Author: Rowing PEI

New program alert! Brackley Bay Summer 2023

Posted on by Rowing PEI

Revisit Rowing at Brackley Bay

Hello Rowing Enthusiasts! 

My name is Christine Blanchard.  I am the Brackley Bay Flatwater Rowing Program coordinator for 2023.  Yes, that’s right…Brackley Bay, just off Shaw’s hotel.  It is a beautiful place to row!  Quiet! No motor boats! Dunes in the background! Generally flat water conditions.  Easy entry into the water…we have a new dock as of 2022!  

If you have experience in flatwater boats, all you need to do is register with RowingPEI.  Our experienced flatwater times are Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays from 4:30-6:30 pm.  And, if needed,  Saturday from 8-10 am. Come join us!  Space is limited with 6 seats remaining so please register early.  It is first come, first serve!

If you are new to flatwater rowing, we have a three session workshop delivered by our experienced and highly certified rowing coach: Chantelle Hanley.  Chantelle Hanley Linkedin  These sessions will help you get acquainted with the flatwater experience, plus  I have provided practice times dedicated to just new to flatwater rowing (Wednesday and Friday 6:30-8:00 pm)

I rowed for 6 weeks at UNB in 1992 and returned to rowing a couple of years ago.  During my two years of rowing at Brackley, I have embraced the challenge of flatwater rowing, became physically stronger, and had a lot of fun with the small group of dedicated adult rowers. I sincerely hope you consider revisiting our rowing crew!

If you have any questions, please reach out to me personally: 902 940 4418 or christineblanchard222@gmail.com

See you at Brackley!

Christine
Brackley Bay Rowing Program Coordinator

 

2022 Year in Review!

Posted on by Rowing PEI

 

2022 was a very busy year for Rowing Prince Edward Island with a team of ten competitors heading to the Canada Summer Games in the Niagara Region in August, and the introduction of new programming around increasing diversity, as part of the Community Sport for All Initiative. 

2022 Year in Review

Indoor Rowing 2022

The year started with Indoor Rowing Day in Canada in February. There were still COVID restrictions in many parts of the country, including here on Prince Edward Island. But we had a good group taking part, including many of our Canada Games rowers and their families! Thanks also to Mary MacLean and Verna Ryan for hosting an event at the TCAP facility in Montague.

 

In April 2022, the Canada Games rowers took part in our first ever Ergathon fundraiser. Teams Red and Green raced for 21 kilometres for PEI bragging rights! They raised $3,500 towards the purchase of 6 pairs of Concept 2 oars to help them prepare for the Canada Games. Thanks to their friends and families for supporting the team. 

 

Celebrating new boats in 2022!

In June, we celebrated two new racing shells for the Canada Games rowers! Their fundraising efforts raised $24,000 towards a new double, Brackley Bullet and a new single, Tippy Tippy. We are grateful to all of our sponsors and supporters in 2022: Arsenault Bros Construction, Cooke Insurance, Brown’s Volkswagen, Cymbria Lions Club, Robbie Shaw and Shaw’s Hotel, PEI government, Legacy Fund and Sport PEI. THANK YOU! #grateful #supporters

   

Another of our favourite memories of 2022 was the debut of the “Betty Smith”, our newest coastal single. She was donated to Rowing PEI by Claude Maurice, in honour of his late wife Betty Smith, who learned to row on the North River in Charlottetown. Claude lives in B.C. but was planning a trip back to P.E.I this summer to visit family. One thing led to another, and we have a wonderful new member and a very special new boat. #rowingmemories2022 #bettysmith #thankful

Crew 22: Summer of 2022 

We had a great new summer rowing program for new juniors called Crew 22. 

They went from Learn to Row to competing at the Red Island Regatta in just 8 weeks!! 

FUN FACT: There were TWO sets of twins!

