The Orillia Rowing Club has a womens double crew of Lakehead students Rylea Cole and Samatha Umney-Gray preparing for participation in Head Race (5000M River Race) Regattas this fall. ORC registrar and treasurer Ron Pidgen is coaching the duo after completing a Learn to Row program aided by Pidgen and wife, club president Barb Pidgen as well as other members, Tim and Rhonda Lauer and Laurie Herd.

The Orillia Rowing Club partnered with Lakehead University to offer this varsity program the inaugural year of the University's Orillia presence through the research and input of Barb Pidgen, Tim Lauer and University Staff. The plan was to start a small rowing program with interested students who could learn-to-row and train in a months time to be ready to compete.

The 2 students did their Learn-to-Row course the weekend after the first week of classes and Lakehead's official opening in Orillia. The duo will train 5-6 days per week on the water for the next 3 weeks to be ready to compete against other university womens double skulls crews September 30th at the Head of the Trent Regatta in Peterborough.

Thirteen members of the Orillia Rowing Club participated in 10 of the 13 events at the Fall Invitational Regatta hosted by the Georgian Bay Rowing Club on Saturday, September 9.

The 1400M course, with fixed starts, took place on Little Lake in Midland and is an excellent venue for a recreational regatta. The weather was cool, but the wind was low and the rain held off resulting in excellent racing conditions.

The first race of the day was a 400M Adaptive race featuring 3 Geo. Bay RC crews comprised of one adaptive and one non-adaptive rower and each crew rowing in Hudson T-7 touring shells. Two of these 3 boats were loaned to the Georgian Bay Club; one came from Collingwood and the other one from Orillia.

The Georgian Bay R.C. received grant money from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to run an Adaptive Progam at their club. This event gave these new rowers an opportunity to experience the sport in a racing format. Adaptive Rowing is quickly gaining momentum in rowing circles and has even expanded to the international stage. Adaptive Rowing engages athletes with physical and mental delays and enables them to experience this incredible sport. Watch for more Adaptive Rowing Programs as they gain popularity and expand throughout our district.

Two metals were won in the singles category, Kathy Hunt for the women with a time of 6:45:33 minutes and in the mens division Matthew Siddall in 6:15:72 min. each rowing the club's Levitor Single.

In the womens double skulls category, Kathy Hunt and Heather Driver-Kerslake rowing "Gold Barr" and Sandy Patrick and Rhonda Lauer rowing "Kaschper" finished 4th and 5th respectively, while the mens crew of Matthew Siddall and Tim Herd raced "Gold Barr" in for 3rd and Tim Lauer and Doug Wiles finished 6th in "Kaschper".

In open doubles event, rowing "Splendid", the mixed crew of Adam Moore and Audrey Willsey had a clean race to finish 2nd.

In the coxed 4 events; rowing the Jim Wilson Chevrolet "Ashleigh" ...

- the women's crew of Sandy Patrick, Heather Driver-Kerslake, GBRC member Adrianne, Audrey Willsey with coxie Rhonda Lauer raced well to finish 4th,
- the mens crew of Tim Lauer, Doug Wiles, Brian Koehn, Doug Herd and Coxie Tim Herd rowed well for 3rd place,
- the master mixed crew of Rhonda Lauer, Laurie Herd, Brian Koehn, Doug Herd and coxie Matthew Siddall finished 3rd as well.

- the junior mixed crew of Adam Moore, GBRC member Amanda, Audrey Willsey, Tim Herd and coxie Matt Siddall had an exciting close race to finish 2nd behind a Barrie crew.

In the quad event, rowing "Dynamic" ...

Kathy Hunt, Heather Driver-Kerslake, Laurie Herd and Rhonda Lauer battled the 1400m course to finish a very close 2nd behind a Barrie crew.

It was a fun day for all the crews, some of whom will be training for Head (River) Race Regattas taking place this month.

All of the clubs in the district wish to thank the umpires and officials who help keep the crews, safe, organized and on time. A special thanks to our local Official Bob Browne for his patience and support and to our RowOntario district representative Catherine Barney who does so much for the district clubs.

The Orillia Rowing Club had 24 students participate in the High School Regatta consisting of 19 plus events hosted by the Georgian Bay Rowing Club.

The June 11th races took place on the 1400 m course at Little Lake in Midland. The cold, windy weather did not quell the spirit of Orillia's mostly novice rowers.

Coach Margot Herd was pleased with the effort and drive of these young athletes. They have trained for many hours since March, including dry-land conditioning and on water workouts as part of ORC's Spring Student Rowing Program.

Here are the results:
In the Doubles Category, experienced women scullers Sarah Pidgen and Kirsten Cameron finished 1st rowing "Kaschper", while mens crews of Conor Jones and Alexander Cameron had a great row to finish 3rd and the mens crew of Jordan O'Coin and Noah Schaefer finished 7th.

Rowing the coxed 4 Jim Wilson Chevrolet "Ashleigh" novice women Alexa Dunn, Hilary Rice, Madeleine Harber, Vanessa Surge with coxie Stephanie Duquette had a clean race to finish 4th while the young mens crew of Jones, Cameron, Adam Moore, Marcus Martin and coxie Duquette fought it out to 6th place.

In the quad events, rowing "Kinsmen" ...

