to become a doctor (if information is correct).

Katie is in her third season at UBC and will be racing at the University Championships and Canadian National Rowing Championships over the next months. Katie has a goal to make the team that will go to the 2024 Olympics, for rowing.

In 1976 Joy used her competitive skills from downhill ski racing and was selected to the National Rowing Team. In 1976 the Olympics were held in Montreal and for the first time in Olympic history women raced at the rowing venue on ile Notre Dame.

The women’s crews (sculling and sweep) from that summer are being inducted to the Rowing Sport Hall of Fame on September 27 during the National Rowing Championships.

Joy Ward Fera will be there to receive this accolade along with her other team members. Thank you Joy for helping pave the way for the young women rowers today who have similar dreams.

Lead image: L to R: Emily, Joy, Aquinna, Erienne and Club Coach R. Rodgers. Photo submitted

Rockies Rowing Club

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