The Ridley College Fieldhouse was the site of the Ontario Indoor Rowing Championships on Saturday, March 4, as hundreds of rowers from across the province competed over 2000 metres in various divisions on Concept 2 rowing ergometers. Ridley has hosted the event for the past 34 years.
Pelham’s E.L. Crossley entered 51 athletes in the competition, while Notre Dame in Welland had 15 participants.
Crossley’s Malarie Jones recorded a silver medal and personal best of 7:04.2 at the World Indoor Rowing Championships in Mississauga a week ago, and eclipsed that mark on Saturday with a 6:59 gold medal performance in the Senior Women’s event.
“We’ve been training hard on the erg all winter,” said Jones after the race, “but we are all looking forward to getting back on the water in the spring.”
Jones’ teammate Emma Goedhart, who also earned a silver at the Worlds in the Under 17 category, finished second to Jones on Saturday. Sarah Stacey won another gold for Crossley in the Women’s Senior 145 LB category.
Preston Darling, who finished ninth at the Worlds, took the Senior Men’s 165 LB race for Crossley, while teammate Alessio Perco placed second in the Senior Men’s event. The Senior HS 150 LB Men’s race went to another Crossley athlete, Liam Shapland. Notre Dame’s gold medal was won by Adam Falvo in the Junior Mens division.
In a new category for younger competitors, Braelyn Johnson, a Grade 8 student at St. Alexander rowing under the Notre Dame banner, took the Under 13 race over 500 metres.
Top Ten results for local athletes
Under 13 Women (500 metres)
First - Braelyn Johnson, Notre Dame, 1:47.2
Junior HS Men
First - Adam Falvo, Notre Dame, 6:58.3
Sixth - Julien Bourgeois, E.L. Crossley, 7:12.4
Junior HS 150 LB Men
Third - Noah Paquin, E.L. Crossley, 7:16.7
Sixth – Dane Lancaster, E.L. Crossley, 7:27.8
Seventh – William Looby, E.L. Crossley, 7:35.0
Eighth – Nathan Smith, Notre Dame, 7:37.8
Tenth – Grant Letford, E.L. Crossley, 7:39.2
Senior HS 150 LB Men
First – Liam Shapland, EL Crossley, 6:54.7
Second – Hudson Stortz, EL Crossley, 7:01.7
Fifth – James Cuff, EL Crossley, 7:06.4
Sixth – Chris Irvine, EL Crossley, 7:09.9
Seventh – Andy Nawrocki, EL Crossley, 7:10.3
Eighth – Mason Kirton, EL Crossley, 7:12.2
Tenth – Dylan Mayes, EL Crossley, 7:25.3
Junior HS 165 LB Men
Second – Lucas Riddle, E.L. Crossley, 6:59.5
Ninth – Hunter Guillemette, E.L. Crossley, 7:28.8
Senior HS 165 LB Men
First – Preston Darling, E.L. Crossley, 6:26.8
Fourth – Bassil DiLorenzo, E.L. Crossley, 6:54.7
Junior HS 135 LB Women
Third – Sarah Graham, E.L. Crossley, 7:59.6
Sixth – Natalie Heaslip, E.L. Crossley, 8:25.5
Junior HS 145 LB Women
Fourth – Kailtlin Furney, E.L. Crossley, 8:04.5
Fifth – Fleur Goedhart, E.L. Crossley, 8:35.1
Senior HS 135 LB Women
Second – Emerson Darling, E.L. Crossley, 8:01.1
Third – Juliette Freure, E.L. Crossley, 8:03.3
Eighth – Samantha Wimbush, E.L. Crossley, 8:29.1
Senior HS 145 LB Women
First - Sarah Stacey, E.L. Crossley, 7:29.0
Eighth – Zoe Sacuta, Notre Dame, 8:07.9
Senior HS Women
First – Malarie Jones, E.L. Crossley, 6:59.1
Second – Emma Goedhart, E.L. Crossley, 7:10
Sixth – Claire Leavens, E.L. Crossley, 7:40
Seventh – Ella Woodcock, Notre Dame, 7:41
Senior HS Men
Second – Alessio Perco, E.L. Crossley, 6:30.1
Fifth – Aiden Smouter, E.L. Crossley, 6:39.2
Updated to include Senior HS 150 LB Men results.
