An extraordinary experience
Join Bisons rowers on the banks of the Red
THE UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA ROWING CLUB ATHLETES
PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA ROWING CLUB
The mist is rising on glass-like water, the sun is just coming up over the horizon, and you’re gliding along the surface of a peaceful river. The city sleeps as you feel the fresh, soft breeze brush across your cheeks, engaging every muscle of your body to kick-start the day full of strength and energy. Sound appealing? Experiencing it is as simple as joining the University of Manitoba Rowing Club along the banks of the Red River.
Over the years, university rowing has helped develop all levels of rowers, from recreational athletes to provincial team members, to nationalcalibre athletes (such as Winnipegger Jeff Powell, stroke of the Canadian Men’s Eight at the 2004 Olympic Games). With both the recognition of rowing as an official University of Manitoba sport and the emergence of the University of Manitoba Rowing Club (UMRC) in 2005, new and upcoming athletes will now have the opportunity to formally race as a Bisons team member.
You may be asking yourself “Why should I row?” Rowing is not a sport that you had to start in middle school to become very good, or one in which your skill will degenerate as you age. Rather, it is a sport that it is never too late to start, and can be done for years and years, your skills improving as you gain experience. Rowing incorporates both aerobic and anaerobic intensity levels into a whole-body, low-impact exercising experience! You will get in shape, meet fun and energetic people, enjoy Winnipeg nature at its best, and have the opportunity to travel to various regattas to race in both Canada and the United States.
The program is split into two seasons each year. The fall session runs from the beginning of September to whenever the river freezes, usually late October or the beginning of November. A spring session then starts up when the river thaws, usually mid- April, and goes until June. Practices run both in the mornings and in the evenings. Scheduling is flexible, and members can attend as many or as few sessions as they can fit into their schedules.
Enthusiastic coaches are always nearby to give members tips on improving their technique and rowing skills. Coaches and fellow rowers will be there to push new members to their physical and mental limits.
The fall season has already begun, and some UMRC athletes already got a chance to test test their competitive abilities at the Two Rivers Regatta here in Winnipeg on Sept. 16, with great results. Other focuses for the upcoming season include the Head of the Mississippi Regatta in Minneapolis, Minn. in mid-October, as well as the Canadian University Rowing Championships in St. Catherines, Ont. at the beginning of November.
If you think that rowing is a calling that you are interested in, new members are always welcome to get more information or even come down to try it themselves. Simply email Julian Araneta or coach Steve Taylor at universityrc@gmail.com, or take a look at the UMRC website at www.umanitoba.ca/student/groups/ umrowing/UMRProgram.
