June 2023 High Performance Update

The BC NextGen Performance Center (BCNGPC) at Elk Lake has been very busy with both an influx and outflow of athletes this spring. The Center hosted the Pan Am Qualification Regatta Team here in preparation for the event in Chile. Of the 4 original BCNGPC athletes 3 were selected to the team. Shane Willis, Kristen Siermachesky and Gunnar Platt. Many of the athletes returned to Victoria to the Center to train for their next opportunity with RCA, the June U23 Ranking Camp. We have engaged several athletes at the Center as regional athletes that access special coaching sessions or access to services such as boats or access to S&C delivery. This athletes pay a small monthly fee for access to these services that supplement their home daily training environment. In all, 24 athletes have been associated with the BCNGPC this season. 

Based on the BC Performance Pathway, and RCA Selection Guidelines, the athletes below have been recently named to RCA Squad Lists. Congratulations to all on this next step in their competitive aspirations!

• Jr. Women: Novella Rusman, Anya Prokopchuk, Alesamdra Tutle and Eryn Wale
• Jr. Men: Connor Bohlman, Liam Muir, Peter Scaccabarozzi, Conor Dillon, Quinn McCoy, Owen Kazimirinski, and Tomoki McMartin
• U23 Men: Gunnar Platt, Quinn Storey, Connor Attridge, Aiden Della Siega, Axel Ewashko, Liam Hodgins, Julien Wiese, Matteo Banduchi, Alex Gonin, Owen Marcovitz, Julian Black, Jesse Harold and Liam Simpson
• U23 Women: Ellie Sousa, Sally Jones, Lyndsey Bryden, Nataklya Ariano, Mira Calder, Sophie Gower, Ellisa Luo, Allison Jakeway, Pepper Howe, Gabriella Worobec
• BCNGPC Athletes invited to RCA Ranking Camp in June: Kristen Siermachesky, Alize Brienne, Kailani Marchak, Clare Kendall, Shane Willis, Karen Lesfrud
• BCNGPC Athletes invited to PanAm Games Squad List: Kristen Siermachesky, Alize Brienne, Kailani  Marchak, Clare Kendall, Shane Willis, Karen Lesfrud, Gunnar Platt, Conor Attridge, Mitchel Rogers, Trish Mara 
• BCNGPC Athletes competed at the Western Regional Coastal Beach Sprint event in June in Victoria. Trish Mara (1st) qualified to represent RCA at the World Beach Games this Fall in Bali.

On June 9th – 11th the BCNGPC will host the first of its kind shared University training camp between UBC and UVIC Women. Spearheaded by UBC women’s Coach Craig Pond and UVIC women’s coach Jane Gumley, the weekend will include shared competitive training in small boats as well as big boats. The camp is also supported with guest coaching and presentations from Rowing BC’s Director of High Performance. The intent is to initiate these kinds of shared activities between performance programs and to ultimately compete at BC Champs and nominate a Composite Crew to represent Rowing BC in the Championship Womens 8+ event at the 2023 Royal Canadian Henley later this summer.

Rowing BC’s Director of Performance, Terry Paul, is available to answer your questions and comments about performance development of athletes across BC.