By Danielle Laflamme
Rowing coaches from Carleton University and the University of Ottawa don’t mind if fans label the P.D. Ross race the new Panda game.
“I’m not sure if [rowing] has the same intensity [as football], but it would be nice if it could replace the Panda,” said Ivan D’Costa, Carleton’s women’s rowing coach.
The Panda game was the annual football match between the rival schools. The game died when Carleton axed its team earlier this year.
The 7.5-km rowing race, which runs from Rockcliffe to the Ottawa Rowing Club, takes place October 23. Each school picks the top four men and women from its varsity teams to row in the eight person boat.
Both teams view the race as a “pre-game warm-up” to the Ontario University Association (OUA) race happening the following weekend.
Though Carleton won last year’s race in a landslide, Kurt Herman, Carleton’s men’s coach, says this year’s race will be tighter since his crew, and Ottawa University’s team, are rebuilding.
“It makes for a more interesting race if the teams are closer [in strength]. If it comes down to the wire, it makes it more exciting,” says Herman.
Michael Sutherland, the University of Ottawa’s head rowing coach, says his team has suffered some setbacks, but with four varsity women returning this year, is making big improvements.
“We’re stronger than last year, [and we’re] a lot more experienced,” says Sutherland.
Building a new varsity team doesn’t end with finding new rowers.
“No one is born to row fast,” says Herman, adding it takes a powerful internal drive to be good at the sport and that his rowers need to push themselves to the next level. “[We] have to start working harder. We don’t want to be a second or third rate team.”
Carleton’s lone rower from last year’s winning boat, Dan Thompson, has been sidelined since the end of last season with mononucleosis. Though he hopes to try out for the Canadian national team, he has yet to race this year. He is in training specifically for the P.D. Ross race.
“Its been frustrating,” says Thompson, president of Carleton’s rowing club. “I have high expectations.”
The highs and lows of the team has made it rough, but quitting was never an option.
“I couldn’t leave, even if I tried,” says Thompson.
He doesn’t mind if fans call this the P.D. Ross the new Panda, but adds spectators should remember there are differences between football and rowing.
“Rowing is a noble sport. [Fans] should respect that,” says Thompson.
As for the outcome of this year’s match-up, Thompson sees a repeat in Carleton’s future, but not without a valiant effort from their competitors.
“I predict a win, but by a more narrow margin,” Thompson says.