If Canada’s fifth place (+5.87 seconds) was certainly below the Quebecer’s expectations, this placement allowed the country to meet the qualification criteria for the Paris Olympics in July 2024.

“I have a lot of emotions right now! On the one hand, I am relieved that we were able to qualify the boat for the Olympics. This is a really big deal for our team and I’m really proud of it. On the other hand, I am disappointed with fifth place, we always want to win our races, we never want to come fifth,” said Gruchalla-Wesierski.

The Romanians successfully defended their world title on Sunday by taking top honors in the eight. The Americans finished second (+2.45 seconds) and the Australians took third place (+2.89 seconds).

To advance to the grand final, the Canadians had to compete in the repechage heat after placing third in their qualifying heat. Although another race may represent an additional obstacle on the way to victory, Gruchalla-Wesierski believes this situation can prove positive for some teams.

“Sometimes going through the draft is a good thing. It is an additional race to prepare for the final. It can be stressful at times, but for a country like Canada that doesn’t participate in many races, it can have a positive impact,” she explained.

Canada placed third in this repechage event, securing its place in the final. Cassidy Deane, Jessica Sevick, Kirsten Edwards, Alexis Cronk, Morgan Rosts, Sydney Payne and Avalon Wasteneys were Kasia Gruchalla-Wesierski’s teammates at the World Championships.

Before returning home, the Canadian team will make a stop in Paris to tour the Olympic venues and prepare for this big meet in a little less than a year.

The Quebecer and her teammates will then compete in the Canadian Championships in Duncan, British Columbia at the end of the month. This will be the first opportunity for the eight to make initial adjustments in preparation for the Olympics.

“We did our best at the World Cup, but we are not yet where we want to be. There is a lot to do for the next year. We want to build on the positive to become even stronger,” concluded the Quebecer.

For her part, Marilou Duvernay-Tardif took third place in the double sculls C final with her British-Colombian teammate Katie Clark. The race was won by Brits Saskia Budgett and Kyra Edwards.