How the death of a rower gave the Royal St. John's Regatta its first female trophy

With races at QuidiVidiLake now dominated by female competitors, many spectators at today's 200thrunning of the Royal St. John's Regatta may find it inconceivable to learn of one element of local rowing history.

It wasn't until 1979 thatwomen competitors even got a trophy.

The Kim Stirling Memorial Trophy will be presented today for the 40th time to the winning female crewby Joyce Stirling, in memory of her daughter.

• Down at the Lake: Learn stories about QuidiVidiLake
• Gearing up for a historic running of the Royal St. John's Regatta

"She rowed for four years, from the time she was 15 to 19,"Joyce Stirling told CBC's St. John's Morning Show.

"She would complain, 'It's not right, Mom, that there's a man's trophy but not a women's trophy.'"

She would complain, 'It's not right, Mom, that there's a man's trophy but not a women's trophy.'- Joyce Stirling

Kim Stirling was killed in a car accident in October 1977. Consumed by grief, Stirling came up with the idea the following year to commemorate her daughter and recognize the regatta's female competitors with their own trophy a first.

"She loved Newfoundland and she loved rowing, so I thought, 'Well, this is a good time to introduce the idea of a ladies' championship trophy."

The Stirling family which owns NTV, OZ-FM and the Newfoundland Herald havea long history of supporting the regatta, from broadcasting it on radio and television to sponsoring rowing shells and crews that compete often successfully in the event.

'Feisty and strong-minded'

The regatta committee at the time approved of the proposal. The first presentation of the trophy was set for the regatta's 1979 edition.

Stirling gave the job of creating the trophy to artistFrank Warren who sculpteda pewter scale-model of a racing shell to sit atop a woodenplinth.

These days, with so much interest in the races by women competitors, it is one of the event's most hotly contested awards.

More than 40 years after her daughter's death, Joyce Stirling remembers Kim as "pretty feisty and strong-minded,"but also kind and compassionate.

"She was definitely ahead of the curve, but she was somewhat of a feminist. She was well ahead of her time, there's no doubt about that," she said.

"Now 39 years later, there are predominantly women's teams instead of men's teams. I think that speaks for itself."

Kim Stirling is buried in the Forest Road Anglican Cemetery just up the hill from Quidi VidiLake, where the regatta takes place every August. The rower'sfinal resting place fitting overlooks the regatta's finish line.

She was definitely ahead of the curve, but she was somewhat of a feminist.- Joyce Stirling

Kim Stirling may have died at a young age, but her mother said she well knew where she wanted her final resting piece.

"This is what she wanted and this is what she got. I think it was divineintervention," her mother said.

"It'scoincidental. It just happened to be that that was what was available in the cemeteryat the time. And Geoff is buried right next to her."

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