Racing in the same boat on the waters of Tokyo at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games — that’s where Maxwell and Aaron Lattimer aim to be.
The brothers and University of BC students are two of Canada’s up-and-coming rowers who had a busy summer representing their country.
At 21, Maxwell is already a member of the senior national team and made his debut at the World Championships in Amsterdam last month. He has put his university studies on hold and left for London, ON where he will train full-time as a carded athlete.
It’s the start of a journey leading up to next year’s Worlds which serve as a qualifier for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. The young Canadian crew is currently ranked 13th which is already good enough to get them to Rio de Janeiro. Hard work over the next 11 months should only improve their position.
Not far behind him is Aaron.
The 18-year-old is fresh off competing for Canada at the International University Sports Federation (FISU) regatta in France two weekends ago. He is now preparing for the upcoming CIS and national championships and is in an excellent position to be participating in next year’s U23 Worlds.
Six years from now, the Lattimers could be in the prime of their rowing careers. They have already raced together, winning gold for B.C. in lightweight fours at last year’s Canada Summer Games in Quebec.
“I’ve always been known as Maxwell’s little brother,” laughed Aaron. “It’s going to be a change not having him here this fall, but I know he is out there chasing his dream. I hope to get the same opportunity as well. It’s great motivation for me to see what he has done.
“After Rio, when he is back home, we will probably be rowing together. For both of us to be there (at the 2020 Games) would be amazing.”
The Lattimers got introduced to rowing as two of five brothers coming through Vancouver College. The sport has a rich history at the Catholic school and annually is a major force at the Canadian Secondary Rowing Championships.
It was during Maxwell’s Grade 11 year that he was targeted to be a member of Team B.C. He was invited to training camps overseen by 2008 Olympic gold medalist Ben Rutledge.
“He was a very committed coach who will go out of his way when he sees an athlete’s potential,” explained Maxwell. “That time with Team B.C. was really influential in my career. It was my first taste of high performance rowing with a great coach.”
Intrigued with the idea of leaving home for school, Maxwell enrolled at the University of Western Ontario which also has an excellent rowing program. However, it wasn’t long before he wished he was back on B.C. waters. He spent just one year at the London school before transferring to UBC. Under coach Mike Pierce, the Thunderbirds have a world class training facility — the John MS Lecky UBC Boathouse on the Fraser River in Richmond.
“I missed being in Vancouver but going away still was great,” continued Maxwell. “It brought up my maturity level, and it taught me to row on my own. From that standpoint, it really tested me if I wanted to keep doing this.”
Soon after returning home, he was successful at trials for the national U23 team. It resulted in a hectic summer of 2013. Maxwell went right from the U23 Worlds in Austria to joining Team B.C. for the Canada Games. It was then off to training camp for his first season with the UBC rowing team. “I actually got hurt just from that volume of rowing,” he said. “It was crazy.”
He and the rest of his crew will be working back east over the next several months with longtime Canadian coach Al Morrow. They will be training alongside the women’s eight that won silver at worlds. The national team commitment means his studies towards a degree in biology will be on hold for now.
“This summer was the turning point for me,” Maxwell added. “I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. If I was still on the U23 team, I would be going back to school. But making the senior team and what that level has in store is just too good of an opportunity to pass up. I’m going to be putting my head down and going for Rio. It’s a chance you just can’t let slide by.”
Like his brother, Aaron is ahead of schedule in his development. Rowing for B.C. at the 2013 Canada Games as a 17-year-old last summer was an impressive feat in itself, never mind reaching the podium too. The Games were a U21 competition.
He is focused in on school right now as he works towards a commerce degree in UBC’s Sauder School of Business.
The trip to France gave him a taste of what is to come. The Canadian crew, that also featured UBC teammate Angus Todd and a couple of Ontario rowers, was put together for the competition.
“You definitely learned from the other countries that have been there before,” said Aaron. “All you can do is focus on being the best you can be. We didn’t have a great start but made the ‘B’ final and won it. We were happy with the performance, and it was a great experience for the next step in our careers.”
