WEST WINDSOR, N.J. - Penn Athletic Club's Sean Medcalf and Potomac Boat Club's Caroline Berson earned junior national team berths on Sunday after sweeping the first two finals of the junior men's and women's single sculls at the 2005 Junior National Team Trials on Lake Mercer in West Windsor, N.J.
In both the junior men's and women's double sculls, the second final winner differed from the first final winner, setting up a third final on Monday.
In the men's single sculls, Medcalf easily won the second final. He clocked a 7:37.70 to finish 14.44 seconds ahead of Fairmount Rowing Association's Will Weaver. Bantam Boat Club's John Graves finished third in a 7:53.92. Berson also easily won her second final. She stroked an 8:15.17 to finish 9.11 seconds ahead of Blood Street Sculls' Michelle King.
The closest race of the day, once again, came in the men's double sculls. This time, however, Capital Crew's Peter Carlson and Justin Rediger got the best of Crescent Boat Club's John Cerrone and Justin Ochal. In Saturday's first final, the Crescent boat won by 0.24 seconds. But Capital came back to win the second final by 0.84 seconds, finishing in a 6:53.60. Maritime Rowing Club's Nate Kelly and Brendan McEwan finished third. Capital and Crescent will face off in the third final on Monday morning at 6:30 a.m.
Steel City Rowing Club's Meredith Meehan and Katrina Gagnon stayed alive in the women's double sculls by defeating GMS Rowing Center's Jacquelyn Burmeister and Victoria Burke on Sunday. Meehan and Gagnon finished nearly four seconds behind the GMS duo in Saturday's first final but clocked a 7:51.99 to earn a 2.20-second victory on Sunday. GMS Rowing Center's Christina Laternser and Margaux Howard finished third. The winners of the first two finals will race the third final on Monday at 6:40 a.m.
In addition to the four boats being selected at the trials, the U.S. will send a men's eight, men's four with coxswain, women's eight, women's four and women's pair to the world junior championships. Those boats will be chosen in July by the junior national team head coaches from the athletes participating in the junior national team camps that are currently in progress.