Cranbrook’s own Rockies Rowing Club youth rowers attended the Delta Deas Scholastic regatta recently.

Emily Sartorel, Erienne O’Grady and Nellie Filtz represented Rockies RC in U17 single, double and quad races. The races were over 1,000m.

On Saturday, Emily came third in her singles heat race with a time 4:49. This race had six heats and a total of 30 boats.

Nellie, an international student from Austria, teamed with Erienne in the novice U17 double. This was their first race together and they rowed a personal best of 5:06. They did not come last.

Sunday Erienne then teamed with Emily in the U17 2x. They finished 1,000m in five minutes; a personal best.

The next race of the day for RRC was the quad.

The club borrowed a boat from Delta and a rower from Fort Langley. This composite crew had the honour to row in a boat named for Joy (Ward) Fera, a Cranbrook raised athlete who downhill skis and rows. Joy was on the 1976 Canadian rowing team when women were first allowed to row at the Olympics. She is also a founder of the Delta Deas club.

The composite crew from Fort Langley and Cranbrook came third in their heat with a time of 4:22, which put them in the final. With a goal to beat the other crew from Fort Langley, they went in to the final ready to do their best. The time the crew posted in the final was 4:13, shaving nine seconds off their heat race time.

Considering a majority of the other rowers at this regatta have access to open water most months of the year, Rockies RC rowers represented well.

We are looking forward to our next regatta in Vernon on June 8.

The club is offering learn to row if locals are interested. Contact the club through our website [email protected]

Lead image: Joy (Ward) Fera with thumbs up for the crew leaving the dock in the ‘JOY FERA.’ Photos courtesy Rockies Rowing Club

Rockies Rowing Club

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