Ed.s' note: The report is Seattle-centric per Pocock's mission, but the story contained was too good to pass up.
Updated 7/20/2006: New Evidence on Duck Verdict(see below)
WEST WINDSOR, N.J., May 20, 2006 - Eight Seattle area crews and one goose survived Saturday's semifinals of the spring's third U.S. National Selection Regatta on Lake Mercer near Princeton, N.J. propelling the rowers to Sunday's finals of the national qualifier that will help choose the 2006 U.S. National Rowing Team.
Seven local crews qualified the conventional way - by finishing among the top three in their semifinals, while the eighth - the women's double sculls entry of Pocock Rowing Center.s Britton Nixon and Vesper Boat Club.s Samantha Twardowski survived a goose-strike in the final 15 strokes of their race, earned their spot in the finals through a so-called "misadventure rule" protest.
After striking the fowl in the final 100 meters while battling with Princeton Training Center.s Shannon Kapplan and Nicole Sylvester for the third and final qualifying position, the Pocock/Vesper crew protested the race and the referees were summoned to discuss the outcome. Nixon and Twardowski, who finished fourth in 7:25.08, just 0.67 seconds out of contention, were later awarded lane seven in the final by USRowing rule 2-603. The rule provides that "If the referee finds that a crew has been deprived of its fair opportunity of winning, placing or advancing whether due to interference or other unfair condition on the course, he or she shall take such measures as necessary to restore that opportunity."
"Fortunately the goose survived and cooler heads prevailed," said Emil Kossev, a 2004 U.S. Olympic sculling coach and head coach as Seattle's Pocock Rowing Center. "Britton and Sam are happy because they're in the final, the other rowers are happy because the referees elected not to re-row the race, and the goose, of course, is extremely happy to be alive."
In the event, Lia Pernell of Pocock and Anne Browning of Tacoma guided their crews to first-place finishes in their semifinals. Pernell and partner Liane Malcos rowed to a 7:17.14 first place finish in the second semifinal - the fastest time of the event, while Browning and Caryn Davies grabbed top spot in the first semifinal with a 7:17.39. Pocock.s Samantha Byrd and Reilly Dampeer finished sixth place 7:29.52 in the second semifinal and did not advance.
In the men's pair three former Huskies Brett Newlin, Giuseppe Lanzone and Sam Burns qualified for Sunday's final. Newlin, a 2005 UW graduate, and partner Josh Inman along with UW's Lanzone and Mathew Schnobrich finished first and second in the first semifinal. Newlin and Inman clocked a 2,000 meter 6:44.43 for top spot followed by Lanzone and Schnobrich.s second place 6:51.93. Burns and partner Dan Beery finished second in the second seminal with a time of 6:50.07.
In the men's double sculls former Husky rower Jonathan Burns and partner Shane O'Mara finished with a second place 6:34.21 and Pocock's Joshua Brown and partner Deaglan McEachern finished third in 6:35.67 to both qualify for Sunday's final. Pocock's Francis Cuddy and partner Mark Flickinger finished with a fourth place 6:38.23 and did not advance. The rowers are among 56 crews representing 17 rowing clubs in 7 states vying for an opportunity to compete on the 2006 national team that will represent the U.S. at the 2006 FISA World Rowing Championships August 20-27 in Eton, England.
The winners of the men's double sculls, lightweight men's double sculls, and men's pair events will automatically make the national team without further selection if they meet the time standard during the NSR or at a subsequent event held before July 12.
Anna Mickelson of Seattle's Pocock Rowing Center has already earned a berth on the 2006 U.S. Team with a women's pair victory at the second U.S. National Selection Regatta in late April.
The National Selection regatta concludes on Sunday morning with finals beginning at 7 a.m. Complete results are linked up on the row2k results page.
UPDATE: New Evidence on Duck Verdict
We at Powerhouse Timing have something to contribute to the story. It turns out that the goose itself was actually not trying to get in the way of the competitors but was actually trying to beat them we all know fowl can be very competitive. As evidence we present the actual finish line picture of the goose (click the image at right for a full-size view).
Please note that the Duck's wing crossed the line ahead of its bill, but according the rules of FIDA, the international governing body of Duck racing, it is the bill, not the wing that establishes finish time.
Cheers,
Jason, Leigh, and Henry
Powerhouse Timing