WEST WINDSOR, N.J. - Two victorious men's crews met national team qualifying standards during Sunday's finals at the third 2006 National Selection Regatta (NSR) at the Finn M.W. Caspersen Rowing Center on Lake Mercer.
With the third NSR serving as a possible selection event for the men's pair, men's double sculls, and lightweight men's double sculls, Sunday's winners had the opportunity to be automatically selected to the 2006 National Team if they met the required time standard.
In the men's pair, Princeton Training Center's Josh Inman and Brett Newlin easily won the final. The duo built a three-second lead at the midway point of the race and continued to pull away from the rest of the field during the final 1,000 meters. Inman and Newlin crossed the finish line with a time of 6:37.79. Inman and Newlin met the qualifying time standard and now have until July 12 to accept the men's pair berth on the national team. If they choose not to accept the berth, the men's pair would be opened up to all competitors at the 2006 World Championships Trials scheduled for July 31-August 5.
Princeton Training Center's Wyatt Allen and Matt Hughes won the men's double sculls final by 2.33 seconds and met the qualifying standard in the process. The duo built a three-second advantage during the first half of the race and then maintained a comfortable lead the rest of the way down the course. Allen and Hughes finished with a time of 6:23.67, and also have until July 12 to accept the men's double national team berth. If they choose not to accept the berth, the event would be opened up to all competitors at the world championships trials.
While six events were contested, no other crews met the time standard at this regatta; Princeton Training Center's Anna Mickelson and Megan Cooke clocked a 7:24.73 to win the women's pair final by 0.64 seconds over teammates Anna Goodale and Lindsay Shoop. The winning duo trailed by 0.53 seconds at the midway point of the race before edging out a victory.
Mickelson and Cooke have already made the national team in the women's pair by virtue of winning NSR 2 and meeting the required time standard. Goodale and Shoop finished second at NSR 2' both crews were using the event as a tune-up for the first world cup regatta scheduled for next weekend in Munich.
For complete results, see the row2k results section.