Burnaby Lake master rowers competed at the 2012 Northwest masters' regional championships in Klamath Falls on the weekend of June 15 and 17.
The regatta is the premier event for masters' rowers in Western United States and Canada. Crews from Vancouver and Victoria attended the regatta to test their mettle with many U.S. crews from all over the West Coast and farther inland. Masters competitions split into age classes from as young as 21 (AA) to athletes 70 years and older. A rower can start in their own age class and also test their competitiveness in any of the younger age classes.
First-year rower Carol Shpak competed in the novice single scull for the Burnaby Lake Rowing Club and came home with a silver medal.
Jim Gardiner, who not only is a very strong rower but also head coach of the Simon Fraser University rowing team, competed in the single in age classes C, B, and AA. After winning gold in his own age class (43-plus), Gardiner also outrowed the younger competitors in B and even scored a silver medal against the youngsters in the AA class.
In addition to the single races, Gardiner combined with Matthias Uhlenbruck to win both the men's C double sculsl as well as the B double.
Uhlenbruck combined with wife Leslie in the mixed D (50-plus) and B (36-plus) doubles in two exciting, come-from-behind races to claim silver and bronze medals, respectively.
Leslie Uhlenbruck won a pair of silver medals against a strong headwind in the D and C lightweight women's singles.
The Burnaby Lake masters rowers left their mark on the regatta, winning medals in all of the 10 events they entered.
Next up for BLRC are the B.C. championships for junior, open, and masters rowers on Elk Lake in Victoria from July 6 to 8.
The club will also play host to the 2012 Cascadia Masters championship regatta on Burnaby Lake on July 21 and 22. Spectators are welcome.
