The 47th annual Maple Bay Regatta took to Quamichan Lake April 12-13 with more than 300 entries and 12 clubs represented in the two-day competition.
"The event was bigger and better than ever before, with more teams, clubs, athletes and races than ever, and this year featured the province's first junior para-athlete racing events," said Maple Bay head coach Andrew Rae. "With blue skies and flat water, the event delivered some of the best junior racing opportunities and experiences both locally and across the province."
The host Maple Bay Rowing Club had 17 entries and were joined by Brentwood College School with 34 entries and Shawnigan Lake School with 22 entries.
Other participating clubs included Claremont Sports Institute, St. Michael's University School, Victoria City Rowing Club, and the Nanaimo Rowing Club from Vancouver Island, the Delta Deas Rowing Club, Salt Spring Island Rowing Club, Vancouver Rowing Club, Richmond's Thunder Rowing Crew, and St. George's School from Vancouver.
The heats and finals were hotly contested with MBRC athlete Atticus Scally racing to gold in the new U19 Mens PR3 category, and Dominique Mora from Vancouver Rowing Club taking the gold in the U19 Mens PR2 category.
Other MBRC highlights of the weekend included Ava Roe coming second in the U19 Womens 1x, and Hunter Nickerson and Nathan Irvine coming second in the U17 Mens 2x.
"The Maple Bay Regatta is proud to support all levels of junior rowing racing for athletes, from novice rowers to championship 8+ and everything in between," Rae said. "The regatta is a 100 per cent volunteer-run effort and would not be possible without the amazing help from all of our volunteers, as well as the hard work of the organizing committee."
Rae said regatta organizers hope to continue to grow the event in size and opportunity for 2026.
"In the meantime, the junior athletes of Maple Bay Rowing Club are focused on the remaining racing season, including the upcoming Brentwood Regatta, Shawnigan Lake Regatta, and the B.C. Championships Regatta in July, and Royal Canadian Henley Regatta in St .Catherines, Ont. in August."
Brentwood College School's 34 crews fared well with gold in each of the U17 and U19 men's and women's 8+ races, as well as the U19 men's 4+, the U19 men's 2-, and the U15 women's 4x+. BCS Crews were second in the men's and women's U19 and U19 4+ races, the U19 men's novice 8+, and both the U17 men's and women's 4+.
Shawnigan Lake School were first in the U18 women's novice 2x, U19 men's 2x, second in the U19 men's 4x-, the U17 men's 4x+, and the U15 men's 4x-, and third in the U19 women's 8+, the U17 women's 4+, and the U19 women's 4x-.
"We're happy as we start off the season and think we have some more speed to find," said Shawnigan Lake School head of rowing Jennifer Parfitt. The coach said her group is excited with the number of podium finished it had and is looking forward to the upcoming 53rd annual Brentwood International Regatta coming up April 25-27.
"Most of these crews will also compete there," Parfitt said. "We might make a few changes and a few additions but we're really looking forward to it."
