Vikes shine on international stage

VICTORIA – Current and former University of Victoria Vikes that are representing Canada have had a successful week in international competition. Women's rugby players Jess Neilson and Tiffany Picketts helped the Under 20 Canadian women's rugby team win the CanAm Championship series, while former Vikes swimmer Ryan Cochrane picked up a silver and gold at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. Five Vikes rowers are also competing at the World Rowing Championships, which commenced on Aug. 24.
 
Women's rugby players Neilson and Picketts were key to Canada's victories in the two-game Can-Am series hosed at London, Ont. The under-20 women defeated the USA Junior All Americans side 51-5 in the first leg of the series and repeated the victory next game with a 43-6 score line.
 
Neilson who will enter her second year with the Vikes in September proved to be pivotal for the team with her place kicking, which put pressure on the American team.
 
At the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships hosted at Gold Coast, Australia, Ryan Cochrane looked to repeat his success following a great showing at the Commonwealth Games a month prior.
 
In a very close 1500-m, the two-time Olympian battled with USA's Connor Jaeger for the majority of the race but the American swimmer edged out Cochrane by touching in 0.18 seconds faster than Cochrane at 14:51.79 to take first place.
 
Cochrane bounced back two nights later and swam to the top of the podium in the men's 800-m freestyle with a time of 7:45.39. Mack Horton of Australia and Jaeger of the United States followed to take second and third-place. Canada claimed a total of seven medals, with Cochrane's medals being the lone gold and silver.
 
On the open waters at the World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Vikes alumni Kai Langerfeld, Antje von Seydlitz and Teresa Berkholtz secured semi-final spots in the men's four, women's quadruple sculls and women's single sculls, respectively. 
 
Also competing is former two-time UVic athlete of the Year Lindsay Jennerich, who will race in the women's double sculls and current Vike Alex Walker will compete in the men's double sculls.
 
The World Rowing Championships runs form Aug. 24-31. For more information and full results, visit: http://www.worldrowing.com