Our junior rowers among the best

Jean Konda-Witte - Staff reporter

They may be only four in members but the Fraser Valley junior rowing club is mighty on talent.

The brother-sister trio of Andrew and twins Michael and Nicole Fox of Abbotsford and Jessica Knight of Chilliwack have made their mark on the rowing circuit this fall.

They will also be competing in a dry-land competition, the Beat the Beast [Provincial Indoor Erg Championships] in January, where competitors from various rowing clubs will race each other on rowing machines.

"They've had quite a stepping-stone year," said their coach Kerri Leeper, a former rower with the University College of the Fraser Valley.

Her young charges have successfully made the jump from novice rowers to competitive rowers in just one short year.

It all boils down to work ethic, she said of her tight-knit group.

"They are very committed to never missing a practice. You can't ask for anything more as a coach. They give so much."

Andrew and Jessica, both 16, will be racing in the junior B division, and twins Michael and Nicole, 13, are in the junior C.

As a small team, Leeper said there is a real connection between them, and they trade off pairing with each other in various races.

In the Rowing Pacific Northwest Challenge Regatta this fall, Andrew, Michael, Nicole and Jessica were the only juniors in the quad [4X] race and had a very competitive time and beat out many of the adult boats.

Andrew and Jessica also placed third in the mixed junior doubles.

In the recent Delta Derby, Andrew finished seventh, competing for the first time as a single.

Twins Michael and Nicole finished first in the junior C doubles, Andrew and Jessica placed seventh in junior C doubles, the four placed third in the junior B quad, and Jessica and Nicole combined with two Delta Deas rowers to take first place in the junior C girls quad.

Racers are categorized according to ages: junior A [17-18 years], junior B [15-16] and junior C [13-14].

The Fox siblings have only been rowing for a year and a half, and their mom, Leanne recalls 'dragging them' [Michael's words, not hers] down to the rowing club on the Sumas Canal to check it out. The three attend Abbotsford Virtual School at Philip Sheffield, and Leanne had heard about rowing from one of the teachers.

"The first time they went down, there were university students rowing and they thought it was cool," she recalled.

So they decided to give it a try. They all seem to get something different out of it, she said. Nicole likes being outdoors and on the water. Michael loves the races.

"He was ecstatic," she said, remembering vividly how he punched the air after finishing first with Nicole in the Delta Derby doubles.

Andrew likes the consistency of it, and the versatility, said Leanne.

"They all learn in their own different way," she added.

Over the summer, the junior rowers practiced four times a week, in addition to taking part in regattas [races]. When not competing, the practice schedule winds down, with three a week in the fall and spring and once a week in the winter months.

"They are totally committed and have a lot of fun," said Leanne. "They've developed great friendships between the four of them."

Rowing can be an individual as well as a group sport and is recreational, as well as competitive.

For those interested in training to compete, there are two different types of races: head races and sprints.

While the sprint is a straight shot of 2,000 metres, with all competitors taking off at once, a head race is a longer distance race that sees competitors start one after another in delayed starts down a circular course.

They negotiate turns, bridges and buoys in an effort to pass crews that started before them.

The results are based on times.

The Abbotsford Rowing Club will be hosting an open house at the club site on the Sumas Canal in the spring, as well as having Learn to Row sessions. Young and old are encouraged to come out and give it a try.

The minimum age for junior club members is 13 and they can be a member until age 18.

There is no age limit for adults.

For more information about the sport, the Fraser Valley junior rowing club, and to check on upcoming events, visit the website at www.fraservalleyrowingclub.com.

published on 12/26/2006