The Kraken Erg: Brentwood’s Indoor Regatta

22 February 2023Novella R, Hope ‘25; Photo by Thomas F, Ellis '24

For the last 20 years, The Monster Erg was hosted at the University of Victoria. However, this year, Brentwood has taken over and the extravaganza is now known as the Kraken Erg: Brentwood Indoor Regatta. On February 5th, 300 athletes competed in a series of events pushing themselves to, or beyond, their physical and mental capacity.

For many rowers, this event was their first of the racing season. Mr David Calder, Head of Rowing, explained, “It gets challenging when it’s too dark to row in the morning or at night, and you are at work or classes in the middle of the day. The Kraken gives athletes, young and old, a goal to work towards in November, December, and January.” The event consisted of 2k, 1k, and 500m races.

Here the rowing community came together and shared the ability to persevere and stay motivated through a long, painful race where they put all their previous hours of training to the test. A large crowd, filled with parents, teammates, coaches, and members of the National Rowing Team, added pressure and adrenaline. In the midst of the 2k, an extra rush of adrenaline can cause rowers to fly and die, meaning they go hard off the start but then run out of energy. Despite this, each competitor persevered and kept fighting to finish the race.

The Kraken Erg also brought the Brentwood community together. At every race, from the U15 1ks to the U17 and U19 2ks, the Rowing team was behind the ergs cheering and supporting their teammates. Ms Spencer Manton remarked, “I think that what I find so amazing about Brentwood is when an idea comes to life, every department in school steps in, which you don’t always see at other schools.” Likewise, Mr Calder added, “I felt like everybody was committed to the Kraken being a success. The rowing program, the coaches, the athletes, Mr Langer, and the Operations Team.” Ms Manton explained, “It is not just a rowing event. It is a whole-campus effort. Like the Brentwood Regatta, it is amazing how the campus comes together and how people are so selfless on campus. It is a “Yes” campus, always.” Seeing the event come together “felt amazing”. The event “really showcased the Brentwood rowing program, Brentwood Athletics, and Brentwood as a school” stated Mr Calder. “I liked how the event was set up. It ran smoothly and had a really nice flow” observed Marcus H, Privett ‘25.

At the end of the regatta, there were three 4x500m relays in which the houses competed to earn Interhouse points. Alongside Victoria City Rowing Club and BC NextGen Performance Center, Brentwood students competed in a Men’s, Women’s, and Mixed relay representing their houses.

Interhouse erging allowed non-rowers to connect with the sport on a new level as they were able to compete in a regatta. The teams consisted of a variety of rowers and other athletes stepping up to sprint. The gym roared with cracking voices and competitive shouts as they cheered on the relays bringing up the energy and adrenaline in the audience and competitors. “I enjoyed the Interhouse being part of the regatta” observed William H, Ellis ‘25.

The Kraken Erg brought the Brentwood community together to contribute to making the event such a success. It also brought athletes from different clubs together to push and motivate each other. As a first competition for many Brentwood rowers, it showed them the culture of regattas and how it will feel racing other crews in the spring.

Novella R, Hope ‘25

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