News Archive
Shawnigan Regatta 2022
The weekend of May 13-15 marked the first Shawnigan Regatta since 2019, and as hundreds of athletes from around the province gathered, the anticipation to get on the water could be felt by all. As is often the case, the regatta was disrupted by wind and rain; the extreme weather, however, certainly didn’t dampen the rowers’ spirits! The weather may have put their patience and their abilities to the test, but they persevered through it, exhibiting great passion and determination. Weather aside, the weekend was a tremendous success, with rowers gaining experience on the water, (re)discovering their love of the sport, and making lasting memories.
Based out of West Shawnigan Lake Provincial Park, the site was prepared for the 18 participating schools and clubs – comprising over 450 crews and over 600 athletes – by a dedicated group of volunteers who worked hard to provide a smooth arrival and check-in experience. The regatta itself was choreographed by one of Shawnigan’s rowing coaches, Paul Hawksworth, with tireless support from all of our rowing coaches, who spent the full three days of the regatta either on the water, coordinating volunteers, managing the site, or coaching our crews. Pulling off an event like this is no easy feat, and the School community took the opportunity to shine as dozens of staff, coaches, parents and students volunteered their time to pull off another memorable regatta.
Our rowers had a strong showing at the regatta with over 60 entries, and the results were a true indication of the hard work and dedication they have put in this year. Shawnigan’s rowing program is composed of athletes in Grades 8-12 who range from novice to five-year veterans, and it is events like these that instill perseverance, strengthen a love of the sport, and provide a greater understanding of teamwork. The regatta is an important part of the spring racing circuit for all high school rowers and is the perfect stepping stone for those athletes gearing up for the national championships in a few weeks’ time. Congratulations to the following crews for earning top-three placements in their events, and to all of our athletes for a great weekend of racing! Our girls captured four third-place finishes in the U17 JV 4+, U19 JV 4+, U19 Lightweight 4+ and U19 4+ categories, and three second-place finishes in U17 JV 4+, U17 2x, and U19 8+ categories. The boys also had strong results capturing three third-place finishes in the U17 JV 4+, U17 8+ and U19 8+ categories, second-place finishes for the U19 1x and U19 4x and one gold medal win for our U19 JV 4+ crew! It is a joy to see Shawnigan’s strong rowing tradition carried on after the pandemic hiatus.
Next up for our top rowers is the Canadian Secondary Schools Rowing Championships in St. Catharines, Ontario, taking place from June 3-5. We wish all of our participating athletes the best of luck as they make their final preparations for this important event, which will see them competing against the top high school rowers in the country!
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
