Jul
24
Written by:
News Editor
Saturday, July 24, 2010 12:30 PM
By Matthew Claxton
The two girls in the orange Fraser River-Delta jerseys are screaming their lungs out to encourage the blue-clad Fraser Valley rowers as the mixed quad event nears the finish line on the Bedford Channel.
Alyssa Hermann and Kendra Pedersen have already competed in their main event, the girls double, on Saturday morning. They came in fourth.
“We’re pleased with what we got,” said Kendra, adding that they pulled as hard as they could through the course.
But now that the finals in mixed quad – two male and two female rowers in each shell, along with a coxswain – they’re cheering for their friends in the light blue.
Pedersen and Hermann train in the Deas Slough, as do some of the rowers from White Rock and Surrey.
Although they train together all year long, the zone boundaries have now put them on opposing teams.
That doesn’t mean they can’t cheer one another on, however.
Despite the shouts of encouragement, Fraser Valley had to settle for silver in the mixed quad event, defeated by a powerhouse Vancouver Island team. The greenclad Zone 6 teams have been a powerful force in rowing events this weekend.
Aside from the competition, both girls are enjoying their games.
“We’ve made a lot of friends with the different rowers,” Pedersen said.
Hermann and Pedersen are hoping they have a chance to win something in Sunday’s skills competition, however. The skills chosen, including figure eight, are ones they’re strong in.
“I think we have a pretty good shot at that,” said Hermann.
The 15-year-olds say they’ve enjoyed both the competition so far and the course itself.
“It’s nice and straight, and I like the buoys,” said Hermann.
They both noted that rowers here want to be on the inside lane, closest to Fort Langley’s shoreline. Because the racing lanes are diagonal, rowers on the inside can see their competitors. Those on the outside can’t see their opponents, and have less indication of how close they are.