Diversity and equity are a major focus for Sport Canada and Rowing Canada Aviron. In 2022, we were fortunate enough to receive more than $42,000 in funding, which allowed us to purchase some new equipment, including a new coastal double and two indoor rowing machines, and helped cover the costs of our summer and winter programming. Our Crew 22 received national recognition, including at the recent RCA conference in Victoria, B.C.

 

Whistle Days 2022

One of the best parts of any rowing season is getting to see new members succeed!  Congrats to everyone who got their whistle in 2022 and graduated to become an L2. Proud of all of you! #learntorow2022 #whistles2022

 

 

Another great highlight was a best ever performance by our Canada Games rowing team in August 2022. Hard work paid off with personal bests for everyone. What great memories! 

Thanks to our coaches, parents, support staff, everyone who helped them get to the Games, especially head coach Chantelle Hanley who spent much of the summer here on P.E.I. or traveling with the team. 

Red Island Regatta 2022

We celebrated the return of the Red Island Regatta on the beautiful Brudenell River, with competitors from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Ontario joining us for the first time since 2019. Thanks to all of our volunteers, sponsors, spectators, officials and rowers. We can’t wait to do it again August 26 and 27, 2023!! 

And then there was Fiona….

 

In September, everyone rallied to help us move the boats to safety as post-tropical storm Fiona approached. We lost some small pieces of equipment at the barn at Brackley, which sustained extensive damage. Fortunately, our new dock stayed more or less in place and was brought to shore after the storm. 

It wasn’t the end to the season that we were hoping for, but everyone was safe and that is what matters. 

After a short break, we hit the indoor rowing machines at Kinetic Fitness, with a group of juniors and another of adults, as part of our 2022-2023 I-Crew program.  

Looking ahead to 2023

 

We continue to grow our pool of coaches and umpires! 

Would you like to become an umpire? Please contact our umpire coordinator, Mary-Lynne Bruvels to find out more.   

Want to become a coach? Reach out to Nancy at rowingpei@gmail.com

We are excited for what 2023 will bring as our Hillsborough Boathouse project takes shape, thanks to an exciting new committee including David Arsenault and Stephen Murray. 

There are a few other new initiatives we hope to launch very soon! Stay tuned.

We are looking forward to another great year of growing our sport in 2022.

We hope you will join us…and tell your friends and family about us!!

The board of Rowing Prince Edward Island

Rowing PEI launches I-Crew indoor rowing program for 2022-2023!

Rowing PEI launches I-Crew indoor rowing program for 2022-2023!

Posted on by Rowing PEI

Rowing PEI is excited to launch a new indoor rowing program called I-Crew or Indoor Crew, for youth between the ages of 12 and 17.

Crew members will learn technique, stay fit and take part in fun challenges during the weekly sessions.

A highlight will be Indoor Rowing Day in Canada 2023 when everyone across the country teams up to see how many kilometres we can log on the same day.

I-Crew kicks into gear in November, with a break for the holidays, then continues until the end of March.

Part 1: Sunday November 6 – Sunday December 11, 2022

Part 2: Sunday January 8 – Sunday February 18, 2023 *Canada Games break

Part 3: Sunday March 5 – Sunday April 2, 2023

The program will be offered by trained coaches from Rowing PEI at Kinetic Fitness, 133 Queen Street in downtown Charlottetown.

Participants should wear workout clothes including narrow sneakers. No baggy shorts that can get caught in the sliding seat.

Please bring a water bottle!

The program will be offered in English.

*There is also an adult version of I-Crew. Contact organizers for more information on that group. 

Thanks to Rowing Canada Aviron and Sport Canada for financial support for this new, exciting program.

And to our partners at IRSA, for their support of Rowing PEI.

To find out more, please send an email to rowingpei@gmail.com

 

Rowing PEI est est excité de lancer un nouveau programme d’aviron en salle qui s’appelé “I-Crew ou Indoor Crew”, pour les jeunes âgés de 12 à 17 ans.

