The Nipissing Lakers rowing team started off their season in Gravenhurst last weekend at the Muskoka Fall Classic. The 3km-long head race regatta follows a course along the granite shores of Gull Lake in Gravenhurst.

With 241 entries from 22 school and community clubs across the province and four U.S. states, the Muskoka Fall Classic offered a chance for two novice-turned-varsity Lakers to test their summer training. Both rowers showed up to varsity tryouts fit, pulling personal bests on their 2km ergometer tests and ready for the upcoming challenge of racing in the technically difficult solo boat.

Despite cool temperatures, wicked wind and waves and some division event cancellations, the two rowers managed to compete and stay a float.

First up was junior Ryan Neva in the Men's Club/Sr. 1X. Having only raced in crew boats in his previous novice season, this regatta was a chance for him to get some low-pressure racing experience. His time of 16:20 put him in fourth in his event and 13^th of the 39 boats competing across all men's 1X events – a great start for an athlete new to challenges of the single.

Next up was senior Haley Hatherley in the Women's Club/Sr1X. Similarly, Hatherley has only raced in crew boats in her previous novice season, so she was eager to try out racing in a single. Her time of 21:22 put her in eighth in her event and 34^th of the 39 boats entered across all the women's 1X events. Shortly after Hatherley finished, many of the remaining events were cancelled due to deteriorating weather.

"It was a challenging first solo race due to the weather and water conditions, but I'm proud of myself for finishing despite that and happy I didn't flip," Hatherley said of her solo debut.

Stéphanie Lamothe, a former Western University novice-turned-varsity rower herself is the new Head Coach for the team. She is excited to be stepping into the role and looking forward to competition ahead.

The varsity and novice crews will be hard at work for the next few weeks in preparation for the Brock Invitational Regatta at the Royal Canadian Henley Rowing Course in St. Catherines on October 12.