PRINCETON, N.J. - Eight crews are set to compete at the 2013 Samsung World Rowing Cup March 22-24 at the Sydney International Regatta Center in Penrith, Australia.
U.S. crews are entered in six events - the women's single sculls, women's double sculls, women's pair, women's quadruple sculls, women's eight and men's eight. The 22-person roster includes 14 members of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Rowing Team.
"This is my first time in Australia and I'm honored and excited to be here with Team USA. The course and facilities are beautiful, and it's very cool to be at the site of the 2000 Olympics," said women's eight coxswain Leigh Carroll (Sherborn, Mass.).
"The group is racing both in small boats and in big boats during this trip, so we are focusing on both. Our focus in the eight will be working together to continue uniting the strengths of all nine athletes. Racing is always fun and we are looking forward to having a great race against strong competition."
Racing in the women's quad is Eleanor Logan (Boothbay Harbor, Maine), Susan Francia (Abington, Pa.), Esther Lofgren (Newport Beach, Calif.) and Megan Kalmoe (St. Croix Falls, Wis.). Logan and Francia are also entered in the women's single event, while Lofgren and Kalmoe will compete in the women's double.
In the women's eight, Carroll joins Caroline Lind (Greensboro, N.C.), Meghan Musnicki (Naples, N.Y.), Taylor Ritzel (Larkspur, Colo.), Grace Luczak (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Amanda Polk (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Sara Hendershot (West Simsbury, Conn.), Ellen Tomek (Flushing, Mich.) and Adrienne Martelli (University Place, Wash.). Ritzel and Hendershot will race in a women's pair, along with Lind and Musnicki.
On the men's side, coxswain Stephen Young (Tampa, Fla.), Michael Gennaro (Havertown, Pa.), Tom Peszek (Farmington Hills, Mich.), Tom Dethlefs (Lawrenceville, N.J.), Stephen Kasprzyk (Cinnaminson, N.J.), Brandon Shald (Sausalito, Calif.), Nareg Guregian (North Hills, Calif.), David Banks (Potomac, Md.) and Grant James (DeKalb, Ill.) will race in the men's eight.
The 2013 Samsung World Rowing Cup is being run in conjunction with the inaugural Sydney International Rowing Regatta. The 'Festival of Rowing' was held March 18-24 at the Sydney International Regatta Center in Penrith.
Racing begins with heats on Friday morning, March 22. Repechages are scheduled for Saturday, March 23, with finals on Sunday, March 24.
Australia is the first stop of the 2013 Samsung World Rowing Cup circuit. The second stage will be held June 21-23 in Eton, Great Britain. The final stage will take place July 12-14 in Lucerne, Switzerland.