Some rowers encountered rough waters at Quidi Vidi Lake last week after being blocked from using practice facilities throughout the winter.

The rowers, who are expected to be selected to represent Newfoundland and Labrador at the Canada Games, usually train at Quidi Vidi over the winter months. The lake is where the Royal St. John's Regatta — a popular rowing race — is held every summer.

This year, the athletes are being blocked from doing so by the Royal St. John's Regatta committee, which says they would have to offer the same training opportunity to all teams in the area.

Coach Kiersten Van Gulick says the team depends on equipment in the boat house for winter training. CBC

"Last Wednesday or Thursday, one of the Regatta Committees members approached us and said that they were going to lock up the erg room for the winter," said Kiersten Van Gulick, who coaches the rowers.

"We haven't been able to get in since."

Van Gulick said the "erg"— a rowing simulator in the boat house — is crucial to their training, and that the facility at Quidi Vidi is the only place in St. John's with adequate equipment for their winter training.

"We have to keep going throughout the winter and where our training season is so short, the erg really helps us keep our athletes in top condition and able to do well in regattas away."

John Barrington, who is part of the Regatta Committee, said if the organization opens the boat house for one crew, it will have to open it for everyone.

"If we open the boathouse, then I also feel that it would be appropriate to open it for any of the 102 crews that rowed there last year, or any crew that would be interested in rowing next year or any year," said Barrington.

With the Canada Games less than a year away, that leaves the athletes without a place to train.

"They think that we will have an unfair advantage over all the other fixed seat crews," said a puzzled Van Gulick. "We think that may be part of the reason but they haven't given us a straight answer on that."