Jackson Hooke of Fort St. James was one of eight young men from Brentwood College racing in St. Catherines, Ontario on the weekend of June 2.
Hooke was one of the junior boys crew competing at the regatta, in which they raced in five different events, winning bronze in the junior eight open.
The crew finished the 2,000 m race in 6 minutes, 31 seconds, and according to Coach Harold Backer, in the past 10 years, the average winning time has been six minutes and 29 seconds.
Most of the boat had been training together since September, but novices joined up with the more experienced rowers in October.
“Jackson was a novice in September, so it’s quite good for him to be selected in the top crew,” said Backer via email. “Jackson, as a novice this year, still has a long way to go, but he has a great desire to push himself and to extend his limits in this very demanding sport.”
He said Jackson was the best novice in Grade 9 or 10.
The junior boys, ages 14-15, raced in extremely windy conditions, according to Backer, and while he said they did not handle the conditions as well as some teams, they handled them well enough to take third.
The rowing coach said the entire group of young men from Brentwood did well.
“The crews were so well-behaved and focused, we’re very proud of all of them,” said Backer.