ST. CATHARINES, Ont. (October 31, 2010) – The Queen's Gaels picked up their first championship banner of the season as the women's rowing team claimed the OUA women's rowing championship on Sunday at Martindale Pond in St. Catharines, Ont.

This is the Gaels sixth women's rowing title in eight seasons and their third in four years.

The women's team earned the championship with a narrow three point victory over Western. The Gaels finished with 103 points while Western had 100. Brock finished third with 57.

In the men's competition Queen's finished third, while Brock took gold and Western was second.

Individually, veteran rower Katya Herman of Sudbury, Ont., captured two gold medals claiming the women's lightweight single and the heavyweight single. She was dominant in the women's lightweight event crossing the line a full seven seconds ahead of her nearest competitor.

The women's lightweight eight crew also struck gold edging Brock with a time of six minutes and 52.8 seconds. Brock finished second at 6:54.0. The lightweight eight crew includes: Meredith Hinch of Napanee, Ont., Elizabeth Carter of Severn Bridge, Ont., Claire Sigurdson of Toronto, Jennifer Johnston of Saint John, N.B., Kyle McCasey of Oshawa, Ont., Catherine Moores of Vancouver, Emily Richardson of London, Ont., Caylen Heckel of Fort Erie, Ont., and cox Ashley Niblett of Toronto.

The team of McMasey, Moores, Richardson, Heckel and Niblett also teamed together to secure gold in the women's lightweight four. Queen's finished at 7:36.4 edging Brock by three seconds in the lightweight four.

The women's team also secured second place finishes in the women's heavyweight four and the women's heavyweight eight events.

“The women's team went into the championships as the clear underdog, but ended
up pulling it together to win the OUA banner,” said Head Coach John Armitage “They recovered from their performance the Brock invitational and ended up beating Western, who up until this weekend was the defending champion.”

Nicole Bobbette who coached the women's lightweight crews was named OUA Women's Coach of the Year.

On the men's side, Queen's top result was a second place finish in the men's heavyweight eight. The crew of Jason Wilson of Caldeon, Ont., Geoff Cullwick of Ottawa, Grant Armitage of King City, Ont., Albert Harkema of Calgary, Eric Farquharson of Ottawa, Scott Brandon of Uxbridge, Ont., Rob Thomson of Ottawa, Locke Davenport-Huyer of Caledon, Ont., and cox Erica O'Keefe of St. Mary's, Ont., finished just two seconds behind Western. The Gaels crossed at 6:09.07 while Western won at 6:07.3.

The men's team also claimed two bronze team with third place finishes in the men's lightweight eight and the men's heavyweight four.

The event was scheduled to conclude on Saturday, but high winds and rough waters in the St. Catharines region forced officials to postpone the event until Sunday morning.

Queen's will conclude its rowing season next weekend (Nov. 4-7) at the Canadian University Rowing Championship hosted in Victoria, B.C.

Men's Rowing Team Standings
GOLD - Brock - 108
SILVER - Western - 107
BRONZE - Queen's - 49
Trent - 44
McGill - 30
Guelph - 24
Ottawa - 15
Laurentian - 11
McMaster - 9
Carleton - 9
Toronto - 4
UOIT - 0
Ryerson - 0

Women's Rowing Team Standings
GOLD - Queen's - 103
SILVER - Western - 100
BRONZE - Brock - 57
Toronto - 42
Ottawa - 30
Trent - 27
McGill - 16
Guelph - 16
Laurentian - 8
McMaster - 6
UOIT - 4
Carleton - 3
Ryerson - 1

Team Points Standings (pdf)
Final Results Sheet (pdf)