About two minutes and 500 metres of ocean off Cadboro Bay decided which Canadians would represent in one of rowings newest world championship events taking place in Portugal this year.

Rowing pair Aubrey Oldham of Hamilton, Ont. and Sarah Pigeon of Orillia, Ont., won Rowing Canada AvironB次元官网网址檚 national rowing beach sprint competition held for the first time at Cadboro Bay on the windy morning of Sunday, Aug. 22. The pair narrowly beat Kelowna, B.C.B次元官网网址檚 Mikayla Arends and Anthony Ciaccia of Hamlin, Ont. for the qualifying position to 2021B次元官网网址檚 world rowing beach sprint championships in Oeiras, Portugal this September.

Brienne Miller of North Star Rowing Club in Nova Scotia qualified as CanadaB次元官网网址檚 single rower on Aug. 21.

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Rowing beach sprints are one of the newest evolutions of competitive rowing. ItB次元官网网址檚 a spectacle that draws the same spectator excitement as beach volleyball, Oldham said. The event involves two competing rowers sprinting from the top of the beach to their shored boat (and partner, in the case of doubles) before slaloming a buoy about 250 metres off the coast, returning and sprinting back to the starting line.

Races can be close B次元官网网址� OldhamB次元官网网址檚 legs were caked with sand after a leaping finish to slap the flag and secure his ticket to Portugal. This will be his and PigeonB次元官网网址檚 second world championship, having competed at the eventB次元官网网址檚 inaugural in 2019. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e super stoked (and) excited to represent Canada again this year,B次元官网网址� Oldham said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been a long two years training for this, so itB次元官网网址檚 really exciting to be able to go back.B次元官网网址�

Rowing Canada Aviron board member and Victoria resident Jennifer Walinga called the first national rowing beach sprint championship held in Greater Victoria B次元官网网址渁 nice trialB次元官网网址� for the regionB次元官网网址檚 capabilities in professional rowing.

Cadboro BayB次元官网网址檚 long tide makes a great run for the beach sprint, she said.

Champions Oldham and Pigeon are both longtime flatwater rowers, Pigeon said. Their training for more traditional events, such as the 2000 meter row, mainly involves weight training for endurance.

For the beach sprint, B次元官网网址渨eB次元官网网址檝e been trying to incorporate a lot more sprinting and runs on the beach,B次元官网网址� Pigeon said. B次元官网网址淎 part of the excitement of a new sport is trying to figure out (best training practises).B次元官网网址�

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Their training is vital, Oldham said, for handling ideal beach sprint ocean conditions; the speed gained by cutting heavier waves makes up for the energy required initially. The wind at Cadboro Bay left waves to be desired on Sunday, Oldham said. B次元官网网址淎t Worlds (in Portugal), weB次元官网网址檙e expecting some big rollers and swells coming right in off the ocean,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檒l make it more dynamic.B次元官网网址�

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