PRINCETON, N.J. - Three United States men's crews will be the first to see international action in 2016 at World Rowing Cup I in Varese, Italy, April 15-17.
The U.S. is entered to race in the men's single sculls, men's four and lightweight men's four events. The three crews will be the first to compete internationally in the lead up to the 2016 Olympic Games, and will be among a full and competitive field of 528 rowers from 46 countries.
"We're looking for the opportunity to get some experience in the international field," said USRowing High Performance Director Curtis Jordan. "Having these athletes line up against some of best in the world will help them develop and prepare for Rio."
Craftsbury Sculling Center's Tom Graves (Cincinnati, Ohio) will race the men's single and face 29 other scullers including Damir Martin of Croatia, fifth at last year's world championships, and Cuba's two-time world championship medalist Angel Fournier Rodriguez, who was sixth in 2015.
Graves, a three-time U.S. National Team member, will be making a quick turnaround trip back to the U.S., where he is entered to race in the men's single at the 2016 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Trials - Rowing, April 17-24 at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Fla. The winner there will earn the right to represent the U.S. at the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland, where a top-three finish is needed to qualify for Rio.
The U.S. also entered a men's four and a lightweight men's four, two boats that qualified during competition at the 2015 World Rowing Championships.
Seth Weil (Menlo Park, Calif.), Charlie Cole (New Canaan, Conn.), Henrik Rummel (Pittsford, N.Y.) and Matt Miller (Fairfax, Va.) will race the men's four against a field of 10 other crews, including Italy's 2015 world championship lineup.
Weil, Rummel and Cole were members of the crew that finished seventh in 2015 and qualified the boat class for Rio. Miller was in the men's eight that finished seventh.
The U.S. qualified the lightweight men's four with a seventh-place finish at worlds. Racing in this world cup are Tyler Nase (Phoenixville, Pa.), Edward (Mix) King (Ironton, Mo.), Robin Prendes (Miami, Fla.) and Anthony Fahden (Lafayette, Calif.). Nase, King and Fahden return from the 2015 crew.
The U.S. lightweight men's four will race in a field of 17 crews. Switzerland and France finished first and third respectively in last summer's world championships, and both have crews entered this race as well.
Click here for a snapshot of the full Olympic and Paralympic qualification process.
Go here for full 2016 World Rowing Cup I event information.