Many of Canada害羞草研究所檚 top rowers were on hand last week to receive a sendoff from invited guests and dignitaries as they prepare to set off to the 2023 World Rowing Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.

They were at the Duncan Community Hall Thursday, near their training base on Vancouver Island and are headed to an event which runs Sept. 3-10, and is the first chance Team Canada will have to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

害羞草研究所淭he Canadian National Rowing Team is an exceptional blend of rising stars and seasoned veterans, forming a formidable roster that will proudly [don] the maple leaf on their oars and represent the nation with passion and dedication. This talented lineup includes nine rowers, making their World Rowing Championships debut for the nation, adding a new chapter to Canada害羞草研究所檚 rowing legacy,害羞草研究所� said a Rowing Canada press release.

Of the 39 athletes, making up 10 crews, 15 have ties to British Columbia, either hailing from the province or rowing for a club or university in B.C.

Among those rowers is Ontario害羞草研究所檚 Sydney Payne, who spent her summers growing up on the Island, her Grade 12 year at Brentwood College School and has been training here with Team Canada since graduating from the University of California in 2019.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 like my second home,害羞草研究所� Payne said of training on Vancouver Island. 害羞草研究所淢y grandparents live up-Island, a lot of my family is scattered around the Island.害羞草研究所�

She made her Olympic debut in Tokyo in 2020, rowing to gold with the Canadian Women害羞草研究所檚 Coxed Eight.

The goal is to make it back to the Olympic stage.

害羞草研究所淭his World Championship is a little different because the goal is not personal for my own ego, it害羞草研究所檚 for the team,害羞草研究所� Payne said at the sendoff event Thursday afternoon. 害羞草研究所淲e want to get as many seats across the line so that as many people on our team can go to the Olympics next year and try to go for that.害羞草研究所�

It害羞草研究所檚 the first of two qualifiers for the 2024 Paris Games.

害羞草研究所淭here is another chance next year to qualify for the Olympics but hopefully we deal with that this year and then we don害羞草研究所檛 have to worry about next year,害羞草研究所� she said.

Joining Payne on Team Canada from Vancouver Island is Avalon Wasteneys of Campbell River. The University of Victoria graduate also made her Olympic debut winning gold in Tokyo.

Wasteneys and Payne are rowing in the Women害羞草研究所檚 Coxed Eight with B.C.-born Cassidy Deane, Kirsten Edwards, and Alexis Cronk, and Ontario害羞草研究所檚 Morgan Rosts, Kristin Kit, and Alberta害羞草研究所檚 Kasia Gruchalla-Wesierski, and Jessica Sevick.

The Men害羞草研究所檚 Coxed Eight includes B.C.害羞草研究所檚 Liam Keane, and Joel Cullen, Alberta害羞草研究所檚 Cutris Ames, and Ontario害羞草研究所檚 Will Crothers, Jakub Buczek, Gavin Stone, Cody Bailey, Ryan Clegg and Laura Court.

The Women害羞草研究所檚 Coxless Pair are B.C.害羞草研究所檚 Caileigh Filmer and Ontario害羞草研究所檚 Maya Meschkuleit while the Men害羞草研究所檚 Coxless Pair includes Ontario害羞草研究所檚 Josh King and Luke Gadsdon.

The Women害羞草研究所檚 Coxless Four features B.C.害羞草研究所檚 Piper Battersby and Ontario rowers Rebecca Zimmerman, Kristen Siermachesky, and Kristina Walker.

The Men害羞草研究所檚 Quadruple Scull includes Ontario害羞草研究所檚 Daniel De Groot and Steven Rosts, Quebec害羞草研究所檚 Terek Been, and South African-born Liam Smit.

Representing Canada in the Women害羞草研究所檚 Quadruple Scull are Ontario害羞草研究所檚 Shannon Kennedy, Grace VandenBroek, Carling Zeeman, and Elisa Bolinger.

B.C.害羞草研究所檚 Katie Clark and Quebec害羞草研究所檚 Marilou Duvernay-Tardif will row in the Women害羞草研究所檚 Double Scull event while the Ontario duo of Jill Moffat and Jennifer Casson will row in the Women害羞草研究所檚 Lightweight Double Scull event.

Rounding out the team, Ontario害羞草研究所檚 Trevor Jones will take to the water in the Men害羞草研究所檚 Single Scull race.

害羞草研究所淎mong the crews, the women害羞草研究所檚 eight stands out, following their impressive silver medal finish at World Cup III in Lucerne, Switzerland in early July,害羞草研究所� said Rowing Canada. 害羞草研究所淭hey are expected to be strong contenders in the hotly contested Women害羞草研究所檚 Eights field. Meanwhile, the Men害羞草研究所檚 Eight continues to build momentum after their sixth-place finish at World Cup III, aiming to make a splash at the upcoming Championships.害羞草研究所