WELLAND- Sally Jones, a rower with the University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds (in Vancouver), who has strong family ties to Manitoulin Island, and her team placed first in a Canada-wide competition recently.
“It was fantastic being able to watch Sally, my granddaughter, in the competition and the UBC teams going nose to nose, both teams giving 150 percent and knowing whoever got the last sweep and thrust would go ahead and win,” stated Bill Baker, of Gore Bay, last week. “It was definitely exciting stuff.”
Due to COVID-19, the UBC team had been able to train but have not been able to compete in events like this, said Mr. Baker.
Sally Jones and her UBC teammates finished in first place in the eights at the Canadian Universities 2021 Rowing Champions held in Welland, Ontario November 6-7. The UBC team included an Olympic gold medalist from the Tokyo 2021 Games, said Mr. Baker.
“Sally was in the stroke position on the team, being at the back of the boat, just in front of the coxswain who is giving out directions that she (Ms. Jones) would repeat. Sally’s coach picked her for this position over an Olympic rower because she was better, which is incredible,” explained Mr. Baker.
The UBC team, “nudged out a very good UVIC (University of Victoria) team by 0.6 seconds with a winning time of 6:21.159 over the two-kilometre course,” said Mr. Baker. “This win in the final race of the day also gave the UBC women’s rowing team the 2021 banner for having the highest aggregate points scored.”
Mr. Baker was among seven other family members who showed up to cheer for Ms. Jones and her teammates. “Sally had a lot of cheerleaders there,” he said noting, ‘’it was nice to see Sally after the competition. I haven’t seen her in three years.”
“It should be onward and upward for Sally,” stated Mr. Baker. “She is hoping to be able to compete in the Canada Summer Games next year.”
