Rowing BC’s Fall Junior Performance Camp

Rowing BC’s Fall Junior Performance Camp

Rowing BC, with support from the Victoria City Rowing Club and the University of Victoria, hosted a Junior Performance Camp on the weekend of November 8-10th at Elk Lake. This camp was attended by 33 performance athletes from over 10 different BC rowing organizations. 

This camp was designed to bring performance athletes from across the province together to train with each other, for the purpose of increasing the level of competition possible within the province. It was great to see the athletes from different home training locations mixed together throughout the various crews on the water. This mix of different programs served as a great chance to row with new people while working on the technical themes presented for the focus of the group overall. Athletes completed workouts and race preparation that would mimic what is expected from NextGen and National Team athletes, and finished the weekend with 2x1500m race pieces which were compared to RCA Gold Medal Standards to produce a rank order of the crews and their performances.

In addition to the on-water components, all of the athletes at this camp were provided with the opportunity to complete a sub-max lactate step test, administered by Canadian Sport Institute Pacific physiologists. Each athlete’s individualized data can now be further utilized by the athlete with their home coach to direct training in the correct zones of intensity in future sessions. During the camp, athletes also participated in a standardized C2 ergometer test process which included max watts testing, followed by a 1000m piece at stroke rate 24. Splits and power output were recorded and compared to previous camp scores.

As an added bonus for their camp experience, Aalbert Van Schorthorst (UVIC Men’s Head Coach) and Skylar Presh (UVIC Men’s Assistant Coach) hosted a tour of the UVIC athletic facility and provided tickets for the group to attend that weekend’s UVIC basketball game.

Many thanks to our co-hosts, the University of Victoria and Victoria City Rowing Club, for providing equipment and support. Thank you to Miki Chantler, Nicole Cusack, Caileigh Filmer, Jane Gumley, Skylar Presch, Glen Stiven, and Aalbert Van Schothorst for their coaching support during this camp.

We are looking forward to hosting our next camp on December 8th at the UBC Boathouse in Richmond.