The Tribune

Isaiah Ellis, fast becoming the top rower to watch in the country, had a spectacular showing at the Nassau Rowing Club’s Lake Cunningham Classic on Saturday in Lake Cunningham.

Ellis, an 11th grade student of the Windsor School Rowing Club, won all of the races he participated in to earn the top spot in the classic that was held between Windsor School, the NRC, Lyford Cay and King’s College.

Three years ago, 16-year-old Ellis attended a summer rowing camp and because of his performance, he got a scholarship to attend Windsor and he’s been working towards the showing that he produced on Saturday.

“I worked really hard to get to this point,” Ellis said. “I did the singles in the 700 metre course. The water was flat, which was the ideal weather for us to compete in.

“I won my heats and then I went to the final and I won again, so it was an amazing performance. The competition was amazing as well. It was good to compete against the local rowers at home because we really only get to compete against each other when we go away.”

In his heat of the men’s singles, Ellis out-duelled Harper Romer and Andre Forbes. And, in the final, Ellis won over Nassau Rowing Club’s Hunter Shouldice, who won his heat. Shouldice beat out Sandor Bianchi and Francis in his heat.

The women’s singles was won by Sascha Moxey of the Nassau Rowing Club over Alessandra Callender of Windsor School.

Moxey won her heat over Leah Cartwright, while Callender was successful in her heat over Sarala Stuart and Eva Worboys.

Ellis, who also teamed up with Forbes to win the 2x final, said he used the local regatta to see where he’s at in anticipation of trying to compete in the Junior World Championships in Canada.

“I need to work on my stroke itself and more of the nitty gritty of my technique,” Ellis said. “If I get the chance to go, I would love to represent my country well and to put up a good fight.

“I don’t just want to go there. I want to at least make the finals.”

Rob Gibson is the Canadian three-time Olympian who is now teaching rowing here in the Bahamas and now specially at Windsor School where he’s training Ellis and some of the other top rowers in the country.

“It’s an amazing experience to be trained by him,” Ellis said of Gibson.

“He has an amazing story, having started rowing in grade 11 and he was able to rise to the level of competing in the Olympics.

“I am glad that he is here and I get a chance to travel with him and get to learn from him.”

Gibson, who won a silver medal at the 2012 Olympics in London as a member of Canada’s eight-man team, said the level of competition was vast, led by the fantastic performance from Ellis.

“Isaiah Ellis entered four events and he won all four of them,” Gibson said.

“He’s really emerging as the premier rower in the country.

“He stepped up to the challenge yesterday, competing in four events and winning all of them.”

As for the overall performances in the regatta, Gibson said he was pleased to see the improvement made by the competitors since the first classic was held in 2022.

“It was a smashing success. We had rowers from all age groups competing here in the Bahamas,” Gibson said. “It was a well- run regatta. There was tight racing all around.

“Windsor won some races, Nassau Rowing Club won some races, King’s College won some races. It was a very well-run regatta and we are looking forward to building on in years to come.”

Deputy Prime Minister I. Chester Cooper was on hand to serve as a marshall for some of the races.

He was joined by Dr Kenneth Romer, the director of aviation.

Before the school year is over, Gibson said they are hoping to get the rowers to compete again, but everything is still in the works and details could not be released at this time.