Les membres de l’équipage apprendront la technique, resteront en forme et participeront à des défis amusants lors des sessions hebdomadaires.

Un point culminant sera la Journée de l’aviron en salle au Canada 2023 lorsque tout le monde à travers le pays fera équipe pour voir combien de kilomètres nous pouvons parcourir le même jour.

I-Crew démarre en novembre, avec une pause pour les vacances, puis se poursuit jusqu’à la fin de mars.

Partie 1 : dimanche 6 novembre – dimanche 11 décembre 2022

Partie 2 : dimanche 8 janvier – dimanche 18 février 2023 *pause des Jeux du Canada

Partie 3 : dimanche 5 mars – dimanche 2 avril 2023

Le programme sera offert par des entraîneurs qualifiés de Rowing PEI à Kinetic Fitness, 133, rue Queen, au centre-ville de Charlottetown.

Les participants doivent porter des vêtements d’entraînement, y compris des souliers étroites. Pas de short baggy qui peut se coincer dans le siège coulissant. Veuillez apporter une bouteille d’eau! Le programme sera offert en anglais.

*Il existe également une version adulte d’I-Crew. Contactez les organisateurs pour plus d’informations sur ce groupe.

Merci à Rowing Canada Aviron et à Sport Canada pour leur soutien financier à ce nouveau programme passionnant. Et à nos partenaires de l’IRSA, pour leur soutien à Rowing PEI. Pour en savoir plus, veuillez envoyer un e-mail à rowingpei@gmail.com

                 

Thank you to these organizations for their support:

A summer job....with a great view! APPLY NOW!

A summer job….with a great view! APPLY NOW!

Posted on by Rowing PEI

How would you like to spend your summer looking at this view?

Do you enjoy boats? And being on the water?  CHECK IT OUT!!

Deadline to apply: Wednesday June 1, 2022

Position:  Sports Instructor
Canada Summer Jobs #3841285

Thanks to the Canada Summer Jobs 2022 program, Rowing PEI is looking to hire a Sports Instructor for the summer.

 

Conditions of employment:

35 hours per week for 8 weeks = 280 hours    (varied hours/weeks)

Salary: $14.00/hour
Start date   July 4,2022  *could start sooner/part-time work in June

Must be available the weekend of August 26-28 to assist with the Red Island Regatta at Brudenell 

Work days may include Saturday and Sunday 

Location of employment: Charlottetown Yacht Club (CYC) on the Charlottetown waterfront and Brudenell Resort

Job summary

Rowing PEI is the non-profit provincial governing body for the sport of rowing in Prince Edward Island.

The successful applicant will be assisting in:

-the organization and delivery of our national sanctioned rowing regatta to be held August 27 and 28, 2022

-the promotion of the sport of rowing to the public and tourists.

Daily duties would include: maintaining equipment, assisting with launching of boats, ensuring all safety policies of the club are being followed by all participants, operating the safety boat, and providing Learn to Row Coaching. 

Administrative duties will include maintaining logs of all boats on the water, when launched and when returned, and noting any damage or maintenance required by the rowing shells as well as the safety boat.

Other duties would include the installation and removal of marker buoys to establish training and racing courses on the water.

Job requirements
The position will require:
-a valid pleasure craft operator’s license;
-First Aid training;
-LTR coach training *will be provided
-valid driver’s license *or transportation to Brudenell on occasion 

The Government of Canada funded this job through the Canada Summer Jobs program.

Contact the employer to learn more about the job and apply. You must be aged between 15 and 30 and be legally entitled to work in Canada

Other Skills:  Experience in client services and/or coaching a team
Bilingual an asset
Applicants must be able to swim

Application: Please send a letter and a resume to rowingpei@gmail.com


Deadline to apply: Wednesday June, 1, 2022 

Going electric on the water

Posted on by Rowing PEI

Almost all rowing clubs use some form of safety boat or coach boat, almost always propelled by a gas-powered motor.