- the novice womens crew of Hannah Skalosky, Audrey Willsey, Alison Burrell, and Olivia DiBacco cleanly slipped into 3rd
- the junior men of Tim Dwyer, Stephen King, Matthew Siddall and Jon McRae had a gold medal race to finish 1st with a time of 5:03,
- the senior crew of Blake Moore, Mat Dwyer, Noah Schaefer and Isaac Todd finished 2nd with a time of 5:27.

Many of Orillia's team got to experience the Power of Eight in the jar race to finish the day. Jones and Siddall were in the winning eight of a field of six boats of mixed team crews.

The Orillia Rowing Rowing Club attended the C.O.R.A. (Central Ontario Rowing Association) qualifying regatta on the 1500m Thames River course at the site of the London Rowing Club, in London, Ontario.

This Sunday, July 2nd Regatta turned out to be a hot and windy day and ORC's mostly novice crews had to battle, stong current, rocky shorelines and a narrow curved course.
The club did well capturing 2 medals or finishing with 3rd or better placed finishes throughout the day.

In the Singles category rowing "On The Fly", in under 19 Women Sarah Pidgen finished 2nd and Master rower Barb Pidgen rowing in the Senior Women's category rowed for 3rd.

In the Doubles crews rowing "Kaschper", the under 17 women of Hannah Skalosky and Alison Burrell had a clean row to finish 3rd while the under 19 women of Sarah Pidgen and Kirsten Cameron rowed in 7:37:53 to capture 1st place gold and Master's Women Barb Pidgen and Vera vanAmelsvoort rowed the 1000m masters course to 1st place as well.

The doubles crews rowing "Gold Barr", the Under 17 Men of Matt Siddall and Tim Herd had a great row and finished a close to second 3rd while,novce rowers in the Under 19 Men's category of Mat Dwyer and Isaac Todd had a clean row to 3rd place.

In the Under 19 Women's Quad of Sarah Pidgen, Alexa Dunn, Alison Burrell and Kirsten Cameron rowed hard to finish in 3rd place.

This was great team work by Orillia's competitive crews, all of whom will be participating in the CORA Championships in St. Catharines next weekend.

Twelve members of the Orillia Rowing Club attended the C.O.R.A. (Central Ontario Rowing Association) Championships in St. Catharines, Saturday, July 8 and participated in 10 events.

Team Orillia met the challenge of hot weather and fast current to bring home 4 medals in the top 3 placements.

In the singles event rowing "On The Fly" in the Under 19 Women category, Sarah Pidgen rowed hard to 4th place while Master rower Barb Pidgen raced through to a 3rd place bronze. Mens Under 19 competitor Blake Moore had a good row to finish 4th.

In the Double Sculls Event, Under 17 Women, Hannah Skalosky and Alison Burrell rowed "Kaschper" to a clean 2nd place silver medal while Masters Women Barb Pidgen and Vera Cameron-vanAmelsvoort fought it out in "Alegro" to 3rd place bronze. In the Mens division rowing "Gold Barr", the Under 17 crew of Matt Siddall and Tim Herd raced in to capture Gold for 1st place while the under 19 contenders of Mat Dwyer and Isaac Todd had a good row to finish 5th.

Rowing in the new club Quad, the Under 19 women of Sarah Pidgen, Burrell, Alexa Dunn and Skalosky rowed well to 5th place as did the Under 19 men of Todd, Dwyer, Premal Patel and Moore.

The Competitive ORC crews will be training hard to attend the RowOntario Championships in Welland July 22 and 23.

The "Erg Away Winter Event" was a great activity, lots of fun and a wonderful way to get active together. We appreciate the use of the exceptional facilities that the Orillia Martial Arts Centre has to offer and the expertise of trainer Cathy Campbell.

Orillia Rowing Club members and Twin Lakes SS graciously lent ergometers for the program and the enthusiastic participation by the Barrie Rowing Club and Thunderbirds Sr.Boys Rugby Team ensured a successful and competitive event.

Thank you to the Orillia Packet & Times, Orillia today,and Jack FM for helping to promote this event by way of photos, articles, inclusions and announcements. The Orillia Rowing Club truly appreciates the support of the media and the community. Zehrs Markets supplied us with oranges, while Mariposa Market provided delicious muffins for the snack table of which participants' contributions will be forwarded to the Sharing Place Food Bank.

Thank you Orillia Rowing Club member participants, organizers and volunteers. Things seem to go more efficiently when many hands offer help.

ORC hopes to organize an indoor event again next year to get active together, however for now we are dreaming of calm water.

AUGUST 2005

EVENT: Canadian Sculling Marathon
hosted by the Ottawa New Edinburgh Rowing Club

Sunday, August 28, 2005
Ottawa River
CREW: Orillia Rowing Club members:
Sarah Houlden, Rhonda Lauer, Barb Davidson, Heather Driver-Kerslake, Kathy Hunt
(left to right as pictured)

The event: a 42 km MARATHON DISTANCE on the Ottawa River circling Kettle, Upper Duck and Lower Duck Islands.

ORC crew placed first in their class (coxed 4 touring boat) and third overall with a time of 4 hours and 5 minutes. Rowing Clubs throughout Ontario took part in the event which also included half-marathon and 10 km distances.

!!!WAY TO GO!!!

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