UBC, UVic, Simon Fraser University, Trinity Western University, UFV, and Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops. Also expected are teams from University of Alberta in Edmonton, the University of Calgary, the University of Saskatchwan and the University of Manitoba.
Boat categories range from men's and women's singles to up to eight rowers in a boat. Each university can have a maximum of 42 team members. There are also large numbers of support volunteers, who will also be coming to town, Chisholm said.
Discussions for accommodation are underway with Trinity Western University, and host hotel the Sandman Inn, Chisholm said. She expects that Bedford will become the venue for the annual Western Canadian university championships, which after this year will become the qualifying event for the Canadian University Rowing Championships, slated at Bedford this year Nov. 1 and 2.
"Rowing B.C. has been very supportive. They are desperately looking for a regional-type training centre."
The potential is great for growth in the sport, particularly in high school rowing, she said.
Bedford Channel has a two-kilometre, Olympic-length stretch of straight channel, wide enough to accommodate a minimum of four lanes.
"The water itself is very rarely affected by wind, which is the bane of rowing events," said Chisholm.
But the water is just one draw.