More than 50 rowers teamed together for the annual Nelson Sprints regatta hosted by the Nelson Rowing Club today.
Athletes from Coeur d’Alene, Kelowna, Cranbrook, Vernon, Shuswap and Surrey pulled their way across the 1,000m course in a series of 17 races.
Boats lined up at the start opposite the Prestige Lakeside Resort with the help of referees like Nelson’s Kurt Edmunds and Debbie Sage of Mill Bay.
The men’s quad was a tight race with Nelson rowers Dom Preney, Aaron Beck, Steve Knight and Jim Grant taking first in a time of 04:17.92 with Shuswap and Kelowna second and third respectively.
Nelson rowers Dom Preney, Aaron Beck, Steve Knight and Jim Grant pulling hard during the Men's quad event. They placed first ahead of crews from Shuswap and Kelowna. Tamara Hynd photo.
Regatta chair Kim Shea said the Nelson crew suffered a technical difficulty early in the race setting them back but in the end came out a sliver ahead of the competition making it an exciting race to watch from the shores of Lakeside Park.
“The weather was a blessing on race day and we had lots of positive feedback from our event,” said Shea.
While the calm waters made for a perfect race conditions, rowers still faced the challenge of faring the wakes of other recreational users who seemed oblivious to the race course. Nelson Search and Rescue assisted by redirecting motor boats pulling water skiers, a sail boat and even a tug boat delivering a new dock to a North Shore property, around the route.
Nelson Sprints regatta results for Nelson Rowing Club
Nelson’s Dominique Preney was first in the masters men’s Single (MM1X), beating competitors from Shuswap and Coeur d’Alene. 1st Preney (Nelson) 4:29.15, 2nd Miege (Shuswap) 4:36.27, 3rd Anderson (Coeur d’Alene) 4:47.59.
Nelson’s Jim Grant was second in the open men’s single behind a Kelowna rower. 1st Chris H. (Kelowna) 4:29.39, 2nd Grant (Nelson) 4:46.86, 3rd Thurgood (Coeur d’Alene) 5:03.06.
Nelson rower Sophie de Pauw combined with a rower from Vernon for third place in the women’s double (MW2X). 1st Leslie (Kelowna) 4:32.96, 2nd Sandy G. (Kelowna) 4:39.40, 3rd O’Gorman plus De Pauw (Vernon and Nelson) 4:48.20.
Kim Shea and Dom Preney of Nelson were second in the mixed double (MMix2X). 1st Surrey 4:46.78, 2nd Shea and Preney (Nelson) 4:50.84, 3rd Coeur d’Alene 5:07.34.
Nelson was second in the mix quad race behind Shuswap. 1st Shuswap 4:04.21, 2nd Nelson 4:07.10, 3rd a composite team of Surrey, Vernon and Kelowna 4:21.55.
The Nelson men’s quad took first in an exciting race where they came from behind to beat Kelowna and Shuswap. 1st Nelson 4:17.92, 2nd Shuswap 4:20.47, 3rd Kelowna 4:24.83.
Women's single event. Tamara Hynd photo
