Some athletes use the summer as a time to relax, recoup and recover from a long, demanding season but that group of athletes does not include Laurentian rower Carling Zeeman. The third-year human kinetics student has been on the water putting in hundreds of kilometres.
After narrowly missing out on a spot on the national team at the beginning of the summer, Zeeman set her sights on some key races in late July and early August. She began her redemption by winning the U-23 Women’s Singles event at the Row Ontario Championships by a 11.73 seconds over her next closest competitor. Carling also won bronze in the Senior Women’s category, missing out on silver by 0.04 seconds.
Next up for Zeeman was the Henley Regatta, a prestigious, international event that draws some of the top competition from across North America and throughout the world. In the U-23 race, she once again showcased her abilities, winning the gold in a time of 7:44.43 over 2,000 meters. In the Senior Women’s category, Carling improved her positioning from the Ontario Championships by one spot, grabbing silver.
Capping off a busy summer, Zeeman completed the RADAR Testing, a set of national team tests that athletes must complete over the year, where she went a blistering 6:43 over 2,000 meters, making her the fastest U-23 heavyweight rower in the country. Finally, she raced at the Row Ontario Time Trials where she won the women's singles, beating two athletes who won gold at the U-23 World Championships in the Canadian Women's U-23 eight-person boat.
The summer has set her up for an excellent fall season when she will be back racing for the blue and gold, a Laurentian University press release stated.
“I am excited to get back to Sudbury and race for Laurentian,” Zeeman said. “I am stronger and faster than I have ever been and I feel like I am only getting better. This fall is going to be a lot of fun.”
Laurentian coach Amanda Schweinbenz shared the same sentiment as her budding rower.
“This fall is going to be a very exciting season for the Laurentian University rowing team, led by our women's team captain Carling Zeeman,” she said. “I can’t wait to see the results on the water this fall, not only from Carling but from the entire team. I think this is the year that Laurentian really solidifies itself on the university rowing scene.”
- Posted by Laurel Myers
