A Year of Brentwood Rowing Begins

13 November 2026Luca C, Ellis '28

As both new and returning students get back to work, our rowers have started to train for competitions that await them later in the year.

With the beautiful Saanich Inlet right outside of our school, Brentwood rowers have an amazing opportunity to immerse themselves in a world-class athletic program. New students, first stepping into a shell and getting a feel for the sport, and returning students who are coming back for another year, will both learn and develop new skills while working hard as a team to become stronger, faster and more confident rowers.

This year’s rowing program kicked off when Brentwood Senior Boys’ and Girls’ eights travelled to Boston, Massachusetts, to compete in the Head of the Charles Regatta, which is one of the world’s most celebrated rowing competitions. This event drew rowing schools and clubs from around the globe. Both teams delivered an outstanding performance, with the boys placing 13th out of 85 boats and the girls finishing 23rd.

A week later, Mr Calder delivered his TEDx talk on the 24th of October. He talked about his Olympic rowing journey: “I may not be an Olympic gold medalist, but I know that I am an Olympic champion.” His story is inspiring as it shows that anyone can succeed through hard work and many attempts: “My failed attempts and setbacks became lessons and my greatest strengths.”

October also saw Brentwood welcome the Green Lake rowing team from Seattle for their annual training camp. This allowed both Brentwood rowers and our guests to exchange their experiences and create new friendships.

Halloween saw dozens of rowers at the Frostbite Regatta in Green Lake, followed by the Head of the Lake in Seattle, Washington.

With the winter season around the corner, rowers will continue preparing and training for upcoming competitions, so stay tuned for one of Brentwood’s most exciting competitive programs!

Brentwood on three!

Luca C, Ellis ‘29

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