Commissioned Documentary · UBC Rowing Centennial
UBC Rowing 100A brief reflection of the past as the program looks to the next 100 years.
One of the most extraordinary programs in the history of the University of British Columbia began in the spring of 1921, when a small group of students, led by World War One British Army veterans Eric Grenville Jones and Cyril Jones, held a meeting to establish the foundations of what became the UBC Rowing Club.
Over 100 years later, UBC Rowing is regarded as one of the most successful programs in the history of the university, but it wasn’t without its challenges. This story is a brief reflection of the past as the program looks to the next 100 years.
UBC Rowing 100 was commissioned by the Gold for Life Alumni Committee and UBC Rowing to mark the centennial of one of the university’s most storied athletic programs. The brief was clear: produce a documentary worthy of 100 years of history, ready to premiere at the celebration event on September 15th, 2022 at the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre. From the start of pre-production to the premiere screening, the entire project – research, interviews, archival work, editing, and sound design – was completed in ten months.
The research phase was substantial. A century of rowing history meant working through decades of archival footage, photographs, and records with the support of historians Fred Hume, John Moran, Jason Beck, and Michael Sasi. Getting that material into a coherent seventeen-minute narrative required a clear editorial framework – one that honoured the depth of the program’s past without losing a general audience. Writer and narrator Don Wells shaped the film’s voice throughout, giving the historical material a warmth that made it accessible to rowers and non-rowers alike.
The interview subjects reflect the reach of UBC Rowing’s legacy. Canadian Olympic Committee President and IOC Member Tricia Smith, Rowing BC President Susan Wilkinson, and current Head Men’s Coach Mike Pearce all appear on camera, giving the film both historical credibility and a forward-looking perspective. The premiere screened to a packed house at UBC and the film is now available to watch in full on YouTube.
When I got on the boat I loved it from day one and I never really looked back. It was a sport I was built for really and I have loved it ever since.
We didn’t want to just be the best in the west coast, or the best in Canada. We wanted to be the best in the world.
There were actually about ten women and we went down to the Vancouver Rowing Club … we got into the barge with ancient oars our hands could barely fit around and had our first practice.
Our current athletes were really inspired to witness the depth of the program’s history first hand and to see what being a Thunderbird over all the years has meant to UBC’s rowers.
UBC Rowing 100 premiered on September 15th, 2022 at the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre at UBC to a sold-out audience of athletes, alumni, and supporters.
