BC Athletes Aim to Qualify for Paris 2024

Three Canadian crews will be competing in Lucerne, Switzerland May 19-21. Rowing BC is proud to see four BC athletes among these incredible rowers.

Christa Akins, who has rowed for Vernon Rowing and Dragon Boat Club and Victoria City Rowing Club, will be representing Canada in the PR1 Women’s Single. In the filed of eight countries, only the winning boat will qualify for Paris in this event.

Another BC woman heading to the start line in Lucerne, will be Katie Clark in the Women’s Quad. Katie started rowing at Rockies Rowing Club as a teenager in Cranbrook. She went on to row at False Creek Rowing Club and for the University of British Columbia. Katie and her crewmates will need to place top two in their event to qualify for the Olympics.

On the men’s side, BC athletes Jack Walkey and Joel Cullen will sit in the Men’s Eight as the strong, Canadian crew aims for a top two spot and Olympic Qualification. Jack rowed at Victoria City Rowing Club and Claremont Sports Institute Rowing Academy before heading to the University of Washingon. He returned to BC to train full time at Rowing Canada’s National Training Centre in Duncan.

Joel, who is from Chilliwack, rowed for UBC before moving to the University of Washington, where he would often be paired with Jack. They demonstrated their power together with a strong win in the Men’s Pair last year at the RCA National Rowing Championships. The Canadian Men’s Eight will need to be top two to book their ticket to Paris.

Good luck to our Canadian crews!

More information on the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta can be found at World Rowing. Additional information on the Canadian team for the FOQR and World Cup 2, also in Lucerne, can be found at Rowing Canada Aviron.

All photos in this story used with permission from Rowing Canada Aviron/ Kevin Light Photography.