Matthew Fournier has been making waves in the Canadian rowing community.
The fourth-year Carleton student won the gold medal in the varsity lightweight men’s singles event at the Canadian University Rowing Championships (CURC) during the three-day tournament held from Nov. 1-3 in Montreal.
“It was pretty amazing,” Fournier said. “It’s now my fourth year on the team, and it finally worked up to something that’s really big after these four years.”
He said his win was even sweeter because of the competition he beat.
“It felt good because there were a lot of national team people in the race, so I got to prove I’m right up there with them and I’m the same speed as some of the national guys,” he said.
Fournier said the Canadian national under-23 team is a developmental stage for future Olympians, which he was not selected for.
The national under-23 team had three male athletes at the CURC, including one who Fournier beat in the lightweight singles competition.
He said he thinks his performance this season will boost his chances of making the national team next year.
Fournier said he has had a long journey in rowing to get to where he is today.
One person who has been with him every step of the way is his father, who doubles as his lifelong coach.
Ed Fournier is the head coach of the Carleton rowing team. He specializes in coaching the men’s varsity team, giving him the opportunity to coach his son in university.
“It’s been exciting to watch him progress over the years, and I guess that’s me being a proud dad speaking,” he said.
Coach Fournier said he is not surprised his son won at the CURC because he won numerous high-profile events during a successful summer, notably a gold medal in the quad division at the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta.
The weekend after the CURC, Matthew also won a bronze medal in the under-23 men’s lightweight singles National Rowing Championships.
With his fourth year of university rowing now over, the future of Matthew Fournier competing on Carleton’s rowing team has been in question.
But the new CURC lightweight men’s singles champion said because he is a member of the co-op program, he has another year to add to his individual accolades, while also anchoring Carleton’s rowing team.
“I’m hoping to reclaim the national title next year,” Matthew said. “The rowing team at Carleton is also building for success, so hopefully next year we can get some more podium finishes [at the CURC] as well.”
When it comes to life after Carleton, a career in rowing may be on the horizon.
Coach Fournier said he is excited to coach his son for one more year at school, but said he thinks he has a future in rowing if he wants it.
“I still think he has a lot left to go,” his father said. “He is competing, and beating, the best in Canada depending on how they do on any given day . . . I think his races this year show people he is ready to take the next step.”
But the younger Fournier said he is not sure about his post-graduation rowing plans yet.
“It’s so much commitment to drop everything on my plate and just focus on rowing,” he said. “I’m still thinking about [a career in rowing], but I have another year here before I have to decide.”
