A Canadian Olympic Gold medalist, who trained at Elk/Beaver Lake and lives in Saanich, expressed disappointment with the news that the community wonB次元官网网址檛 be the future training for current and future Olympic athletes.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 very disappointed to see the national team leave B次元官网网址� Saanich and the Capital Regional District,B次元官网网址� said Adam Kreek, who won Olympic Gold in 2008 as part of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 menB次元官网网址檚 eights, the most prestigious rowing category. B次元官网网址淩owing Canada has a strong Olympic legacy in the community.B次元官网网址�
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At the same time, he said that he supports and respects the process of the decision making committee, adding that this move must have been a very difficult choice.
Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA) announced Wednesday that North Cowichan will host its future national training centre, with national team athletes training at Quamichan Lake. Rowing Canada plans to establish a permanent national training centre in the area by October 2020. SaanichB次元官网网址檚 bid from the Victoria City Rowing Club (VCRC) was one of five communities on the shortlist.
B次元官网网址淣one of the sites were hands-down winners,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 think it was a difficult choice.B次元官网网址� In the end, the winning bid offered room to grow, a larger lake, and what Kreek calls B次元官网网址渇erventB次元官网网址� community support.
B次元官网网址淭he biggest factor that Elk/Beaver Lake could not meet was priority access,B次元官网网址� said Jennifer Walinga, who chaired Rowing CanadaB次元官网网址檚 selection committee. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a really busy lake,B次元官网网址� she said. In other words, Saanich could not offer the kind of access necessary to avoid competing against other users, a point that Kreek acknowledged.
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B次元官网网址淨uamichan Lake is a bigger lake,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪peedboats wonB次元官网网址檛 wake down rowers and interrupt training.B次元官网网址�
But Kreek also pointed out several drawbacks of the North Cowichan. It will require new training and support facilities and resources currently available through the Pacific Institute for Sports Excellence, which Kreek calls an B次元官网网址渁mazing resource.B次元官网网址�
This said, Kreek believes that rowing will retain a presence in the region. B次元官网网址淲e have a very strong legacy of this sport that will survive with the [University of Victoria Vikes] rowing program, VCRC juniors, and masters program,B次元官网网址� he said. Walinga also said junior national teams will retain a presence in the region.
Kreek said he would like to see some sort of memorial to commemorate the Olympic medals that were earned through the training on Elk/Beaver Lake to B次元官网网址渞espect the athletes that spent countless hours on the water and inspire future generations of athletes to reach for their athletic potential.B次元官网网址�
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