Alanna Fogerty adds to her list of awards that includes OUA and Canadian University Championship medals
On Feb. 5, the University of Ottawa’s own Alanna Fogerty competed at the Canadian Indoor Rowing Championships (CIRC) in Mississauga, Ontario where she won a silver medal in the Senior Women Lightweight event.
While the bulk of Gees’ rowing season typically only runs through September and October, the CIRC gives the team a chance to compete in the winter months.
Fogerty, who is a fifth-year biomedical sciences student at the U of O, said while she’s competed at the CIRC before, this is the first year, in her time, that the whole team went.
“When I started rowing with the university there wasn’t really a lot of people that wanted (to go to the CIRC) because it’s a travel thing, because it’s in Mississauga. So there wasn’t enough interest for the team to go.”
Having her teammates compete with her at this year’s competition made the experience that much more enjoyable for Fogerty.
“You just had a little cheering section. You had that support system. Which is always helpful in the wintertime, because the wintertime can be a long season, because there’s ice out, the water’s frozen. You just have to buckle down during the winter and it’s a lot easier to get through practices and training when you have that support system with you, definitely.”
Fogerty identified that one of the benefits of the CIRC is that they have team-events that the university could compete in.
“This year we’re trying to make sure that the team is doing well, because there are also university events you can do at the (CIRC). So you can do a university eight-race or a four-race on top of your individual races.”
Fogerty wasn’t alone in her stellar achievement, as the Gees actually finished second overall in the Club Four Women’s event as well.
Now that she is on the cusp of graduation, Fogerty felt her first Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Championships medal and her first Canadian University Championships medal stuck out as biggest memories, along with rowing for team Canada on the world stage.
“One of the bigger ones was getting to represent Canada this past September at the World University Rowing Championships. It’s been a goal to represent Canada so it was definitely a memorable experience.”
Fogerty said over the years she’s learned that, more than anything, you need a good support group behind you.
“You have your academic challenges, you have your athletic challenges. (You’re) trying to make sure you can prioritize both at the same time. You’re going to have ups and downs,” she said.
“It’s a matter of making sure you have a good support system, and being open with your coaches, and making sure you’re in contact with all the various people that help support you both academically and athletically.”
After graduating, Fogerty intends to pursue a career in rowing, hopefully getting the opportunity to row for team Canada again one day. She also plans on continuing her academic studies with a masters in the sciences.
