On Saturday, 28 February 2026, clubs and schools from across Ontario came together to compete at the 38th Nancy Storrs Ontario Indoor Championships at Ridley College. The race is named after long-time Ridley College coach and rowing advocate Nancy Storrs, who sadly passed away in 2023. The event was previously known as the Ontario Ergometer Championships before being renamed in her honour, recognising her passion and lasting impact on the sport. Strong contenders included Ridley College, Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School, E. L. Crossley Secondary School, and Upper Canada College Rowing.
In the junior events, both the women’s and men’s categories produced impressive performances. In the junior high school women’s event, winner Ashley De Silva Piques of Blessed Trinity Catholic Secondary School posted an impressive time of 7:29, an outstanding time at the high school level. On the men’s side, Hayden Crick of E. L. Crossley Secondary School won the event with a winning time of 6:40.8. It was a remarkable achievement for both of these rowers.
The open events also delivered exciting racing. In the senior high school women’s event, Karina Biktimirova from Churchill turned heads with a commanding time of 7:04.3, which gave her the edge to win. This time in the women’s events created a significant margin over the rest of the field, being that it was one of the fastest times of the day. In the senior high school men’s race, William Babineau from Crossley pulled a time similar to varsity athletes’ at 6:13.6, earning first place and the fastest time of the competition. Both performances position these athletes well for future opportunities, whether they pursue national-team aspirations or compete at the varsity level.
The championships also featured under-13 events, with athletes racing over 500 and 1,000 meters. These races provide young rowers with valuable indoor racing experience and an early introduction to competitive racing before transitioning to on-water regattas.
Master’s rowers also added further depth to the competition. In the women’s 30+ category, Melanie Ro of Windsor recorded a great time of 7:30.2. In the men’s 30+ event, Chris McAlpine of St. Catharines took home the gold after posting a 6:17.4.
Overall, the 38th Nancy Storrs Ontario Indoor Championships delivered a strong day of racing across all age categories, showcasing the depth and competitiveness of Ontario’s indoor rowing talent.
