The first day of racing at the 2014 Senior and Under 23 World Championship Trials got underway Monday at Mercer Lake.
More than 100 entries from 37 clubs across the country are competing for a chance to row for the U.S. team at the 2014 World Rowing Under 23 Championships July 23-27, in Varese, Italy. Racing is being contested in 15 boat classes including the men’s and women’s single sculls, lightweight men’s and women’s single sculls, men’s and women’s double sculls, lightweight men’s and women’s double sculls, men’s quadruple sculls, lightweight men’s and women’s quadruple sculls, men’s and women’s pair, lightweight men’s pair and men’s four with coxswain.
In under 23 racing, the duo of Agatha Nowinski and Jessica Eiffert cruised to an easy victory in the first heat of the women’s B pair, clocking a time of 7:16.80 to finish nearly 26 seconds ahead of the second-place crew from Seattle Area Rowing Association.
Both rowers have national team experience, with Eiffert having made two junior national teams and Nowinski having raced on two under 23 teams and a junior national team. The pair heads to the final as the top-ranked crew, and only plans to go faster, according to Nowinski, a recent University of California graduate.
“The heat was pretty good,” Nowinski said. “That was our first full 2,000-meter piece together, so we definitely have room for improvement and know what we need to work on for the final. We are excited to get better and hopefully put down a faster time in the final.”
Two-time junior national team member, Faith Richardson, posted the fastest time in the second heat of the women’s B single. Richardson won her heat by almost 20 seconds and goes into the final with the second fastest time behind Samantha Casto, who posted a time of 8:04.32 in the first heat.
The second heat of the men’s double featured former junior national team members Kevin Coyle and Jack Kelley. The duo rowed the fastest time for their category, posting a 6:34.41.
The 2014 Senior 1 World Championship Trials will select eight crews for the U.S. team that will compete at the 2014 World Rowing Championships August 24-31 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
The women’s lightweight single included doubles partners Kate Bertko and Kristin Hedstrom, who both finished first in their respective heats. Bertko, a four-time national team member, and Hedstrom, a seven-time team member, won silver together in the lightweight double at the 2013 World Rowing Championships.
In the men’s lightweight single, Craftsbury’s Hugh McAdam edged out Malta’s Colin Ethridge. The past national team rowers finished in 7:09.20 and 7:09.43, respectively. In the second heat of the same category, seven-time national team member Andrew Campbell finished first and heads to the final with the fastest time, posting a 7:03.67 in the heat.
Racing continues tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. with finals for select under 23 boat categories. For more information including an updated schedule and result s, click here.
A full roster for the 2014 U.S. Senior National Team will be announced August 8, following the 2014 Senior 2 World Championships Trials. The 2014 U.S. Under 23 National Team will be announced by July 11.
Event finals will be live streamed on USRowing’s You Tube channel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqUIXBo-7f8.
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