Saint John Times Globe - Thursday, August 19, 1999

Times Globe staff

Ed Winchester and his Canadian teammates got out of Winnipeg as quickly as they could late last month.

Finishing a disappointing fourth in the men's fours rowing competition at the Pan-Am Games, Winchester couldn't wait to wipe the memory.

Now he prepares to saddle up in the eight-man rowing competition at the world championships set to start Sunday in St. Catharines, Ont.

Winchester and his Canadian teammates have their first heat Sunday and if they win, they automatically bolt to next Saturday's final.

"Obviously it's not the same team that competed at the Pan-Am Games, but the guys that were there want to make up for it," said Winchester.

"We totally messed up in Winnipeg and did about 10 things wrong. You just can't do that. The eights has, been our event all summer and we've been gearing toward this competition. "

Winchester will take residence in the fourth seat. He is joined by Eric Oinenon in the bowseat, second seat Matt McCarthy, third Ben Storey, fifth Dave Boyes, sixth Jeff Lay, seventh Tony Shearing and stroke Graham McLaren.

The coxswain is Pat Newman.

Boyes and Lay were part of Canada's silver medal winning team in the fours at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.,

"We're going to be in tough against the Italians, but the Brits are good and the Americans are strong even though they haven't raced all season," Winchester said, sizing up the competition.

"They have a really strong boat. Maybe their rowing isn't as good, but they have a lot of horsepower. "