UOIT rower Nik Vantfoort to represent Ontario at the Canada Summer Games

Third-year University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) Energy Systems Engineering student Nik Vantfoort will represent the UOIT Ridgebacks at the 2013 Canada Summer Games in Sherbrooke, Quebec in August as a rower for Team Ontario.

Vantfoort was chosen as the fourth sculler on the Ontario rowing team. This honour comes after he was named UOIT's male athlete of the year this past April.

Vantfoort said he has been working for more than three years toward the goal of being chosen to row for Ontario.

"This is by far one of the greatest accomplishments of my rowing career, because my other racing accomplishments seemed to be won with a little bit of luck and a good effort," he said.

Vantfoort has had plenty of success on the water for UOIT, including: earning a bronze medal in the doubles event at the OUA championship this year, UOIT's first podium finish at the event; advancing to the finals in the heavyweight men's singles race; a second-place finish at the Western Invitational; two fourth-place finishes at the Head of the Welland; and qualifying for two finals at the Brock Invitational.

Vantfoort has proven that he is a skilled and well-rounded rower, but he feels that his time as a Ridgeback contributed a lot to his selection for the games.

"My time at UOIT has done a lot," he said. "University racing is a much higher level of racing than high school. Also, being introduced to coach Durward who was familiar with the Team Ontario selection process was helpful as I prepared for the tryouts."

The Canada Summer Games take place every four years and feature some of the best athletes from all across the country. This year, the games will take place from August 2 to 17. The rowing competition will run from August 13 to 17.

Read the full story on the UOIT Ridgebacks website.