GNS Alumna Shines at National Rowing Championship

December 10, 2021

Academics

GNS

Alumna Stella Fraser ’21 had a great November on the water rowing with the University of British Columbia’s team. At the annual RCA National Rowing Championships Regatta at Elk Lake, UBC first-year athletes Stella and her partner Gabriella Worobec won gold in the junior women’s pair.

“We weren’t sure what to expect going in,” said Stella. “This was the first in-competition race that we have had in two years, so it was fun to see how we were doing against everyone else. Also, we were a new combination so we hadn’t really raced together before and we just started rowing together a month prior.”

This is Stella’s first year at UBC in the Faculty of Arts. As part of the women’s rowing team, Stella has been practicing every morning, twice on Saturdays, and training in a wide variety of different ways, on land and in water.

While at GNS, Stella was on the rowing team beginning in Grade 10. Because of COVID-19, in her Grade 12 year there was no rowing team, so she rowed with the Victoria City Rowing Club.

“It was helpful having to have that baseline from GNS,” Stella said. “In Grade 10, is when I started to lift weights at the Scott Fitness Centre, and now I’m using the varsity gym at UBC—which is pretty cool.”

Now that the fall racing season is over, Stella will continue to train over the winter until competitions start in the spring. As for rowers at GNS, Stella has some advice.

“It’s a really cool sport to get involved in,” she said. “I think it’s a great community and you’re with a bunch of people you can push yourself against and are able to push you to succeed. Especially at GNS, you have all of the age levels on the team who are at different levels, you can really work with them and everyone can see each other succeed.”

Congratulations Stella, and good luck with your training!