A group of familiar athletes will proudly represent Canada when the world descends on Port Dalhousie’s Henley Island this August for the World Rowing Senior, Under-23 and Under-19 Championships — and they won’t have far to travel.

Brock University’s rowing team is making a splash with eight student-athletes and three coaches set to compete on the international stage.

“We’re ecstatic to have so many Badgers representing Canada,” said Head Coach Katie Bruggeling. “Competing on our home course, with our friends, family and fellow Badgers watching, is a special opportunity. Everyone is focused on their preparation, taking it one day at a time and staying in the moment.”

The event, which runs from Sunday, Aug. 18 to Sunday, Aug. 25, will also turn the University’s main campus into a bustling athletes village hosting more than 1,600 rowers and staff from around the globe.

Competing on their home course will offer the Badgers a chance to shine and an opportunity to showcase their “tight-knit community and fierce competitive spirit,” said Bruggeling.

Fourth-year Accounting student Isabella Durcak and her twin sister Zoe Durcak, a fourth-year Business Administration student, make up half of the U23 lightweight women’s quad.

Two-time Brock Male Athlete of the Year Stephen Harris (BA ’24), who is set to begin a Master of Business Economics at Brock this fall, will compete in the senior lightweight men’s single.

Fourth-year Kinesiology student Keithan Woodhouse and third-year Nursing student Serafina Dell were named to the U23 men’s single and U23 women’s coxed four, respectively.

Second-year Medical Sciences student Riley Watson and second-year Business Economics student Charles Etienne-Tabet, who secured gold-medal seasons as first-year Badgers, join Connor Dodds, a fourth-year Computing and Business student, in the U23 lightweight men’s quad.

The Badgers have enjoyed a stellar year on the water with the men’s team capturing its third consecutive Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Championship title last October.

Dodds and Tabet also recently brought home a bronze medal from the 2024 International University Sports Federation (FISU) World Rowing Championships in the Netherlands.

Their success underscores a year marked by rigorous training, mental resilience and a commitment to excellence — a sentiment echoed by Watson, who won gold medals in multiple boat classes at every level throughout his first year with Brock.

“This past year has meant so much on and off the water,” said Watson, who hails from Peterborough. “The coaching from the Brock rowing program is like no other, and the hard-working culture helps me to push myself to further limits.”

To prepare for their upcoming races, the Badgers have been honing their skills and strategies every day on Martindale Pond with coaches Bruggeling, Mary Rao and Scott Anderson, who were also named to Canada’s staff.

“I would define success as a gold medal at this year’s World Championships,” Watson said. “I know that I can speak for all the guys in the quad that they want nothing less.”