Rowers from throughout the Maritimes raced their way across Fredericton on the St. John River in the Head of 4 Bridges Regatta on Saturday.
The race, now in its 12th year, gets its name from the large obstacles rowers have to maneuver through which connect the north and south sides of New Brunswick’s capital.
Three races were held with around 130 rowers of all ages competing.
A 4-km race and a pair of 2-km races with staggered starts took up the majority of the morning.
Regatta chair Krista Steeves says the format makes for a very exciting day.
“You always have somebody racing down the river, you’re not waiting for the next heat,” she explained. “So there’s always somebody racing in a flight.”
Steeves says too many Canadians rowing might not register as highly as it should.
In 1867, a group of four Canadian rowers shocked the world when they bested the London Rowing Club at the World Rowing Championship in Paris.
To honour the country’s first international sports champions, the host club paid homage to the Paris International Exhibition race that put the unlikely winners in the record books.
“The Fredericton Rowing Club partnered with the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame and we did a re-enactment race,” she explained. “So many of the rowers here today were involved in that.”
Seventeen-year-old Tim Lawrence of the Kennebecasis Rowing Club completed both distances on the day.
Recently, he gained experience on the national stage when he competed in the Canada Games.
The Regatta was another opportunity for him to test his skills before taking on the best in the country.
“Recently, I’ve been training in the single for the National Rowing Championships which will be in November in B.C.,” he said.
“Right now, I’m training about eight times a week,” he explained. “So it’s a big part of my life, you know.”
Lawrence is excited to compete on the West Coast but says rowing at home is always a thrill.
“It’s really nice,” he said. “All these people come and support our provincial rowing clubs… It’s really great to be a part of.”