Cowan Earns Spot on Canadian Under-23 Team
6/29/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
June 29, 2006
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State junior rower Anne Cowan (London, Ontario) has been selected to compete for Canada at the 2006 World Under-23 Championships in Hazewinkel, Belgium on July 20-23. Cowan rowed three seat of the Spartan varsity eight which placed sixth at the NCAA Championships this past spring, and becomes just the second Spartan rower to make a national team. She joins former Spartan Libby Rockwood (1997-1998) who competed for the U.S. at the Nations Cup in 1998, and then the World Championships in 2000 and 2001.
Cowan will be competing at the championships in the coxless pair event with Laura Pidgen (University of Western Ontario). Each year the Under-23 Championship regatta has participation from approximately 40 countries and 600 athletes. The international experience helps those who are too old for junior racing, but need more experience to compete against top senior elite rowers.
"Anne is already a great athlete," MSU head coach Matt Weise said. "But I think that having more experience at a higher level will help her mentally, and maker her that much tougher."
Cowan was invited to continue with selection for a spot on the Under-23 squad after winning the "D" final of the coxless pair at the Canadian Women's Heavyweight Trials with a time of 7:54.9. The trials, also known as speed orders, were held in Cowan's hometown of London at the Doug Well Rowing Centre at Fanshawe Lake from June 9-11.
"It was a nerve-wracking race," Cowan said of speed orders. "We came in with the attitude that we had nothing to lose, so we went out there and had a lot of fun."
Those who raced well at the trials are being considered for regattas such as the World Under-23 Championships, the Commonwealth Rowing Championships, the World University Games regatta, the Lucerne World Cup and 2006 Rowing World Championships.
"I've learned a lot from the experience and I've trained with former Olympians and other really high caliber rowers, which I think makes you faster," Cowan said. "I feel really good going into Under-23's; they're only bringing boats they feel could make the finals or medal, so it's exciting knowing that we could be some of the top crews."
Players Mentioned
