WEST WINDSOR, N.J., June 22, 2006 - Holy Names Academy junior Lindsay Meyer swept the best of three women's single sculls finals Thursday morning at the U.S. Junior National Team Trials on Lake Mercer near Princeton, N.J. to earn a berth on the 2006 U.S. Junior National Rowing Team.
Meyer, 17, who trains at Seattle's Pocock Rowing Center, clocked an 8:05.00 to finish more than 38 seconds ahead of Maritime Rowing Club's Taylor Fries and meet the U.S. time standard necessary to qualify for the national team. Grand Rapids Crew's Sophie Ordway finished third. Meyer won Wednesday's first final by 48 seconds.
She was among four high school-aged crews from around the country to win at the junior regatta and earn a spot on the U.S. team that will compete in the 2006 World Junior Championships, Aug. 2 - 5 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Rowing as high as 34 strokes-per-minute into a slight headwind, Meyer steadily increased her lead on the field of three throughout the 2,000 meter race crossing the finish line some 200 meters ahead of the second place boat. "It's pretty amazing," said Meyer who earned her first appearance on a U.S. team with the win. "This is what I've been working toward all year. To know that I am actually going to go (to worlds) - it's pretty cool."
At junior worlds, Meyer will face strong competition from the European crews. Unlike most U.S. high school rowers who enter the sport as sweep rowers (one oar) in larger boats - preparing for collegiate careers, Meyer has taken the European approach - beginning her rowing career in the more nimble sculling boats (two oars) - preparing for international competition. "International racing is an entirely different animal," said Meyer who won the high school national championship in the same event at the USRowing Youth Invitational in early June. "I'm excited, but the nervousness hasn't fully set in."
Other winning crews to earn junior world berths by meeting the U.S. time standard include Miami Rowing and Water Sports Center's Robin Prendes, who won the second final of the men's single sculls by 4.5 seconds over Bantam Boat Club's John Graves.
In the junior men's double sculls, the Maritime Rowing Club tandem of Dan Kenefick and Brendan McEwan clocked a 7:05.50 to win the second final by 6.5 seconds over Malta Boat Club's Carter Lindborg and A.J. DiValerio.
Craftsbury Sculling Center's Lori Gordon and Emily Dreissigacker clocked a 7:44.40 to complete the sweep of the junior women's double sculls. The duo finished 9.30 seconds ahead of Craftsbury's Liz Barnett and Carla Horne.
The 2006 World Rowing Junior Championships slated for August 2 - 5 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands are expected to bring together some 600 high school-aged rowers representing 50 nations in world competition. In addition to the four crews to qualify through trials, 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.