Canadian Olympic talent search set to host tryouts at UVic campus

Young athletes participate in an RBC Training Ground event. (CTV News)

Canada’s Olympic talent search competition RBC Training Ground is coming to Greater Victoria to test athletic prowess in speed, strength, power and endurance.

“I’m looking forward to the energy. It’s always so much fun at the regional competitions,” says RBC Olympian Alexis Cronk. “I think there’s really nothing to lose.”

The Team Canada rower is helping raise awareness for the March 29 event at the University of Victoria’s Centre for Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities building on Gabriola Road. The free fitness testing event is for athletes aged 14 to 25 and brings scouts from 15 national sport organization partners who’re looking for Olympic potential.

“I would not be in the position that I’m in right now without the program. And I think that’s true for so many other athletes coming from different sports or no sports at all,” says Cronk.

She’s been a brand ambassador for RBC Training Ground since getting her national start through the program in Toronto in 2019. Cronk says she was transitioning out of playing university-level volleyball and still had ambitions to be competitive as an athlete.

“I just showed up to the Toronto tryout, gave it my all on that day, and then was recruited by Rowing Canada. And what that did after making the national final and being selected for funding was accelerate the support that I was given to get on to the national team,” says Cronk.

According to Stellick Marketing Communications, 21 program alumni have competed in the Olympic games – with a dozen of them winning medals for Team Canada.

The Saturday event on Vancouver Island runs from 1 to 4 p.m.

The top 100 athletes from qualifiers advance to a national finals contest – and up to 35 “RBC Future Olympians” are offered funding and resources to develop in their sport.

“What RBC Training Ground is doing is trying to remove those (financial) barriers, especially for underserved communities and athletes that may not have the financial resources to stay in sport,” says Cronk.