University of Tennessee Athletics
Freshman Heading to World Championships
July 18, 2015 | Rowing
July 18, 2015
With just under a month before classes start for the fall semester at the University of Tennessee, incoming freshman Pari Baker finds herself preparing to represent Team Canada in the Junior World Rowing Championships, which will be held on August 5-9 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
"I'm excited for the experience," Baker said. "I've never travelled to South America before, and I look forward to the adventure. I hope we have some free time for sightseeing. In Rio, we will be rowing on the 2016 Olympic course, giving it a test run. Everyone on my team is very excited for the opportunity. My crew will be heading to Junior Worlds with three other Canadian crews, and we are all looking forward to what will be a memorable experience."
Baker, a native of Mississauga, Ontario, first began her rowing career in 2013 with the Don Rowing Club and looks to be a pleasant addition to UT's rowing team this year.
"We are really excited about what she is going to bring," Tennessee head coach Lisa Glenn said on her incoming rower. "She has not had a lengthy rowing career yet, and so her improvement has been just quick, and she's got a lot more potential ahead of her. She has been rowing for a couple of years and to have achieved, at her age group, national caliber status is just really exciting.
"What she brings is a real competitive nature. She is a competitor, and that's why she has gotten where she has at the junior level. I think the experience of going to Worlds and being coached by different coaches is a really great preparation for coming to a D-I university."
Baker will join an impressive group of former Volunteer rowers who have competed in the World Championships for their respective country. Lauren Wells, who also competed for Team Canada, helped the national team place fourth in the lightweight quadruple sculls at the 2009 World Rowing Championships.
Mary Jones of the Vesper Boat Club in Philadelphia finished seventh in the lightweight quad sculls at the 2014 World Rowing Championships, representing Team USA. Also competing in the 2014 World Championships was Erin-Monique O'Brien who rowed for Team New Zealand, leading them to a fifth place finish in the quad sculls with a time of 6:15.560.
The Junior World Championships will be the first major event in which Baker has participated in, racing in the quadruple sculls in Rio de Janeiro. Most of her competitions have been throughout Canada, with a few in New York, but this will be her first trip to South America.
Nonetheless, Baker looks forward to the challenges and opportunities that await her in a few weeks.
"I'm a little nervous, and excited, for this opportunity," Baker said about being able to represent her country. "I have trained very hard for the past two years, and I can't wait to wear the Team Canada colors and compete with my teammates against the top junior rowers from around the world. It's gratifying to know that two years of hard work have paid off."
Players Mentioned
