The Island-based Canadian rowing team has qualified six boats for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but is wary to make sure competition continues for seats in those boats and that complacency not set in.
That process is continuing this weekend at the Canadian championships, taking place at Burnaby Lake, as rowers from across the country state their cases for inclusion next summer in Tokyo.
It will continue over a winter of training on Elk Lake.
Names to watch include Caileigh Filmer and Andrea Proske of Victoria, Kai Langerfeld of Parksville, Sydney Payne out of Brentwood College, Avalon Wasteneys of Campbell River, Gabrielle Smith of Unionville, Ont., Hillary Janssens of Cloverdale and 2012 Olympic silver-medallist Conlin McCabe.
The Canadian program is finally embracing its highly successful past to inspire the future.
Rowing Canada announced Saturday that six new trophies, named after past greats, will be awarded annually at the national championships.
The Silken Laumann Plate will go to the Canadian women’s singles champion and is named in honour of the legendary Victoria rower who won silver at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and a comeback-from-injury bronze at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
“Rowing was such a meaningful chapter of my life,” Laumann said in a statement. “Even if I never pick up a scull again, I know those hours on the water gave me the work ethic, competitive instincts and perspective I bring to everything I approach today. I am thrilled that future champions will be honoured by a trophy that bears my name.”
The Derek Porter Trophy will go to the national men’s singles champion and is named after the former world champion Victoria rower who won Olympic gold with the Canadian men’s eight at Barcelona in 1992 and singles silver at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Other awards are named after Olympic gold medallists Kathleen Heddle, Marnie McBean, George Hungerford and Roger Jackson.
Several of those rowers will be at Burnaby Lake today to hand out their namesake awards.
