Delta Deas Rowing Club’s Gayle Hubbard and Richard Stout are thriving off the water these days.
The Masters athletes are enjoying outstanding indoor rowing competitive seasons. This version of the sport features standardized rowing machines (ergs) and has become the international standard of winter fitness competition.
The machines can be connected online which means that international competitions can now welcome rowers from all over the world.
Stout started rowing at University on the Thames Tideway in London.
A move to Alberta, along with his career and raising a family intervened, until he retired and moved to Ladner and discovered the fabulous rowing waterway at Delta Deas Rowing Club. He returned to the sport after 35 years and clearly hasn’t forgotten how to do it.
Stout has posted incredible results in the three indoor rowing competitions this year. He was first in his age class (and even the next younger age class) at the Canadian Indoor National Championships. He was also first in his age class at the U.S. Indoor National Rowing Championships, followed by a world record time of 6:50.2 for 2000 metres in winning the World indoor Rowing Championships by a large margin of over 30 seconds. The Worlds are particularly competitive because of the strict continental qualification process in each age category.
Hubbard was later to rowing than her teammate, taking it up at the age of 62 at Delta Deas.
Since she retired from teaching at Delta Secondary School, rowing has become an all-consuming passion and her results in various on water and indoor regattas show this.
She was first for her age group at Beat the Beast at St. George’s this year as well as the Canadian Indoor National Championships. Hubbard is a great example of how rowing is a good sport for older adults. Highly aerobic but easy on the joints.
The weather is warming up and the rowing club will soon be planning to offer learn to row again for youth and masters. If you are interested in this great sport for all ages, call at 604-946-3074 or check out www.deltadeas.com.
