USRowing Training Center's Charlie Cole (New Canaan, Conn.) and Glenn Ochal (Philadelphia, Pa.) won the final of the men's pair to highlight racing Friday morning at the first National Selection Regatta at the United States Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif.
Cole and Ochal earned the right to compete at either of the first two world cup races this spring. A top-four finish in Europe would then qualify them for a spot on the 2012 Olympic team.
In the final, it was USTC's Henrik Rummel (Pittsford, N.Y.) and Jake Cornelius (Brooktondale, N.Y.) who were first off the line and held the lead over the first quarter of the race. Cole and Ochal made a strong push at the halfway mark to move into first place and cross the line 3.97 seconds ahead.
"Our race today was strong," said Cole, a member of the men's four that finished fourth at the 2011 World Rowing Championships. "Those guys pushed us at the beginning of the race, and they wouldn't let us get through. Eventually around 750 (meters into the race), we started to get some traction.
"We were really neck-at-neck and then we had a real solid push at the 1,000. I think we were able to settle down a little bit; we were just right there. It was bow ball to bow ball for a long time. We settled into a stronger rhythm, and we got more comfortable and pushed out in the second half."
Cole and Ochal posted a time of 6:27.352 for the win. Rummel and Cornelius finished in a 6:31.329 in second place, followed by USTC's Scott Gault (Piedmont, Calif.) and Will Miller (Duxbury, Mass.) third in a 6:39.466.
"It was a good race," said Cole. "Credit to (Rummel and Cornelius). They went out with a lot of purpose and they pushed us hard, which we've been doing in practice for the last month. Now, the important thing is that we'll keep working, keep training and just try not to look too far ahead."
"In our event, it's a little different this year with the guys training at Berkeley," said Ochal. "I'm pretty sure they could produce some really fast pairs. But they have goals up there, and they are working towards making that eight go quick, so hopefully we will see them in international competition down the line."
With the threat of severe weather in the forecast for tomorrow, finals for the men's single and women's pair, originally scheduled for Saturday, were moved to Friday evening, beginning at 5:00 p.m. PDT. Along with the men's pair, the winner of the men's single and women's pair will earn the right to compete at either of the first two world cup races this spring.
In the men's single sculls, the top three scullers in each semifinal advanced to the evening final, scheduled for 5:00 p.m. PDT.
Beijing single sculler Ken Jurkowski (New Fairfield, Conn.) won the first race of the morning in 7:09.875, followed by USTC's Sam Stitt (McLean, Va.) in 7:13.170. Potomac Boat Club's Willie Cowles (Farmington, Conn.) crossed third to advance in a 7:15.106.
In the second semi, USRowing Training Center's Warren Anderson (Paso Robles, Calif.), who clocked the fastest time in yesterday's time trial, won in 7:13.203. Nick Trojan (Los Alamitos, Calif.) finished second in 7:16.267 and Craftsbury Sculling Center's Brian de Regt (Rowayton, Conn.) third in 7:19.229.
In the semifinals of the women's pair, the top three crews also advanced to the final, scheduled for 5:12 p.m. PDT.
After clocking the fastest time in the time trial, USTC's Erin Cafaro (Modesto, Calif.) and Eleanor Logan (Boothbay Harbor, Maine) returned to win the first semi in 7:13.894. USTC teammates Jamie Redman (Spokane, Wash.) and Susan Francia (Abington, Pa.) crossed second in 7:18.052, followed by Esther Lofgren (Newport Beach, Calif.) and Amanda Polk (Pittsburgh, Pa.) in 7:21.447.
In the second semifinal, USTC's Taylor Ritzel (Larkspur, Colo.) and Caroline Lind (Greensboro, N.C.) crossed the line first in 7:16.974, followed by teammates Meghan Musnicki (Naples, N.Y.) and Caryn Davies (Ithaca, N.Y.) in 7:19.952. USTC's Natalie Dell (Clearville, Pa.) and Sara Hendershot (W. Simsbury, Conn.) finished third in 7:22.164.
In the final of the lightweight men's pair, USTC's Nick LaCava (Weston, Conn.) and Will Newell (Weston, Mass.) won in 6:42.505. USTC's Jimmy Sopko (Mathews, Va.) and Anthony Fahden (Lafayette) crossed second in a 6:45.855, followed by USTC's Robin Prendes (Miami, Fla.) and Kenny McMahon (Ladysmith, Wis.) third in 6:50.568.
For the lightweight men's pair, the speed order serves as an opportunity for athletes to test their speed in preparation for selection of the lightweight men's four, which will be named April 30 and compete at the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta May 20-23 in Lucerne, Switzerland.
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