The Delta Deas Rowing Club recently wrapped up a successful spring competitive season and it was a Richmond athlete leading the way.
DDRC hosted its 23rd annual Scholastic Regatta where nearly 400 athletes from 20 clubs across the province competed under ideal racing conditions on the Deas Slough. The DDRC juniors did well on the water with many advancing from heats to finals and seven individuals or crews placing in the top-three, highlighted by a convincing victory by Hilary Schaap in the girls lightweight singles event.
Making Schaap's achievement even more impressive was the local rower only took up rowing last September.
The excellent showing at the Scholastic Regatta was reflective of the outstanding success the club's rowers have achieved in this spring's sprint season.
It started at Lake Stevens, Washington where DDRC crews amassed eight top-three results including four first-place finishes, one second-place finish and three thirds. At the prestigious and highly competitive Brentwood College Regatta on Vancouver Island, the relatively small but mighty DDRC crews medalled in two women's and one men's event. Their winning ways continued at the Shawnigan Lake Regatta with two top-three finishes for both the men and women.
Schaap was in dominate form at Shawnigan Lake, winning her novice singles race by 20 boat lengths ahead of her nearest rival.
The Delta Deas team is now gearing up for the remaining regattas of the season which include the 2012 BC Summer Games (to be hosted at the DDRC boathouse), the B.C. Championships in Victoria, and the Canadian Henley in St. Catherines, ON.
The club's popular "Learn to Row" program for youth has just started up and is actively looking for enthusiastic high school students from Richmond, Vancouver, Delta and Surrey to join. Information about the club is is available at www.deltadeas.com or by calling 604-946-3074.
