The CSSRA regatta which takes place annually in St. Catharine’s Ontario is the championship scholastic regatta for Canadian youth under 19 which includes secondary school students from across Canada and the United States as well as CEGEP students in Quebec.

The CSSRA Regatta perennially represents the culmination of the rowing year for all of our rowers who are eligible to compete. For some, it is the competition that represents the culmination of their entire rowing career at Dawson.

Ten athletes (5 girls and 5 boys) competed at this year’s event. A smaller group than usual but just as committed and focused. Luckily we did not have a repeat of last year’s disastrous weather which significantly altered the competition process.

Of the six boats we registered, two moved on to the semi-finals, which is extremely respectable. The two that moved forward are in the most competitive/difficult races: the Senior Men Double (Justin Shoubridge and Sam Carmel) and Senior Women Single (Sarah Williams). To give a little context, our student-athletes have been rowing for as little as 12 – 18 months and are holding their own against some of the top rowing schools in Canada and the U.S. whose athletes have been training for 4-5 years.

As has become the norm, this event was the result of the efforts of not only the competitors but also parent volunteers who helped with food purchases and cooking, and all team members who were responsible for boat preparation and transportation.