History Made: 10 Golds & 2 Silvers at CSSRAs!
This season has been a long and successful one for Brentwood rowers and the coaches, old and new, of the club. The season capped off with a week at St. Catharine's, on Henley Island, for the annual Canadian Secondary School Rowing Association Regatta (CSSRAs), also known as Nationals. Fifty-four athletes competed in a range of events from the Junior Women's single to the Senior Men’s Eight, representing the dominance of the school at this event. Furthermore, it was the first time in history that both our Women and Men won the Efficiency Award, winning the most points per entry on both sides.
As a member of the Senior Women's eight and pair, I feel so lucky to be a part of such a hard-working group of girls who left a legacy on the program. As Head of Rowing, Mr Calder says, “Through the hard work and dedication of a small group of women, and a massive amount of history and support, Brentwood rowers made history by winning the Senior Women's 8+ at the 2025 CSSRA Regatta. For the first time in the school's 50-year history of competing in women's rowing, a Brentwood crew topped the podium in an event that proved elusive until now. In 2023, the team finished 3rd, and in 2024, the team finished 2nd by only a few feet. The entire Brentwood community celebrates this outstanding first-ever accomplishment.”
Mr Calder’s sentiment echoes my teammate, Chloé D, Alexandra ‘26, as she reflects on the weekend: “History equals made!” Despite remarkable results in winning both the Senior Women's 8+ and 2-, the squad faced significant setbacks only a week before the regatta. Stroke seat Isabel H, Mackenzie ‘25, got news of an unfortunate rib fracture inflicting unimaginable amounts of pain, and impacting the team’s training schedule. With a positive outlook on the situation, she stated, “A rip fracture a week before nationals was a minor setback for our senior eight, but we secured the gold, resulting in tears of joy!” As my coach, Mr Will Crothers, says, “We don’t rise to the occasion, we fall to the level of our preparation” reflecting the trust in each other and our training, assisting us in securing the gold!
Gold medals were also earned in the U19 Men’s 4+, U19 Mens 2-, U19 Women’s 8+, U19 Women’s 2-, U19 Novice Men’s 8+, U17 Mens 8+, U17 Mens 4+, U17 Men’s lwt 4+, U17 Women’s 8+, and U17 Women’s 4+. With an additional two silver medals in the U19 Men's 8+ and the U19 Novice Men's 4x+. Mr Calder declared, “2025 saw Brentwood's Rowing Program reach a new high at the National Championships. Never before has a Brentwood team won 10 gold medals at one championship. This success earned the team both the men's and women's national championship banners in the same year, another accomplishment that the storied program had not accomplished in its long history of attending the regatta. While 54 students traveled and competed, the entire team is 110 members strong. The accomplishments of the traveling team were backed by the strength of its numbers, and every single member of this team should feel proud to be a contributor to this historic outcome.”
These extraordinary results would not have been possible without the strength of the entire club and the Brentwood community! Thank you, Brentwood Rowing, for an incredible season!
Grace S, Allard ‘25