2022 World Rowing Tour: Touring Canada’s Bays & Islands by quad

How about this for a rowing tour? Start in the Bay of Quinte and end in the Thousand Islands. This was the plan for the 2022 World Rowing Tour which recently took place in Ontario, Canada. This is the first time since 2019 that the Tour has gone ahead following Covid-19 related cancellations to the usually annual event.

Rowers from 12 nations took advantage of the chance to meet together in Ontario and row in coastal quadruple sculls through the – potentially wavy – eastern end of Lake Ontario. This area is steeped in history with indigenous communities dating back more than 10 000 years. These communities include the Huron-Wendat, the Anishnaabe, the Haudenosaunee, the Mississauga, the Wendake, the Onondaga, and the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte.

For about half of those involved it was the first time to take part in a rowing tour. For one participant, they have been part of nearly every World Rowing Tour. For another, it was a chance to celebrate his 80^th birthday and visit Canada.

Tour coordinator Shelagh Baker commented; “Highlights for me were seeing the Tour all come together after more than two years of planning, seeing many old friends reuniting, hearing stories from many rowing tours and seeing the international rowers’ enjoyment from being on the water in previously unexplored areas.”

Along the way they experienced sightings of various wildlife, including loons, osprey, herons, otters, groundhogs, white tailed deer and porcupines.

The Tour covered 185 km over six days of rowing. On the longest day 39 km was rowed. One of the local rowers helped navigate the boats through the passageways in the Thousand Islands as water levels were low.

Baker says they didn’t have any really ‘difficult’ days although on day one, as expected, it took a while to get organised into boats and crews and then a glitch with the gas tank of one of the support boats. The crews of five (four rowers and a coxswain) changed each day allowing for everyone on the Tour to meet. Rowing 39 km in one day turned out well with favourable winds and weather.

A gala dinner wrapped up the final night of the Tour and with that the announcement that the 2023 World Rowing Tour would be in Malta. Baker added; “And maybe in another ten years it will be back in Canada…”

Comments from the Tour
“My sculling has definitely improved as well and it was a delight to row with others who really know their stuff.” – Art

“My tenth World Rowing Tour, I was particularly impressed by the flexibility, the competence and the speed of the service of the organising team.” – Fritz

“Thank you all also for your camaraderie and for seven fine days together in a breathtaking surrounding in Canada.” – Gerald

For more details: https://worldrowingtour2022.ca/