Rowing BC is now working on a pilot project looking at the potential of rechargeable electric motors for safety boats. They have applied to Clean BC for funding and hope to set up six clubs with three different kinds of eoutboards. 

Rechargeable outboards, versus gas models, are a way for clubs and regattas to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

Brenda Taylor, who is organizing the pilot project, says the eoutboard technology is changing quickly, and becoming more affordable and more user-friendly, because of the demand from customers, including rowing and sailing clubs. 

Rowing BC has applied for a grant through the Clean BC Commercial Vehicle Pilots project to pilot the use of electric outboards. The CVP program  is designed to accelerate the adoption of commercial ZEVs (eg medium and heavy duty, on road, offroad, rail, marine etc)

This all started because Brenda was enquiring about rebates/subsidies for eoutboards (as there are for ZEVs). Clean BC said they aren’t currrently offering rebates for eoutboards, recognize that is a gap, but need more data to support the case for rebates, so encouraged her to apply for the CVP grant.
Goals:
To accelerate the adoption of electric outboards by:
1) demonstrating the business case,
2) providing clubs with objective, relevant and easily-accessible information on cost, performance, user-experience and other benefits with which to make informed purchasing decisions, and
3) to increase awareness of the benefits and feasibility of  eoutboards and to provide the “electric curious” with first-hand experience with them, in a real-world setting .
One of the goals is to provide the “electric curious” with first hand experience with electric outboards, in a real-world setting .
Project details:
Pilot the use of 6 eoutboards in 4-6 pilot clubs in BC for a full year. We will test 3 types (Elco EP20, Torqeedo Cruise 10 and Pure Watercraft)- all roughly equivalent to 15-25hp gas outboards and each will have 2 batteries. They will be tested on 3-4 different types of launches (Carolina Skiff, inflatable, tin, catamaran).. Pilot clubs were selected to provide a range of use scenarios (crew speeds,launch type,  type of program -eg Learn to row, competitive etc), water body (lake, river, sea), and to maximize the number of people who would be exposed to the outboard or get a chance to use it.  Pilot clubs have been selected but not yet confirmed.
Data to be collected on eoutboard and gas outboard with similar use (at each club): performance, user experience, fuel consumption, GHG and air pollution emissions (calculated from fuel consumption), operating costs, downtime (due to maintenance etc), noise.
Brenda says they will also be running demo days to give others a chance to try them out and they will be used in both training and for regattas.
As part of preparing the grant application, she says it became clear that few clubs keep accurate records of fuel consumption, hours of engine use, maintenance costs. This project will fill this gap as well as providing information on eoutboards.
The plan is to create a resource/toolkit to help clubs decide whether to “go eletcric”, what factors to consider when choosing an eoutboard, including the number of batteries, charging infrastructure and other practical tips..
Brenda Taylor says the industry is exploding and there are now LOTS of eoutboard options out there, though many are not yet readily available. Torqeedo and Elco have both been around for awhile and are available. PWC is new, but were designed with rowing in mind (at least in part). They have a number of rowers working for them and have tested prototypes at different rowing clubs (they are based  out of Seattle).
Brenda says static umpiring is another way that regatta organizers could consider as a way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions at their events.

Taking action in the fight against climate change – how your rowing club can get involved

Posted on by Rowing PEI

Taking action in the fight against climate change – how your rowing club can get involved

Brenda Taylor from Victoria recently hosted a webinar for RCA called Rowing and the Climate Crisis: Acting Now to Fight Climate Change.

