Annual Brown Cup rowing regatta takes to Greater Victoria waters this Saturday

Rowers will get rolling in Greater Victoria this weekend as a well-known regatta, to air live on CHEK’s streaming platform, returns to local waters.

The Brown Cup Regatta is back in B.C.’s capital on Saturday, April 6, for its 31st year, with the men’s and women’s rowing teams from the University of Victoria and the University of British Columbia set to take to the Gorge Waterway.

The UVic Vikes are encouraging people to come out and watch from the Johnson Street Bridge as rowers power through, but for those who can’t make it in person, CHEK will stream the event live on CHEK+ and YouTube.

Paul Haysom, CHEK News’ 6 p.m. anchor, will host the race after the Tale of the Tape kick-off event, which is scheduled from 9 to 10 a.m.

The race times are as follows:

• 12:05 p.m. — Men’s Reserve Race
• 12:25 p.m. — Women’s Reserve Race
• 1:05 p.m. — Men’s Varsity Race
• 1:25 p.m. — Women’s Varsity Race

The 3,500-metre course starts at Gorge Point Beach, and the finish line is near the Steamship Grill & Bar at Victoria’s Inner Harbour.

Rowing British Columbia says the Brown Cup, a dual-style head-to-head race, sees two crews start side by side and race the best line over the set distance.

“The course runs from a standing start near the Tillicum narrows. Crews cut through the narrows and achieve their first timed waypoint (1.3km) at the Selkirk Trestle…” states information on the Brown Cup website.

“From there, a 600m push with an advantage to the Victoria side to the Bay Street Bridge leads into an 850m straight to the iconic Johnson Street Bridge,” it reads.

“The last 750m push crosses through the Victoria Inner Harbour Airport to the finish line located in front (of) the Steamship Grill restaurant.”

Last year, UVic’s men’s rowing team captured the Campbell-Dowd Cup, while the university’s women’s team swept both the varsity and reserve races.

“Watched live around the world, the Brown Cup Races have become a fixture in the Canadian rowing calendar,” according to Rowing B.C. on its website.

In an Instagram post, the UVic Vikes highlighted coxswain Nicholas Murray-Coplen, saying he “plays a pivotal role steering, strategizing, and motivating the men’s rowing crew. A great coxie is invaluable, and Murray-Coplen is a great one.”

The coxswain is responsible for steering the boat, and in the Instagram post Tuesday, the Vikes said Murray-Coplen is one of several to compete in the upcoming Brown Cup.

“Come out to the Johnson Street bridge & support the Vikes,” they wrote.

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