Senior rower Rowan O'Neill is determined to make her final season as a Brock Badger a memorable experience.
 
The fourth-year Sport Management student from Welland kicked off her last season with the Brock women's rowing team by claiming a gold medal at the Guelph Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 23.
 
The Badgers won two gold medals at Guelph Lake Conservation Area, which featured variable conditions of calm waters and occasional strong winds. Crews from Brock, McMaster, Western, Guelph, Toronto and Waterloo competed.
 
O'Neill won the women's lightweight single race with a time of eight minutes and one second to hold off Guelph's Sarah Ribey and Lia Snucins, who finished second and third, respectively.

She said the day became extra special when she learned of her high school coach, Bob Young, from Lakeshore Catholic High School had come out to support her.
 
"That made the day very special to me. I'm very excited about the tone the lightweight women set for the season. While there will always be things to work on, I think we're starting at a great place," O'Neill said. "I was very happy with my races in the single, especially the time trial. I felt I made a lot of significant changes over training camp that I executed very well. I can't wait to carry this momentum forward through my last season as a Brock Badger."
 
Brock's other gold medal performance of the day was courtesy of the Durcak sisters in the women's lightweight double. Zoe Durcak and Isabella Durcak posted a time of 7:13 to beat the Western Mustangs' crew of Hayley Conrad and Kaitlyn Hall (7:21).
 
2023 GUELPH INVITATIONAL WOMEN'S ROWING RESULTS
 
Women's Open Pair
1 Western, 7:24
2 Brock (Jalyn Mowry and Erin Broski), 7:32
3 Toronto, 7:35
4 McMaster, 7:38
5 Guelph, 8:43
6 Waterloo, 8:59
 
Women's Lightweight Single
1 Brock (Rowan O'Neill), 8:01
2 Guelph Ribey, 8:19
3 Guelph Snucins, 8:33
4 Western, 8:45
5 Toronto, 8:52
 
Women's Open Double
1 Western, 7:20
2 McMaster Panzica, 7:56
3 Guelph Smith, 7:58
4 McMaster, 8:22
5 Guelph Ewing, N/A
6 Toronto, N/A
7 Waterloo, N/A
8 Brock (Genavieve Jopling, Hannah Broderick), N/A
 
Women's Open Four
1 Western, 7:06
2 Brock (coxswain Clara Sebastianelli, Jalyn Mowry, Erin Broski, Genavieve Jopling and Hannah Broderick), 7:14
3 Guelph Woodard, 7:21
4 McMaster, 7:26
5 Toronto, 7:36
6 Brock (coxswain Ashlee McGrath, Arden Schirru, Cara Scott, Olivia Sommer and Sophia McQueen), 7:43
7 Guelph Gollinger, 8:19
 
Women's Lightweight Double
1 Brock (Zoe Durcak, Isabella Durcak), 7:13
2 Western Conrad, 7:21
3 Guelph Ribey, 7:42
4 McMaster Lee, 7:56
5 Toronto Eberhardt, N/A
6 McMaster Akot, N/A
7 Brock Quinn (Emma Quinn, Elizabeth Spilotro), N/A
8 Brock Gaston (Maya Gaston, Mia Biancaniello), N/A
 
Women's Open Single
1 McMaster, 8:03
2 Western Weber, 8:08
3 Toronto, 8:29
4 Guelph, 8:53
5 Brock (Gina Pieneman), 9:21
6 Western Thompson, 9:31
 
Women's Lightweight Four
1 Western, 7:05
2 Brock (coxswain Serafina Dell, Zoe Durcak, Isabella Durcak, Rowan O'Neill, Samantha Wimbush), 7:13
3 Guelph, 7:16
4 McMaster, 7:31
 
Women's Open Eight
1 Toronto, 6:12
2 Western George, 6:19
3 Western Sue, 6:37
4 Guelph, 7:14
 
Women's Lightweight Pair
1 Western Buchanan, 7:49
2 McMaster, 8:09
3 Guelph, 8:30