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'Head' games
Jan-Christian Sorensen
jsorensen@nsnews.com
GAVIN LeNobel and Michael Wilkinson will be up at the Head of the class today.
The two North Shore athletes will compete in the annual Head of the Charles regatta in Boston, Mass. this afternoon. LeNobel attended West Van's Collingwood school before crossing the inlet and joining Wilkinson at St. Georges secondary school in Vancouver two years ago.
The local pair - LeNobel lives in West Van, Wilkinson in North Van - are part of a nine-member school contingent that will compete in the men's coxed eight event at the prestigious regatta.
It's yet another achievement in what's been a banner year for the pair.
After coming third at the Canadian high school championships in May of last year - quite a feat, considering the two were in Grade 11 and competing against students in Ontario's Grade 13 - both were part of a junior development team that helped Canada win gold in Mexico in July. They also competed in the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta in St. Catharines, Ont. this summer, where they won the men's junior eight competition over a previously undefeated U.S. side.
Both also competed in the Canada Cup competition in Montreal during the summer, where LeNobel placed fourth and Wilkinson recorded two second-place finishes.
"I'm pleased with how far we've both come," says LeNobel. "During the spring and summer the training schedule can get pretty tiring. For two or three weeks I was training three times a day and it really tires you out. It consumes a lot of your day. Rowing is a terrible sport but racing is so much fun that it's worthwhile.
"I'm looking forward to (the Head of the Charles). I know it's a huge event and it should be a lot of fun."
Amanda Schweinbenz, who coaches the pair alongside Craig Pond, is no stranger to the Boston staple event. She's competed at the Head four times in the past, finishing fourth once.
"It's so much fun," she said. "It's great because so many people show up to watch. It's a huge celebration event - they set up tents and alumni go to it and cheer as people row by and people watch on the bridges and the shore."
She praised LeNobel and Wilkinson for their dedication and drive and predicted big things for the pair if they continue to keep up their weight training and practice schedule.
"They're great kids. The two of them are fantastic. They work really hard, both are involved in other programs as well and they're doing very well academically. Mike is also on the cross-country and hockey teams, so they're both really busy.
"I really can see them going far in the sport. They're both doing such a great job and have made so many improvements since last fall and you can just see that it's a steady incline. They're getting a lot better and a lot stronger and I definitely can see them rowing in university. They have the potential to move onto higher levels if they so desire, definitely."
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