BOSTON - Boston University women's crew incoming freshman Mariel Boomgaardt won gold at the 125th Royal Canadian Henley in the junior women's pair and finished second in the junior women's coxed fours with classmate Brittany Tovee in St. Catharines, Ontario over the weekend.

 

BU's Sally Machin and Elene Brett-Evans also competed in several events.

 

The Canadian Henley is North America's largest regatta, with over 2700 athletes competing from across North America and from as far away as Mexico, Argentina and the UK. Medals are only given to first place finishers, making a Henley win even more special. 

 

Boomgaardt and partner beat out 29 other crews in the junior women's pair over the six-day event. Representing the Ottawa Rowing Club, she was joined by teammate Tovee in the junior women's coxed four,  finishing a close second - just under a second back from the winning crew from St. Catharines RC - in a field of 48 crews. It was a side-by-side contest that saw the lead change many times over the 2000-meter course.

 

"I had an excellent Henley," said Boomgaardt. "Both finals races were excellent. Even though we missed out in the four, which is always tough, our race was really good, so I can't be too disappointed."

 

Machin, a sophomore who was also rowing for Ottawa, competed in the senior women's quad, the senior "B" women's double and the junior women's double.

 
Brett-Evans, wearing the blue and white of the Don's Rowing Club, Mississauga Ontario, rowed an excellent race in the senior "B" women's single - coming in third in a tough field of 36 boats. Earlier the senior co-captain placed fourth of 36 boats in the senior "B" women's double and competed in the quad and eight races. Later this month, Brett-Evans will compete at the Ontario Provincial Cycling Championships.

 

Earlier in the summer, BU assistant coach Heather Cartwright worked as the assistant to the U-23 Canadian National Team in their selection and preparation for the U-23 World Rowing Championships. Cartwright led the U-23 Development Team in races against Radcliffe and the USRowing Boston Development Camp on the Charles River and later assisted the Canadian Team at the USRowing Elite National Rowing Championship Regatta.