Extra hand on deck
Rowing Canada launches fundraising initiative to help junior, under-23 crews
A new fundraising campaign won’t guarantee Canadian rowers a lead by open water when they compete at the junior and under-23 world championships this summer in eastern Europe.
Rowing Canada’s All for One won’t necessarily lift Canadian athletes to the top step of the medal podium, but money from the initiative certainly will help them get to the starting line while easing the financial burden for crew members and their families.
Rowing Canada started the program because it doesn’t believe athletes should have to pay all the costs of competing for Canada on the world stage.
“Our rowers give 110 per cent, and we recognize that, which is why we launched the All for One campaign to directly reduce their athlete assessment fees,” Rowing Canada said in appeal to “join the All for One team” on its website.
In the past, the majority of funding for travel and logistics expenses related to world championships was covered by the sport’s national governing body, but funding restrictions over the years have placed a greater financial burden on athletes and their families.
“But together we can change that,” Rowing Canada said in its funding appeal. “All funds raised through this campaign will directly reduce the fees our athletes are required to pay.”
All for One received a big boost when an individual donor pledged $60,000 to support the national junior and under-23 programs over the next two years. This gift, along with additional funding from long-time contributors, will enable Rowing Canada to match donations made by the public from June 9 until Aug. 9 up to a $48,000 maximum.
“The support of individual and corporate donors is absolutely critical to ensure the continued strength of Canadian rowing,” Rowing chief executive officer Terry Dillon said. “It is thanks to incredible gifts like these that we are able to work toward realizing our goal that no athlete should have to pay to represent Canada.”
Donations, which can be designated to help one or both teams though not to an individual athlete, can be made online at https://fundrazr.com/RCAallforone. Receipts for tax deductions will be issued for contributions of $20 and more.
“On average assessment fees for junior and under 23 are around $3,000,” communications and media relations co-ordinator Kate Bascom wrote in an e-mail from Rowing Canada’s head office in Victoria, B.C.,
Five athletes from Niagara, including three competing in the same boat, will row for Canada at the world under-23 championships taking place July 19-23 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. St. Catharines Rowing Club
St. Catharines Rowing Club member Dan de Groot was selected to compete in a men’s quad along with Tyler Adams, Luc Brodeur, both with the University of Victoria Rowing Club; and Gavin Stone of the Queen’s University Rowing Club in Kingston.
Fort Erie native Carly Zanatta, who attended E.L. Crossley Secondary School and rows out of the St. Catharines club, will represent Canada in lightweight women’s singles sculls at the world championships two weeks from now in Bulgaria.
Laura Court and St. Catharines Rowing Club crewmate Julia Vander Hoeven will be rowing in a women’s eight along with Morgan Rosts of the Ridley Graduate Boat Club, Caileigh Filmer, Antonia Frappel, Victoria City Rowing Club; Stephanie Grauer, Madison Mailey, Burnaby Lake Rowing Club, Burnaby, B.C.; Karen Lefsrud, Calgary Rowing Club; and Sydney Payne, Brentwood Rowing Club, Mill Bay, B.C.
After practising together at a Rowing Canada training centre in London, Ont., the Canadians are flying to Greece on Sunday where they will begin becoming acclimated to the weather conditions they will like face at the world championships.
Fraser Darling and Neil Kennedy of the South Niagara Rowing Club in Welland have been selected to compete in the World Rowing Junior Championships Aug. 2-6 in Trakai, Lithuania.
They will be in a junior men’s four along with Dylan Rupnow, St. George’s School, Vancouver; and Peter Lancashire, Brentwood.