You can watch the webinar:

https://youtu.be/K760rK4w-iU

*the slide in this post are from Brenda’s presentation

Here are some of the ideas that Brenda shared during her presentation:

  • Electric outboards
  • Energy efficiency upgrades- LED lights, heat pumps, thermopane windows, drying room for gear
  • Solar 
  • Wind
  • Recycling/reuse/REPAIR- buy good quality, keep it in good repair
  • Encourage/support cycling, public transit, carpooling
  • Refuse packaging/waste
  • Nature based solutions – wetlands 
  • Travel to regattas 
  • Trailer/truck – share, aluminum….
  • Share coach boats
  • No single use plastics
  • Procurement policies
  • Boat pools
  • Static umpiring at regattas
  • No medals, tshirts, swag – https://treesnottees.com/event-organisers/
  • Go paperless
  • Climate Action working group
  • GHG pilot
  • Technical standards for boats- recycled content, lifespan, repairability
  • HUB to share ideas
  • Educate re boat repair and maintenance
  • Lobby politicians
  • Climate change education sessions for rowing boards and members
  • Subsidies for eoutboards
  • Carbon offsets
  • Sport Canada- new Canadian Sport Policy
  • Access to funding and expertise
If your club is interested in finding out more, or joining the discussion, you can contact Brenda: brendastaylor@telus.net 

Monitoring the changing climate – Rowing PEI 

Posted on by Rowing PEI

By Nancy Russell

Coaches and rowers with Rowing PEI have seen the changing weather conditions firsthand in recent years, with more wind and storms, including tropical storms such as Arthur (July 2014), Dorian (September 2019), Teddy (September 2020)  and Elsa (July 2021).  Because we don’t have a clubhouse, we have to either move our boats off the dock, or secure them and hope they can ride out the storm. It’s a lot of work and hard on the nerves!!!

The windier weather, even early in the morning, is also starting to limit our rowing time on the Charlottetown Harbour.  Even in coastal boats, the wind speeds are sometimes too high, especially for new rowers.  In 2021, we decided to move our flat water boats to a sheltered bay on P.E.I.’s north shore, in search of some calmer waters.  The rowers had to beach launch all summer, but at least they got some flatter water. 

We can definitely feel it getting windier, but now with help from the UPEI Climate Lab, we will be able to monitor what’s happening.

In July 2021, they installed a weather station, part of a network across the Island. It will collect historical data to track how conditions are changing, and also gives real-time wind speed, which is a game changer on a windy body of water!

We do encourage carpooling to our flat water training centre, which is about 20 minutes from Charlottetown.

The Charlottetown Yacht Club, which is our home base in Charlottetown, is also a member of Sailors for the Sea, which focuses on clean and environmentally friendly sailing. 

 

Canada’s solar-powered rowing club

Posted on by Rowing PEI

 

Lakeland Rowing Club in Vermilion, Alberta was well ahead of the curve when it comes to embracing renewable energy. 

They had to embrace solar energy ten years ago, because there was no power line access to the provincial park where they are located. And even if the park would allow it, it would have been cost-prohibitive.

When the club first started in 1996, they had no electricity. They used strategically-positioned car headlights for dark fall morning practices. How’s that for Canadian innovation?!?

The club bought their 100-watt solar panel more than 10 years ago. Originally, it was just for their shed, and flood lights for the compound. Now the solar light lights up their boathouse as well, thanks to help from some electrical instructors and apprentices at Lakeland College. 

The club has upgraded from fluorescent to LED lighting, again making the green choice.

Interesting fact: if you go to Google satellite, Vermilion AB you can see the facility on the reservoir!

Thanks to Lakeland Rowing Club’s Peter Walsh for sharing his solar story.

 

 

 

2021 Red Island Rowgatta - thanks and photos!!!

2021 Red Island Rowgatta – thanks and photos!!!

Posted on by Rowing PEI

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Red Island Rowgatta as a competitor or volunteer!  It was a fantastic event.

Special thanks to Alan and Patricia for sponsoring the delicious club meal, organized beautifully by Lori Fitzpatrick.

Also to Lori, Kiera and Jamie for sponsoring the breakfast, on behalf of the Canada Games training team!

