Alex Walker will represent Canada on the world stage in two weeks time.
The former Jasperite was selected as one of 24 Canadian rowers to travel to Austria to compete in the 2013 World Rowing Under-23 Championships from July 24-28.
Walker, who now resides in Victoria, B.C. and rows with the Vikes rowing team at the University of Victoria, will compete in the lightweight men鈥檚 double with his rowing mate Dylan Harris.
The men were paired together while competing to become a part of the national lightweight team earlier this year, and they just won first place in the men鈥檚 double at the USRowing National Championships in New Jersey last month.
鈥淚 think everything is starting to come together for us,鈥� said Walker. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a high pressure situation, but we鈥檝e responded pretty well and we鈥檙e feeling pretty confident.鈥�
Walker has had his sights on the worlds for six years, so he said 鈥渋t鈥檚 surreal鈥� to finally be in a position to go. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be kind of crazy to be there. Obviously I鈥檓 nervous, but I鈥檓 nervous and excited.鈥�
He鈥檚 also ready for it all to be over, though. He said aside from going to Europe for his first time, he鈥檚 really looking forward to crossing the final finish line.
鈥淚 obviously want to do well, I want to win, but when it鈥檚 over, it鈥檚 over and I get to go home and reflect and lie down for awhile. It鈥檚 going to be nice. I will have two weeks until the university season starts.鈥�
Walker has been living in Ontario all summer, training and competing.
He will arrive in Austria on July 15 and will train for a week before the competition.
鈥淲e have boats in Europe, so we鈥檒l get acquainted with our new equipment and the atmosphere is obviously different than here, so we鈥檒l get used to that and then we鈥檒l move over to the regatta course a day before the race.鈥�
After the championship, which includes rowers from 22 countries, he will return to Victoria, where he will continue on with his recreation and physical health degree, while competing and training with the Vikes. Next summer, he hopes to again be selected for the Under-23 national team and to compete in the international championships. After next year, he will be too old to compete with that team, so he鈥檒l move on to the next category, and from there he hopes to land a spot on the 2016 Olympic team鈥斺�渒nock on wood.鈥�
鈥淭he Olympics is one of those things where you don鈥檛 know if you鈥檒l actually be able to do it until you鈥檝e done it. But the Olympics is the goal.鈥�
To follow Walker as he competes in Austria, visit worldrowing.com and click World Rowing Under-23 Championships on the events page.
Nicole Veerman
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