Trent Rowing and the Peterborough Rowing Club (PRC) have found a new head coach in Horacio Tendilla. 

Coach Tendilla comes with years of experience coaching rowers in provincial, national and international competitions, most recently as the head coach of the Don Rowing Club in Mississauga. Tendilla is also the former talent development director for the Mexican Rowing Federation and former director of rowing for the Ottawa Rowing Club. 

“It is such an honour to have Coach Tendilla join the Excalibur family,” says Sarah Batley, assistant director of sport and student engagement. “With his years of experience, passion for student-athletes, and global connections in the rowing world, Horacio will help our rowing team pull ahead of the competition and push our rowers to a new level of excellence.” 

Tendilla is excited to be joining the Excalibur team and sees great potential on the road ahead. 

“Trent University has incredible potential to be a leader in rowing. The University’s facilities are unparalleled in Ontario, let alone Canada. However, it is the people that I have met so far that have me most excited to join the Excalibur team.” 

A passion for excellence

Tendilla discovered his passion for rowing when he first picked up an oar at the age of 12. Since then, the coach has built a career out of his passion, with over 40 years of experience in the sport — first as an athlete and now at the helm of Trent’s Excalibur rowing team. 

I want to share my passion and knowledge by creating and developing pathways in an inclusive and diverse atmosphere so that all student-athletes can reach their full potential,” says Tendilla. “I feel honored to be part of the great history and tradition of the Excalibur team.

The renowned rowing coach replaces interim head coach Ugette Vanderpost, who seamlessly stepped in to coach both PRC and Trent Rowing while the hiring committee searched for a suitable replacement.