Rowing association launches academy in Ternate

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Rowing Association has teamed up with the province of Cavite in forming the first rowing school in the country called First Ternate, Cavite Rowing Academy.

The academy was launched yesterday at the Barrio Bucana in Ternate, Cavite, with the whole national team led by Tokyo Olympian Cris Nievarez and PRA president Patrick Gregorio in attendance.

Another Olympian, Benjie Tolentino, will be the head instructor of the school that aims to produce more national team mainstays and possibly Olympian rowers in the future.

“We have to build more rowing academy or centers all over the country so young people can learn how to row, that is the first step,” said Gregorio. “We will develop more rowing centers to reach this goal.”

Gregorio said the program was done in cooperation with the University of the Philippines College of Human Kinetics.

“We thank UP CHK as well as Cavite Gov.Jonvic Remulla, Philippine Olympic Committee president Bambol Tolentino and Philippine Sports Commission chairman Noli Eala for the support,” he said.