August 6, 1981

By Doug Junke

University of Victoria was the lone double winner yesterday as the first 13 of 74 finals were run on the Henley Course at the 99^th Royal Canadian Henley Regatta.

Victoria captured the woman's junior pair and 30 minuets later added a victory in the men's heavy four with cox as the program of junior finals offered a little bit of excitement for everyone.

Lisa Robertson, a 19 year-old French major at Victoria, combined with stroke Joanie Gillingham, a 20 year-old secondary school education student, to win by just a half-length over the Kingston entry of Karen Milne and Jennifer Sutcliffe in the women's event.

"We had a few problems on the way down with the buoys and lost a few strokes but we pulled it back together," said an exhausted Robertson after the race. "It was a good race."

Victoria's second victory by the heavy four with cox came relatively easily. They knocked off four other crews including Bedford School of London, Eng.

In other results, Marie-Claude Gaudet, 24, of Boucherville, Que. Rowing Club overcame strong challenges from Port Credit Don's Heather Hattin, 20, and Ridley Graduate Boat Club's Shelley Donald, 23, to take the junior single; Jim Schultz, a 26 year-old from Philadelphia's Undine Boat Club won the 155-pound single and Peter Tattershall, 19, who just started sculling nine weeks ago, grabbed a medal in the 135-pound single for Kingston.

The London Rowing Club duo of Lorne Davis, 36, and Kevin McCarthy, 26, after winning the 145-pound double, jokingly remarked, "That serves as a role model for all those kids."

Minnesota Boat Club of St. Paul made their trip worth the effort winning the 155-pound eight, the U.S. Lightweight Development Camp from Minneapolis took the lightweight women's cox-four race and Kennebecasis Rowing Club of Rothesay, N.B. picked up a win as brothers Brian and Henry Flood, 20 and 22 years of age respectively, won the 155-pound pair.

Mel Maforme, 28, a Hamilton native, won the junior single for Burnaby Lake Boat Club, posting a three-length winning margin.

St. Catharines Rowing Club earned the sole victory by Niagra area crews as Mike Reuvecamp, 17, stroke Mike Davidson, 20, and cox Dave Hampson won the junior pair with coxswain by four lengths.

"We'll be celebrating a little early tonight," said an ecstatic Davidson following the medal presentation. "There's no feeling like finishing first. It's just great."

The city duo held a slim quarter-length lead after the first 250 meters but took complete control of the race by the midway mark. They were never seriously challenged the rest of the way.

Other St. Catharines Rc entries were not as sucessful yestersay. John Murphy placed third in the 155-pound eight with George Wakulich in stroke's seat.

Tim Storm of Ridley Boat Club had to play second fiddle to Laforme in the junior single while Donald took third in the women's junior race behind Bouchervill's Gaudet and Don's Hattin.

For Brock Crew, Tony Biernacki Jr. provided a strong challenge to Tattersall but had to settle for second in the 135-pound single while Bill Mohri and stroke Allan Ross were sixth in the 155-pound pair.

The most exciting finish of the day came from Brockville's 145-pound four who played their early lead almost too cosily.

Coming into the final 500 meters, Brockville was enjoying a three-quarter length lead. But with 100 meters to go, Brockville found Seattle's Lake Washington crew breathing down their necks and pressing for an upset.

The Lake Washington final drive just failed to click at the wire as Brockville hung on for a half-second victory.

"At the end, we just kept calling for strokes," said a shaken John McKenna stroke of the winning crew. "We knew they were coming on but we still thought we were in good shape. They were really moving at the end. We were just lucky we got the last stroke in. That was the difference. That's what we get for sitting back a bit and easing off."

A program of 14 finals is on tap for tonight beginning at 4:30 p.m. and running until 6:40 p.m. On Saturday, heats begin at 11:50 a.m. and give way to the finals at 3:20 p.m.

This year's regatta has attracted 90 clubs and 1,200 athletes from Canada, the United States, Australia, Mexico, Guatemala and England. The best finish by a foreign entry yesterday came from Bedford School of London - a fifth in the heavy cox-four.