KINGSTON, Ont.  - The Queen's Gaels men's and women's rowing teams will travel to Montreal this weekend as they get set to renew their rivalry with McGill in the Queen's-McGill Challenge Boat Race. Queen's holds a slight edge in the all-time series 11-8.

This unique regatta is the Canadian equivalent of England's annual Oxford-Cambridge and the annual Harvard-Yale race in the U.S.

"This has been an intense rivalry since the first strokes 19 years ago," said head coach John Armitage. "On the water Queen's and McGill students fight hard to win. On land they are the best of sportsmen and good friends."
 
Each crew will compete in a 3,000-metre head race, followed by a 500m sprint. Two points are awarded for a varsity win and one point for a novice victory. Three trophies will be up for grabs (men, women, overall) and the points accumulated from each race will decide the overall winning university, which will claim the Lorne Gales Challenge Cup. 

"The races will be tight, with the Varsity women looking to hold on to their title and the men looking to take it back," said men's captain Sacha Ruzzante. "The men's and women's novice crews will also be battling it out looking to show the skills they have gained over the past season. We've all trained hard over winter and are hoping that shows on Saturday. In the end it's going to come down to which team can hold their composure through the finish line." 

Past Lorne Gales Challenge Cup Recipients (overall champions)
2015 - McGill (Race completed during season regattas)
2014 - Queen's (Race completed during season regattas)
2013 - Queen's
2012 - McGill
2011 - Queen's
2010 - Queen's
2009 - McGill
2008 - Queen's
2007 - Queen's
2006 - Queen's
2005 - Queen's
2004 - Queen's
2003 - McGill
2002 - McGill
2001 - Queen's
2000 - Queen's
1999 - McGill
1998 - McGill
1997 - McGill