McGill wins OUA gold, Hedrei named coach of the year
ST. CATHARINES, Ont. -- The McGill University men's rowing team came away with gold and bronze medals and finished fifth of 12 teams at the OUA championships on the Royal Canadian Henley course in St. Catharines, Ont., over the weekend. The McGill women placed sixth overall.
Redmen mentor Dr. Philip Hedrei, a 33-year-old native of Town of Mt. Royal, was named OUA men's coach of the year for his work with the lightweight men's program. The women's honours went to Swede Burak from his efforts with Brock University's lightweight crew.
McGill finished first of six finalists in the men's lightweight coxed eight, which beat out the second-place Western Mustangs by almost a full boat-length. The winning crew included junior Nathaniel De Bono of Windsor, Ont., sophomore Renaud Garon-Gendron of Boucherville, Que., senior Brent Hopkins of Montreal, junior Andrei Popescu of Princeton, N.J., junior Jonathan Rinaldi of Montreal, senior Michael Ross of Scarborough, junior Kirk Vilks of Pinawa, Man., and senior Evan deJonghe of Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The coxswain was Nicole Bewski, a 5-foot-4, science freshman from Winnipeg.
All nine members of the winning boat automatically earn OUA all-star status.
The other McGill boat to reach the podium was the men's lightweight coxed four, which finished third. On Friday, in the OUA developmental regatta, McGill's junior varsity women's lightweight four was third.
McGill's high-profile heavyweight coxed four, the crew that won gold at the Head of the Charles regatta two weeks ago, had a disappointing race and failed to qualify for the final.
Up next for the McGill crew is the Canadian university rowing championships, which will be held in Montreal, at the Olympic basin on Ile Notre Dame, Oct. 31 to Nov. 1. Some 250 athletes from 25 universities are expected to participate, including a dozen men and 12 women from McGill.
Hedrei, in his sixth year on McGill coaching staff and first as head coach, has truly paid his dues and risen through the ranks. He started out as a novice rower during his fourth year at McGill, in 1998, while he was studying medicine. The next year, he earned a spot on the heavyweight eight, where he rowed until graduating with a medical degree in 2000. He served as co-captain of the team, was elected club president, has overseen numerous fundraising ventures and has been part of the coaching staff since 2004.
Currently on staff as a pediatrician at the Montreal Children's hospital, Hedrei becomes the fifth McGill rowing grad to earn OUA coach-of-the-year honours. Previous recipients include John Muir (2005), Andrew Howard (2007 novice boat), Mike Murphy (1996) and Ellen McAleese (1993).
Western captured the OUA men's title with 80 points, culled from boats that scored in the eight events. Brock was second with 78 points, followed by Queen's (73), Trent (43), McGill (38), Toronto (28), Ryerson (19), Guelph (19), Ottawa (15), Carleton (14), McMaster (4) and UOIT (4).
Western also claimed the women's championship with 98 points. Brock was second with 93 points, followed by Queen's (63), Toronto (52), Guelph (29), McGill (27), Ottawa (25), Trent (14), McMaster (13), Carleton (2), Ryerson (0) and UOIT (0).
Among the other results from the OUA championships, Western had five first-place finishes in individual competition including a pair of gold medals won by Lauren Wells (London) who took both the lightweight and heavyweight women's singles races. The heavyweight women's coxed four team of Lindsay Sferrazza (St. Catharines), Sarah Black (Ottawa), Jen Martins (Toronto), Andrea Ernesaks (Ottawa) and coxswain Kris Rogalosky (Oakville) also rowed to gold.
All but Rogalosky teamed with Athena deBrouwer (Blenheim), Alex Shishkov (Mississauga), Lia Renaud (Woodstock), Adelyn Barr (Brockville) and coxswain Paige Sain (Toronto) to also win the women's heavyweight eight crown.
Western's David Lariviere (Hamilton), William Matthews (Vancouver), Jason Kirkey (Niagara Falls), Sean Addison (Vancouver), Nicholas Chisholm (Fonthill), Mark Dawidek (London), Nicholas Schudlo (St. Catharines), Michael Huurman (Niagara Falls) and coxswain Genna Wood (Toronto) were also golden for the Mustangs, winning the men's heavyweight eight competition.
The host Brock Badgers had three individual gold medals, including the men's lightweight four team of Ben Cushnie (Pelham), Corey Brunton (St. Catharines), Brendan Coffey (Fonthill), Sylas Coletto (Vineland) and coxswain Karlene Willmott (Niagara Falls).
Women's teams also excelled for Brock, with Keelin Greenlaw (Halifax), Jenna Burke (Fonthill), Natasha Eikelenboom (St. Catharines), Teresa Miele (St. Catharines) and coxswain Carla Edwards (St. Catharines) rowing to the lightweight four crown, and joining Kate Nay (St. Catharines), Rebecca Gregory (Brampton), Alison Thomas (St. Catharines) and Michele Head (Hamilton) in taking the lightweight eight final.
Morgan Jarvis (Clearwater Bay) of the Queen's Gaels won individual gold in two events, winning the men's lightweight single, and teaming with Jamie Christian (London) in the men's lightweight double.
The Ryerson Rams won their first ever OUA gold medal, as the duo of Matt Buie and Philippe Roy took home the gold in the men's heavyweight double race.
The Toronto Varsity Blues claimed gold in two races, including Michael Braithwaite (Duncan, B.C.) taking the men's heavyweight single. Elise Mackie (Calgary) and Lindsay Tetreault (Oakville) also finished first in the women's heavyweight double.
Nicole Gough (St. Catharines) and Kerith Gordon (Halifax) won the women's lightweight doubles, securing the first OUA gold medal for the Guelph Gryphons in 30 years.
The Trent Excalibur men's heavy four team almost didn't get to row in the OUA final after a last-second mishap caused a huge hole in their hull. Rallying to get another boat, the crew of Jacaob Heydon Thomas, Richard Love, Mark Basterfield, Brent Holmes Heron and coxswain Candace Cook outlasted Western to win the final race.
SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Communications Officer
McGill Athletics & Recreation
514-398-7012