Many thanks to our friends from PEI Ground Search and Rescue, the staff at Brudenell Provincial Park, Montague and Brudenell Marinas, Garden Isle Farms for the potato prize bags, trailer drivers Alan, Rob and Chris and the 30+ volunteers who made this event possible!

Here are a few photo highlights! We have many more to come, as well as video and drone footage from Pat Martel Video!!

Maybe even a viewing party sometime this fall!

Red Island Rowgatta 2021 Results – prepared by Marti Hopson and Fiona Moak with help from starter Daphne Dumont and timers Sterling Schnatz, Wendy Chappell, Verna Ryan, Krista Cassell and Chris Harris

Saturday August 21, 2021

1000 m sprints 

Top Quad- 1. Mary/ Chrissy / Corinne / Cassidy (4:30)

Junior Men’s single – 1. Tom (4:58) 2. Nick (5:03) 3. Joe (5:38)

Junior Women’s double – 1. Emily and Kiera (5:19)

Masters Women’s single – 1. Corinne (5:17)

Masters Women’s double – 1. Alysaa/ Kailee (5:18) 2. Mary / Chrissy (5:35)

 

Coastal Endurance

Junior Men’s single – 1. Tom (18:19)

Junior Men’s double – 1. Tom/Luke (19:39)

Masters Women’s single – 1. Corinne (18:55)

Masters Women’s double  – 1. Corinne/ Cassidy (16:58) 2. Kailee / Alyssa (17:01) 3. Mary/ Chrissy (19:00) 4. Verna / Elliott (mixed- 23:00) 5. Krista / Jayne (31:33)

 

Beach Sprints

Single – 1. Jordanne  2. Joe

Double – 1. Tom/Nick (Don) 2. Kailee/ Alyssa 3. Emily Kiera 4. Cassidy / Corinne

Team Relay ! The Blues

 

 

 

 

Lori's Pulled Pork Recipe - "Memories of the Red Island Rowgatta 2021"

Lori’s Pulled Pork Recipe – “Memories of the Red Island Rowgatta 2021”

Posted on by Rowing PEI
We loved the pulled pork from Brad Doiron at Founders Delicatessen which was the “star” of the club supper at the Red Island Rowgatta 2021.
You can find Brad at the Founders booth at the Charlottetown Farmers Market.
But Lori has also kindly shared her own recipe!!
-One 4 lb boneless pork roast
* Cajun Rub (homemade or store bought recipe)
– 1 Cup of Ketchup (Heinz of course!)
– 1/2 Cup of vinegar
– 3 TBLSP of brown sugar
– 1 TBLSP of Dry mustard
– 1 TBLSP of Paprika
– 1/2 to 1 TBLSP of cayenne (I put less than this in the Rowing PEI recipe because not everyone likes heat)
– Salt and Pepper to taste
– 3 to 4 fresh garlic cloves, pressed
Mix all together and refrigerate.
If making with pulled pork roast at home:
Rub pork roast with Cajun rub. Put in ziploc bag and refrigerate overnight, or min. 4 hours.
* I skipped this step as Founders pulled pork came pre-seasoned and pre-cooked.
When ready to cook , pre-heat oven 250 degrees. Coat roast with 1/2 to 3/4 of the BBQ sauce. Cover and place in oven and cook for 6-7 hours. Make sure you baste every 45 mins.
Remove from oven and let sit 20 minutes. Using two forks pull apart/ shred into small pieces or chucks. Toss in remaining BBQ sauce , serve on fresh buns ( I like Portuguese buns), add coleslaw and pickles if preferred, serve with fries or salad, and corn or beans.
*If you like you pulled pork extra saucy, double the recipe.
*There are some good recipes out there for vegetarian pulled pork where you can make the “meat” with lentils, mushrooms, etc…
“Breaking bread together is an opportunity for nourishment on so many levels.” – Jen Schmidt
 
Bon appétit !
Lori