Row Nova Scotia developing, promoting and growing the sport of rowing in Nova Scotia
Row Nova Scotia’s Provincial Rowing Team is back in province this week after an impressive performance at the National Rowing Championships (NRC’s) in Burnaby, BC, that took place from November 8-11, 2018. Seven rowers represented Nova Scotia this year against the finest rowers from across the country.
- Ben Walls (Halifax) – U23 Men’s Lightweight Single
- Claire Ellison (Halifax) – Junior Women’s Single
- Noel Balsor (Dartmouth) – Junior Men’s Pair
- Emerson Crick (Halifax) – Junior Men’s Pair
- Cody Bailey (St. Catharine’s, ON) – Senior Men’s Pair
- Jenna Pelham (Dartmouth) – Senior Women’s Lightweight Single
- Andrew Todd (Dartmouth) – PR3 Men’s Single
The small boat racing format – singles and pairs – gives a true assessment of the fastest rowers in the country. For many athletes, this regatta serves as a development opportunity on their path to represent Canada on the world stage.
Team Nova Scotia followed up a strong summer of results with four medals at the 2018 National Rowing Championships. Paralympian and 2018 World Champion, Andrew Todd, won the medal in the PR3 men’s single event and finished in the top quarter of the able-bodied open men’s single category. Noel Balsor improved on his bronze medal in the same event last year at the 2017 NRC’s, teaming up with Emerson Crick to claim a silver medal in the junior men’s pair event. Claire Ellison, who is fresh off representing Canada at the Junior World Rowing Championships this summer, rowed to a bronze medal in her junior women’s single event. Cody Bailey joined Jakub Buczek (BC) to capture the bronze medal in the very competitive senior men’s pair. Jenna Pelham narrowly missed the podium in the extremely deep and competitive senior women’s lightweight single event where she placed fourth. Finally, Ben Walls who is currently rowing at the University of Victoria competed in the U-23 men’s lightweight single event where he missed the podium but finished a solid third place in the Final C of the open men’s lightweight single racing.
“This is great showing from our athletes, and from provincial coach, Pat Cody,” notes Row NS President, Katie Edwards. “Pat’s work with the provincial team in the last few years is resulting in consistent podium finishes at national events – something that we have been building toward for several years. It is a testament to his diligent efforts that Nova Scotia is now training and racing some of the country’s top athletes, and we’re excited to see what the next phase brings.”
As the provincial rowing program continues to build momentum, the success of the athletes is pivotal to moving it forward. “This is our best performance ever at a National Championships and I attribute our success to the high quality of work our athletes have done,” says Provincial Coach, Patrick Cody. “Our athletes train very hard, have great values, and remain positive and supportive of each other, even under pressure.”
Row Nova Scotia’s competitive provincial program has a vision to provide the province’s best rowers and coaches with a pathway to excellence from local competition to the Olympic stage. The program creates and promotes high performance racing to its members with the tools and opportunities to be the best in Canada and the world.