Crowe ready to take flight at U23 worlds
This summer will be one to remember for Autumn Crowe.
The 18-year-old St. Catharines resident has been chosen to represent Canada in the under-23 women’s four at the 2024 World Rowing Senior, Under 23, and Under 19 Championships (Mega Worlds) being held Aug. 18-25 in St. Catharines.
“I am so excited to be able to compete in my home country and in my hometown this summer. Competing internationally has been an invaluable experience, but my family has not been able to come out to watch me race yet,” the Ridley College graduate said. “I have an immense sense of pride for my hometown and country and being able to share that with the rest of the world will be so exciting.”
She is looking forward to her family being able to support her at worlds this year in person.
“Having them there and being able to show them what I have been doing the past three summers and training on the other side of the country the whole summer will be a surreal experience. They are my support system and having them there will take a lot of stress off.”
She can’t wait to see all the fan support.
“Both my parents and siblings will be watching me compete at worlds this summer. I am also hoping that my grandpa will be able to be there to watch in person. My teammates’ families will also be there cheering. I am excited to see how big Canada’s cheering squad will be given that our Canadian squad is composed of just over 80 athletes.”
Crowe is making her first appearance at the under-23 worlds after two straight summers of wearing a Canadian singlet at the junior worlds.
“My past two summers will help me with getting into the right mindset and being able to have expectations for what racing can look like. This being my first U23 worlds, I am glad to have two years of U19 summers under my belt.”
The women’s four has built expectations and adjusted them during the summer.
“We have been working so hard together and learning to trust each other and our race plan. We are going to execute our plan to the highest of our ability and we believe that we will do well if we do that,” she said. “Being able to compete internationally for the past two summers allows me to build expectations around the regatta and what racing can entail, but now racing U23 and sweeping will bring a new experience.”
Crowe earned her spot on the team at trials held in St. Catharines.
“Trials went well and I have a lot of respect for all of the girls that I was trialling against. I am very excited to be racing in the four.”
She was relieved when she heard the news that she had cracked the Team Canada roster.
“Trials are a stressful and tense period of time. Knowing that all the hard work that has been put in over the years had paid off made it all worth it.”
Crowe came into the trials after a successful freshman season at Michigan. She was in the first varsity eight for Big 10 championships and stroked the second varsity eight to first place in the petite final at the NCAA championships.
“My collegiate season went very well. I had a rough start to my year battling illnesses but I was able to return back healthy and ready for racing season.”
She has made steady progress at Michigan and through the summer.
“I just learned how to sweep when going into Michigan this year and the progress I have made through the season and into the summer has been immense. Moving to America and joining a new team presented its own challenges, but I learned so much about myself and the sport.”
When the worlds end, she will take some time off to recover and get ready for the collegiate season.
“I want to make sure that I come back well-rested and physically prepared to have a great spring racing season.”
Training and competing at the worlds will help Crowe stay physically and mentally ready for the collegiate season.
“Our season is long and going into the beginning with the right mindset and fitness is crucial. I thrive in a team environment and being able to be in this setting this summer with an amazing team has kept me ready to come back to the girls at school and has, in turn, made me a better teammate.”
She is majoring in movement science on the pre med track at Michigan.
“I have loved my collegiate experience and Michigan truly was such a great fit for me. I have loved both the academic and athletic experience.”
