Olympic Rower Wasteneys Returns After Break for 2026 Season

Olympic champion Avalon Wasteneys is proving that sometimes the best comebacks happen after you pause to catch your breath.

The 28-year-old rower from Campbell River was named to Canada's team for the 2026 World Cup season this week, returning after sitting out last year. Wasteneys won gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and silver at Paris 2024, both in the women's eight event.

But she's not just returning. She's challenging herself in an entirely new way.

Wasteneys will partner with Alizée Brien in the double sculls, switching from sweeping (both hands on one oar) to sculling (one oar in each hand). It's a significant technical shift that requires mastering a completely different rowing style.

"One of the things that excites me most about this new crew with Alizée is how aligned we are in our technical and mental approach to training and racing," Wasteneys said. She called it meaningful to see her goal of learning to scull come to life so quickly.

Her return comes at a crucial time for Team Canada. The national squad struggled at the 2025 world championships in Shanghai, winning zero medals and making just one final.

Brien was part of that lone finalist boat, the women's quad. Now the pairing of these two athletes gives Canada a strong chance at the podium as they build toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Why This Inspires

Wasteneys' journey shows what dedication to growth looks like at the highest level. She could have stayed comfortable in the event where she'd already won Olympic gold. Instead, she chose to master an entirely new discipline.

Her background makes the story even richer. Before becoming an Olympic rowing champion, Wasteneys was a cross-country skier on Mount Washington and came through the University of Victoria's rowing program.

Canada will compete at two World Cup regattas this spring, in Seville, Spain, and Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The team includes other notable athletes like Axel Ewashko from Brentwood College and Marilou Duvernay-Tardif, whose brother Laurent won a Super Bowl as an NFL offensive lineman.

Sometimes taking a break isn't stepping back—it's gathering momentum for the next leap forward.