Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA) has announced its formidable roster comprising four crews and 22 elite rowers who will proudly represent Canada at the forthcoming international rowing events. With the stakes high and Olympic dreams in sight, Team Canada's rowers are gearing up to divide and conquer on the global stage.
Women’s Lightweight Double Crew to Kickstart Action at World Cup 1
Jill Moffatt and Jenny Casson, the dynamic duo of the Women’s Lightweight Double crew, are set to kickstart Canada’s campaign at World Cup 1 in Varese, Italy, scheduled from April 12-14. Fresh from their breakthrough performance at the 2023 World Rowing Championships in Belgrade, where they clinched fourth place and secured an Olympic berth for Paris 2024, Moffatt and Casson are eager to make waves once again.
“We are very excited to start our racing season,” Casson shared. “With limited international racing opportunities, it's thrilling to test our mettle against international competitors this early in the year. Racing in Europe against top-tier crews at the World Cup events offers us the perfect platform to fine-tune our skills and strategies for the Olympics.”
Star-Studded Women’s Coxed Eight Crew Eyes World Cup 2 Glory
Following their stint in Varese, Jill and Jenny will be joined by the Women’s Coxed Eight crew at World Cup 2 in Lucerne, Switzerland, from May 24-26. This star-studded lineup boasts four athletes from the gold medal-winning boat at Tokyo 2020, including Avalon Wasteneys, Kasia Gruchalla-Wesierski, Sydney Payne, and coxswain Kristen Kit.
“Racing is my favourite time of the year, and we are very excited to hit the start line,” expressed Gruchalla-Wesierski. “After putting in some solid work over the past few weeks, we are eager to fine-tune our performance in the lead-up to our European tour.”
Tokyo Olympians Return to Big Boat Action
Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Caileigh Filmer is set to make a splash in big boat action once again, following her podium finish in the Women’s Pair alongside Hillary Janssens. Reflecting on her Olympic journey, Filmer shared, “Returning to the big boat after focusing on the pair for so long feels different. But it's part of the reason I returned to rowing—to help Canada clinch gold this summer. My Olympic debut in Rio at 19 fuels my ambition to rewrite history with years of experience under my belt.”
Joining Filmer in the lineup are Tokyo Olympians Kristina Walker and Jessica Sevick, along with 2023 Pan Am gold medallist Abby Dent and rising star Maya Meschkuleit.
Road to Paris: Training and Final Roster Decisions
Both the Women’s Eight and Women’s Lightweight Double crews will return to Canada post their World Cup campaigns for rigorous training sessions in the lead-up to Paris. RCA will further evaluate the performances to finalize the roster and nomination of the Women’s Olympic Eight, ensuring Canada fields its best foot forward in pursuit of Olympic glory.
With an impressive lineup brimming with talent, experience, and determination, Team Canada rowers are poised to make their mark at the upcoming international rowing events, setting the stage for an exhilarating journey towards Paris 2024.