One of the about 9,000 athletes on the Charles River in Boston competing this year in the world's largest regatta was former 100 Mile House resident Alex Lubbe.
She is a member of the girls senior eight rowing crew at Shawnigan Lake School.
Every year approximately 300,000 spectators revel in the Head of the Charles Regatta, a two-day event that sees individual competitors and teams from high schools, colleges and clubs from all over the United States and other countries.
Competing this year, the 49th annual, was a first for Shawnigan Lake School, a private school near Victoria, and for Lubbe, 17, who attended Grade 8-10 in 100 Mile House and still has family in the area.
The Grade 12 student occupied seat five on the boat's starboard side on Oct. 20, and says the experience – taking in historic scenery, on the water with the world's best – is something she'll never forget.
“A while ago, I would never have pictured myself going to it. It was the most amazing experience. I wasn't expecting it.”
The 4,800-metre course was full of sharp turns and other boats and was tough to navigate, she adds.
“The start was crazy. Having almost 90 boats there and they're sending you off at different times. It's pretty overwhelming.
“Normally in a rowing race, you don't come in contact with other boats. But in this one, when you pass a boat, your blades would hit each other. It was weird because it was almost like a contact sport.
“You're right on the skyline and you can see all the big buildings,” she adds of the view from the Charles River, which separates Boston and Cambridge, Mass.
“We rode right by Boston University and [Harvard University's Weld Boathouse)].”
Lubbe's boat finished 27th of 85. It was pretty good, she says, for a team that only started practising together again since the beginning of the school year in September and compared to other teams that don't have the same break in their training.
“We had our fitness up, but we could have used more time working on our skills in the boat.”
She also talks about visiting Harvard University and meeting the crew of the Canadian women's eight rowing team.
“We didn't talk to them for too long because they raced right after us. But, they watched the end of our race and they signed something for us.”
Lubbe, originally from Kamloops, started rowing as a Grade 10 student in 100 Mile House. She started attending Shawnigan Lake School in Grade 11 and says it's been a busy time, but good for rowing – “the water never freezes” – and she is preparing for university.
She's undecided exactly where she'll end up next year, but plans to study kinesiology and continue rowing.
“People can underestimate how much work goes into it. You only get out what you're willing to put in. The competition is so big. You're doing it as a team, but you also have personal things you want to achieve.”