The Trent Excalibur Rowing team delivered an impressive performance at the prestigious Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta in Pennsauken, New Jersey on May 10 and 11, returning with two gold medals, one bronze, and a series of impressive finishes against a field of international competitors.
The three-day event featured 288 entries across 61 rowing clubs and is the largest collegiate regatta in the United States. The Excalibur team rose to the occasion, with all varsity boats advancing to the A Finals, and both novice crews qualifying for B Finals during Friday's time trials and semifinals.
Left to Right: Excalibur Rowing coaches Ugette Vanderpost and Brianna Tombs, Tess Friar, varsity rower and Ken Shaw Jr., ambassador for the Dad Vail Regatta Organizing Committee
"Our athletes were given an experience unlike anything we have for university rowing competitions in Canada," said Ugette Vanderpost 89, varsity rowing coach. "It was a lot of planning, training and driving paired with tremendous resilience against strong winds. I couldn't be prouder of these athletes and coaches. It was an honour to be part of this team's journey."
Trent was one of three Canadian universities competing in this year's event, and the only institution of which to medal. The Excalibur finished second overall in the women's sculling championship, narrowly missing first place by just three points.
Trent Excalibur rowing full team results are as follows:
Gold medals:
- Women's Single (1x): Tess Friar - 8:20 finish (25 seconds ahead of second place)
- Women's Quadruple Sculls (4x): Tess Friar, Emilie Mirfield, Kendall Rose, and Hannah Kavanagh - 7:16 finish (25 seconds ahead of the next shell)
Bronze medals:
- Women's Double (2x): Caitlyn Cox and Lillian Terpstra - 8:28 finish
Additional standout performances:
- 5th Place - Men's Double (2x): Jessy Kenny and Luke Sullivan
- 5th Place - Women's Novice Coxed Four (WF/N 4+): Sam Moss, Danie Green, Elly Hutt, Rebecca Davis, and Daniella Rodrigus
- 5th Place - Men's Novice Coxed Four (Novice 4+ racing in Varsity 4+ event): Gus Suddard, Joseff Zwetko-Neher, Braydon Walsh, Sam Farrer (with Hannah Kavanagh substituting as cox in finals).
The success of the Trent Excalibur Rowing team at Dad Vail Regatta is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the athletes, coaches, and the entire Trent rowing community. Competing against top collegiate programs from the United States, the team showcased not only their skill and endurance but also their ability to rise to the occasion under challenging conditions.
Among the standout athletes was Tess Friar, a student in Trent's Nursing program, who played a pivotal role in securing two gold medals. As a key contributor to the women's single and women's quadruple sculls victories, Friar's determination and commitment were evident throughout the regatta.
"This season has been an incredible journey, from winning gold across the OUA season to defending our OUA title and then representing Trent on the international stage at the Dad Vail Regatta," said Friar. "Racing at Dad Vail is a completely different challenge. The level of competition pushes you in new ways and winning the women's varsity single and the quad this year felt like the perfect culmination of all the hard work. The support around me made it even more meaningful, our amazing coaches and teammates who bring their best every day. I'm proud to represent Trent, and even prouder to be part of a team that continues to raise the bar."
The team was guided by an accomplished group of volunteer coaches, including Brianna Tombs 18, Kate Mackenzie, Mike Vanderpost 89, and Ugette Vanderpost
