Alberta Rowing Association
Bulletin #1 - May 15, 2008
With winter ice clearing throughout the province, most of us are now getting our boats ready to
get on the water for another rowing season. The 2008 Rowing Season is shaping up to be an
exciting one for the Alberta Rowing Association, and we wanted to keep you apprised of maters.
In the pages that follow hopefully we can answer a number of your questions.
Before we begin, however, the Alberta Rowing Association would like to congratulate Tracy
Cameron. For those that don’t know Tracy Cameron will represent Canada at the 2008 Olympic
Games in the Lightweight Women’s Double. Tracy we wish you the best of luck!
Canada Summer Games Update
Coaching – We at the Alberta Rowing Association are pleased to announce that Chris Davidson
has been hired as Provincial Coach – Canada Summer Games. For those that don’t know, Chris
was a member of Canada’s National Rowing Team for over 10 years where he represented
Canada at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney Australia. Following his retirement in 2003, Chris
has been the acting Head Coach of the Junior Program at the Calgary Rowing Club. Chris is a
Certified Level III coach and was head coach for Alberta at the 2007 Western Canada Summer
Games. With Chris’s experience both as a coach and athlete we are confident that the 2009
Canada Summer Games in Prince Edward Island will be a success for Alberta Rowing.
Canada Summer Games Camps – The Alberta Rowing Association will be organizing three
separate camps over the course of the 2008 rowing season. The purpose of these camps is assist
all Canada Summer Games Athletes in their preparation for the 2009 Canada Summer Games.
The first of these camps is tentatively scheduled for June 17-18 in Edmonton, Alberta and is open
to all Canada Summer Games eligible athletes* regardless of experience.
At these camps athletes will have access to high level coaching receive important nutritional
information as well as have access to sport psychologists. If you are a rower in Alberta and are
age-eligible to compete at the 2009 Canada Summer Games we encourage you to attend. If you
are interested in attending please advise your coach. All interested athletes must RSVP with their
coach no later than June 10, 2008 if they wish to attend the June 21-22 camp in Edmonton,
Alberta. Limited funding will be available to help offset some costs associated with
transportation, and food.
*For clarity an age eligible Canada Summer Games athlete is one who is 19 years of age or
younger as of December 31, 2008.
May 15, 2008 Alberta Rowing Association 1
Canada Summer Games Cont….
Erg Monitoring:
Erg scores will play an important factor in determining the 2009 Canada Summer Games Team.
If you pulled a 2,000m erg test between March and May of 2008 and have not already done so,
please email your erg score to Chris Davidson. Chris will implement a provincial wide erg
ranking that will give each and every athlete and idea as to where their erg score ranks in the
province. And don’t worry; for privacy reasons only your score, not your name will be available
for others to see.
Note: All athletes who wish to be considered for the Canada Summer Games Team will be
expected to meet or exceed an erg standard in order to be invited to the Canada Games selection
camp in 2009. The erg standards will be published shortly.
Racing Season
The 2008 season is an important lead-up to the 2009 Canada Summer Games. We at the ARA
encourage all athletes throughout the province to attend as many regatta’s as possible this
summer, including Henley. Competing at local regatta’s throughout Western Canada and Henley
will give each and every athlete the experience they require in the lead-up to 2009.
If you don’t already know, the regatta schedule is as follows this summer.
May 24th Freeze or Fry Telford Lake Leduc, Alberta
June 7 Regina Sprints Wascana Lake Regina, Saskatchewan
June 28th Alberta Open Glenmore Reservoir Calgary, Alberta
July 12th B.C Champs Elk Lake Victoria, B.C
July 12th Prairie Champs TBD Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
August 5-10 Henley Martindale Pond St. Catherines, Ontario
Freeze or Fry: Upon conclusion of the Freeze or Fry regatta in Leduc, there will be a brief
information session proving athletes additional details of the upcoming training camp in Edmonton,
Upcoming camps, and so-on. If you are not attending the regatta information will be distributed to
all the clubs in Alberta.
Miscellaneous: We at the Alberta Rowing Association are proud of all of our athletes and want to
provide everyone with an enjoyable experience in the 14 month lead-up to the Canada Summer
Games. Should you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact either Chris
Davidson or myself directly.
Did you know: Prince Edward Island is the only province in the history of the Canada Summer
Games to serve as host. All previous Games were hosted by a municipality.
May 15, 2008 Alberta Rowing Association 2
Juniors / Seniors and Masters
National Championships:
The 2008 National Championships is a little unclear at the present moment. It is scheduled for
September 25, 26, and 27th but the location is presently unknown. The Olympic Basin in
Montreal was to be the host - but due to scheduling conflicts the site is not available. Rowing
Canada is now exploring sites in St.Catherines, London, Ontario and Welland Ontario. We will
keep you apprised of information as it comes about.
Henley:
The Rowing Canadian Henley Regatta is a club regatta but one the Alberta Rowing Association
recognizes as important event in the calendar year. The Alberta Rowing Association will once
again offer monies to some of our top athletes in an effort to offset some of your expenses . The
funding formula that we presented in 2007 will be amended but will continue to reward those
athletes who excel at the Alberta Open.
Novices:
Throughout the province there should be a number of fresh faces that we have not seen before.
Let’s make sure we take the time to welcome them to our sport. They are the future of rowing in
our province.
Masters:
The 2008 Canadian Master Championships will be hosted by the Guelph Rowing Club from
August 15 through to August 17. That very same weekend is the US Master Championships in
Long Beach California. If you are interested in attending either of these regattas please let us
know. We may be able to assist you with some of the logistical challenges.
Coaching:
The Coaching Education Program that many of us are so familiar with is slowing being phased
out. If you are currently a Level I certified coach and wish to further your coaching education
please inform the ARA if you haven’t already done so. The old system will be phased out by
December 31, 2008. Coaches that are attempting to complete requirements under the old NCCP
coaching education program must do so by December 31, 2008.
Officials:
At the 2008 Freeze or Fry Regatta in Edmonton and the Alberta Open in Calgary a number of our
officials will be looking to become sanctioned Rowing Canada officials. Thank-you all!!
Michael Simonson
May 15, 2008 Alberta Rowing Association 3