SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 83 (NORTH OKANAGAN-SHUSWAP)
Salmon Arm Secondary Rowers on the Podium

Four rowers from Salmon Arm Secondary attended the Delta Deas Scholastic Regatta on May 25 and 26, earning four podium finishes. The regatta, held at Deas Island Park, featured 271 entries from 13 clubs, including teams from the Lower Mainland, Vernon, Kelowna, and Salmon Arm.

On the first day of racing, the men competed in crew races while them women participated in single scull races. Aida Mills delivered a stellar performance to win the women's single sculls competition. Teammate Heidi Miege had a strong come-from-behind race to finish third in the women's single sculls B final. The women's single scull event was one of the most highly contested of the 35 events in the regatta. Ian VanBergeyk and Gerrit Hickman rowed to a fifth-place finish in their men's double sculls heat but unfortunately did not qualify for the final.

Not to be outdone though, they formed a composite crew with Jonas and Peter Masys of the Vernon Rowing Club, achieving an impressive second-place finish in the men's quadruple sculls event.  This was an amazing performance with VanBergeyk setting a blistering pace from the stroke seat, while Hickman provided the power down in the engine room in the middle of the boat.

The athletes braved rainy and windy conditions on the second day of racing. VanBergeyk placed a solid fourth in his men's single scull heat. Mills and Miege won their women's double sculls heat and went on to finish third in the final. They also formed a composite quadruple sculls crew with Kiersten Bereska of Kelowna, and Amy Milne from Vernon. This powerhouse crew rowed through their competition to claim the top prize in the women's quad final.

Mills, Miege, and Bereska are all part of the BC Championship quad sculls crew from 2023, and results from this weekend show they are ready to defend their title for 2024. The SAS rowers are looking forward to their next competition, the Lap the Lake regatta held on Swan Lake in Vernon on June 15.