Excalibur Rowing Opens Season with Podium Sweep at Head of the Rideau 

The Trent Excalibur rowing team opened their 2025 season with an outstanding showing at the Head of the Rideau Regatta this past weekend, earning podium finishes in every event entered and bringing home multiple gold medals. 

Excalibur crews claimed first place finishes in five races, including: 

Varsity Women's 8+ 

Junior Varsity (JV) Women's 2x 

Varsity Men's 8+ 

JV Mixed 4+ 

Mixed 8+ 

Lightweight Varsity Men's 1x 

The team also secured several strong podium results, with silver medals in the Varsity Men's 8+ (in their second entry) and the JV Men's 2x, and bronze medals in the Varsity Men's 1x, Varsity Women's 2x, Lightweight Varsity Women's 2x, Junior Varsity Men's 4+, and Varsity Women's 4+. 

Beyond the medals, the regatta was full of memorable moments. The Varsity Men's 8+ crew overcame a catastrophic setback when, due to a boat malfunction, they were forced to row with only six athletes for the first 2km of the race. Despite the challenge, the crew pushed through to finish second in the 5km race. 

This weekend also marked a milestone for several rowers making their debut in varsity boats, with nearly half the team stepping into varsity competition for the first time. 

With every crew earning a spot on the podium, Excalibur Rowing has set a strong tone for the 2025 season as they now turn their focus to one of the biggest events on the Canadian rowing calendar; the 54th annual Head of the Trent Regatta (October 4–5). 

The Head of the Trent is now officially the second-largest regatta in Canada and the largest head race in the country, and Trent Rowing will be ready to make waves in front of their home crowd.