New at the Laval Rowing Club!

By Daniel Aucoin
Translation: Jim Wiggins

Alexandre Richard wins Quebec's first rowing skills event

Laval native, Alexandre Richard won the Men's Single at la Rencontre Amicale des Jeunes du Club d’aviron de Laval. It's a new thing in Quebec -- a competition which combines a skills event with a conventional straight line race. Richard rowed his skill section in 4 :02,70 minutes and his straight race in 2 :28,07 minutes for a total of 6 :30,77 minutes.

Twenty-five young athletes competed in singles, doubles and quadruples sculls. "Skills events are new, but are becoming very popular in Canada," said Daniel Aucoin, Manager of Club d’aviron de Laval. "Better known in Europe, skills regattas are fun for the athletes, but teach important lessons in boatmanship at the same time since kids have to row, stop, turn, backrow, etc. "

CAL filmed one skills contest which can be seen on Youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SqyqzZBhxY

The SogoActive Philosophy:
For the second year in a row Laval Rowing Club benefitted from the support of SogoActive for this friendly competition. "I had very little to do with the organization of the day," said Mr. Aucoin. "The work was done by young trainers and athletes who set two race courses up. This included putting a lot of buoys in the water -- a difficult task." Young organizers, aged 13 to 19 years, put the Sogo Active philosophy into practice: Pour les jeunes, par les jeunes.

The Laval Rowing Club is a non-profit organization that has offered competitive and recreational rowing activities on Riviere des Prairies since 1956. Laval Rowing Club appreciates the support of: la Ville de Laval; MNA of Chomedey, M. Guy Ouellette; la Caisse Desjardins de Chomedey and Boston Pizza du Centropolis.
For more information on the club and it programs, please visit the club web site at: www.avironlaval.com.