(VERSION FRANÇAISE SUIT)
OTTAWA — Jacob Lofaro of Grimsby, Ont., Patrice Légaré of Montreal and Ayoub Sabri of Morocco, each struck gold twice as the McGill University rowing team opened their fall season with a strong showing at the 51st annual Head of the Rideau regatta, Sunday, at Mooney’s Bay Beach in the nation’s capital. The McGill crew earned podium finishes across multiple events and captured the Kandahar Trophy, awarded to the university that accumulates the most points across all events at the competition.
Lofaro and Légaré, both 22-year-old engineering seniors, teamed up to win the men’s varsity double, completing the three-kilometre course in 20 minutes, 20.79 seconds. They defeated second-place Clarkson University, an NCAA school that was clocked in 20:22.84.
The McGillian duo then hooked up with Sabri to helped guide the men’s varsity eight to victory in 18:03.34, easily outdistancing second-place Trent (19:05.05). Joining the trio on that boat was Zoe Halstead (coxie) of Madison, Wis., Taivan Everett of Berkeley, Calif., Cole Allen of St. Lambert, Que., and Samuel Strong of London, England, along with a pair of veterans from Vancouver, B.C., Markus Maile and Edison Luke.
Sabri, a 20-year-old honours senior in math and computer science, collected his second gold medal of the weekend in the men’s varsity single. He crossed the finish line in 21:38.76, to edge out teammate Edwin Luke (21:44.96).
On the women’s side, the McGill varsity eight shared the top of the podium with Trent University when both boats finished in a dead heat for first, clocking in at 20:24.44.
The women’s eight featured Varya Kataria (coxie) of Ottawa, Maria Fletcher of Vancouver, B.C., Kaelin Vasseur of New Haven, Conn., Emma Navela of Chanhassen, Minn., Lily Dinwoodie of Terrace, B.C., Naomi Fandrich of Fort Langley, B.C., Eloise Doesserich of Washington, D.C., Gillian Helliwell of Vancouver, B.C., and Kaitlin Puddy of Calgary, Alta.
The Rideau regatta marked the first of four competitions for McGill this fall. The team heads to Peterborough, Ont., on Oct. 4 for the Head of the Trent, followed by the OUA championships Oct. 25 in St. Catharines, Ont. The season will conclude on home waters when McGill hosts the Canadian University Rowing Association national championship at the Olympic Rowing basin, Nov. 1-2.
COMPLETE RESULTS
SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
CELL: 514-983-7012
E-MAIL:earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca