The Victoria City Rowing Club is proud to announce that the 50+ Women’s Senior Master Eights brought home a gold medal from the 2019 Head of the Charles regatta this weekend in Boston, MA.

The Head Of The Charles® Regatta is the world’s largest two-day rowing event. Today, more than 11,000 athletes from around the world compete in 55 different race events and attracts thousands of spectators.

Representing Victoria City Rowing Club; Jennifer Walinga, Kathleen Heddle, Jessica Monroe, Kay Worthington, Marnie McBean, Cheri Moore, Brenda Taylor, Kirsten Barnes and coxswain Jane Gumley, travelled to Boston to defend the title in the Women’s Senior Master Eights. All the women in this crew where part of the pool of athletes training and racing together in the era of the 1992 Olympic Games, where most of them earned a gold medal. With a growing group of former teammates rediscovering the joy of rowing the group also reunited with some of their international friends and 1992 rivals.

“Last year we enjoyed the thrill of racing from far back in the pack, passing several crews and navigating turns with tenacity. This year, we started first and the focus was pushing away and ahead, steering as tight a line as possible.” Commented Jenifer Walinga after the race. “With our expert Coxswain Jane Gumley hugging the buoys and pushing us hard out of every turn, we increased our margin gradually over the 4.8 km and held on to our #1 start position for another year.”

“From the moment we pushed off the dock, through the warm up and the race the crew was so focused in!” Said the coxswain Jane Gumley “Every time I asked for a bit more they responded with such enthusiasm and skill. It was our best row in Boston and truly an unforgettable day!”