WEST WINDSOR, N.J. Junior National Team berths in six boat classes will be up for grabs beginning Tuesday at the 2006 Junior National Team Trials on Lake Mercer in West Windsor, N.J. The winners of the men's single sculls, women's single sculls, men's double sculls, women's double sculls, men's quadruple sculls, and women's quadruple sculls events will earn the right to represent the United States at the 2006 World Rowing Junior Championships if they meet the required time standard.
The four-day event begins on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. with a time trial in events with more than four entries. The top four finishers in the time trials move on to the finals. Much like an NBA Playoff series, the finals are a best two-out-of-three format. The first set of finals will be held Wednesday starting at 7:00 a.m. The second set will take place Thursday starting at 7:00 a.m., while the third set of finals will be contested on Friday starting at 7:00 a.m., if necessary.
The men's single sculls event leads the way in number of entries with 11. The women's double sculls has nine entries, while the women's double sculls has six entries. Four rowers will be racing in the women's single sculls, while three crews will race in the women's quadruple sculls. The men's quadruple sculls has one entry.
The 2006 World Rowing Junior Championships are slated for early August in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The U.S. also will send the men's eight, men's four with coxswain, women's eight, women's four and women's pair to the event. Those boats will be chosen in mid July by the junior national team head coaches from the athletes participating in the junior national team camps that are currently in progress.