U Sports:

Canada’s 34-athlete team is set to defend their home waters when racing begins Thursday at the 2026 FISU World University Championship Rowing at Fanshawe Lake.

The three-day championship, running Aug. 13-15, is being hosted in Canada for the first time and is expected to bring approximately 300 student-athletes from more than 20 countries to London. Western University is organizing the event in collaboration with Rowing Canada Aviron, the City of London and Tourism London.

Canada will compete across nine boat classes, with eight of those beginning their programs with heats Thursday. The men’s and women’s eights will begin competition Friday with preliminary races.

The Canadian team features a mix of experienced international rowers and athletes making the step onto the FISU stage.

Jana Peachey of the University of Michigan and Cait Whittard of the University of Washington will race together in the women’s pair after both being part of Canada’s bronze-medal-winning women’s eight at last year’s U23 World Championships.

Julia Teixeira of Queen’s also brings U23 World Championship experience to the women’s double, while women’s eight coxswain Jack Pankratz of Carleton previously coxed Canada to U23 world bronze in 2023.

The men’s contingent also includes several rowers with previous international experience. Western’s Aidan Hembruff, UBC’s Oliver Page-Kuhr, Robert Walsh, Maijken Meindertsma, Oscar Wostenholme and Adrian Breen, along with Brock teammates Charles-Etienne Tabet and Keithan Woodhouse, have previously competed at the U23 level. UBC’s Ben Maijer represented Canada at the 2025 Junior World Championships.

Page-Kuhr will be the first Canadian on the water Thursday, opening the championship in the men’s single sculls at 8:30 a.m. Gabby Yarema follows in the women’s single at 9 a.m.

Peachey and Whittard race the women’s pair at 9:30 a.m., followed by Claire Hallett, Danielle Hart, Roksolana Nazar and Natasha Witts in the women’s four at 9:50 a.m.

Canada’s men’s pair of Oliver Baker and Simon Whittaker is scheduled for 10:10 a.m. Charles-Etienne Tabet and Keithan Woodhouse race the men’s double at 11:10 a.m., while Maria “Marese” Fletcher and Julia Teixeira take to the water in the women’s double at 11:30 a.m.

Thursday’s Canadian program concludes at 11:50 a.m. with the men’s four of Gabe Dyer, Aidan Hembruff, Baker and Whittaker. The championship’s provisional program lists all times as local.

Team Canada — Thursday schedule
8:30 a.m. — Men’s single sculls (M1x)

Oliver Page-Kuhr — UBC

9 a.m. — Women’s single sculls (W1x)

Gabby Yarema — UBC

9:30 a.m. — Women’s pair (W2-)

Jana Peachey —Michigan

Cait Whittard — Washington

9:50 a.m. — Women’s four (W4-)

Claire Hallett — UBC

Danielle Hart — Western

Roksolana Nazar —Toronto

Natasha Witts — UBC

10:10 a.m. — Men’s pair (M2-)

Oliver Baker — Western

Simon Whittaker —Victoria

11:10 a.m. — Men’s double sculls (M2x)

Charles-Etienne Tabet — Brock

Keithan Woodhouse — Brock

11:30 a.m. — Women’s double sculls (W2x)

Maria “Marese” Fletcher — McGill

Julia Teixeira — Queen’s

11:50 a.m. — Men’s four (M4-)

Gabe Dyer — Victoria

Aidan Hembruff — Western

Oliver Baker — Western

Simon Whittaker — Victoria

The championship continues Friday with semifinals, along with preliminary races for the men’s and women’s eights, before the finals are held Saturday.