WEST WINDSOR, N.J. -- The first National Selection Regatta (NSR) of the year concluded on Sunday with finals in the men and women's single sculls, men and women's lightweight single sculls, men and women's pair and lightweight men's pair. The national selection regattas are one step towards making the 2003 World Championships Team, which will compete at the 2003 FISA World Rowing Championships Aug. 24-31 in Milan, Italy.
Wyatt Allen won the men's single sculls in a time of 7:09.36. Allen, a member of the men's quadruple sculls at last year's world championships, earned the right to compete at the FISA World Cup stop in Munich, Germany, in June. If Allen finishes in the top six in Munich, he will earn a berth on the 2003 World Championships Team. Princeton Training Center's Aquil Abdullah finished second in a 7:12.19, with Pocock's Sloan DuRoss finishing third in a 7:13.95.
In the women's single sculls, Saugatuck's Kristin Goodrich clocked a time of 7:50.16 to win the event for the second year in a row and earn the right to compete in Munich. If Goodrich finishes in the top six in Munich, she will earn a berth on the 2003 World Championships Team. Princeton Training Center's Sarah Jones finished second in the race with a time of 7:51.15, with Princeton Training Center teammate Danika Harris placing third in a time of 7:52.23.
In the lightweight men's single sculls, Union Boat Club's Steve Tucker, the defending world championships' bronze medalist in the event, clocked a 7:06.06 to defeat Pocock's Conal Groom by 4.07 seconds. Groom clocked a 7:10.13. Princeton Training Center's Andrew Liverman finished third in a time of 7:13.62.
Princeton Training Center's Lisa Schlenker clocked a 7:51.58 to win the lightweight women's single sculls. Schlenker, last year's world championships' silver medalist, defeated Vesper's Jana Heere by 4.36 seconds. Heere edged Princeton Training Center's Stacey Borgman, who clocked a 7:58.96, for second place.
Princeton Training Center's Jason Read and Bryan Volpenhein, members of the 2002 National Team, won the men's pair in a time of 6:37.71. The crew defeated PTC teammates Joey Hansen and Wolf Moser by 9.26 seconds. Hansen and Moser, who clocked a 6:46.97, finished 1.44 seconds ahead of the PTC's Matt Deakin and Mark Flickinger (6:48.41).
In the lightweight men's pair, Princeton Training Center's Paul Teti and Steve Warner, members of the 2002 world championship lightweight men's four, won the final in a time of 6:41.23. Erik Miller and Matt Smith placed second in a time of 6:43.71. Patrick Todd and Gabe Winkler rounded out the top three (6:46.84).
In the women's pair final, the Princeton Training Center duo of Lianne Nelson and Katie Hammes clocked a 7:21.11 to defeat Princeton Training Center teammates Megan Dirkmaat and Ali Cox by 7.24 seconds to win the event. Dirkmaat and Cox stroked a 7:28.35. The Princeton Training Center crew of Kate Johnson and Whitney Webber finished third in a time of 7:32.15.
The selection procedures for making the 2003 National Team in each boat-class depends on whether or not that boat category is an Olympic-class event or a non-Olympic event. Winners in the men and women's single sculls at NSR I will be given the opportunity to race at the Rowing World Cup event in Munich, Germany, in June. If the boat places in the top six in Munich, the boat will represent the United States at the world championships. If the boat does not place in the top six or does not compete in Munich, the event will be contested at the 2003 National Team Trials for Olympic-class Boats from July 10-15 in Princeton, N.J.
At NSR II, participants in the men and women's pair, the men and women's double sculls and the men and women's lightweight double sculls will get the same opportunity as the single scullers to make the national team at the world cup event in Munich.