CHERRY HILL, N.J. - With the completion of today's semifinals in the lightweight men's single sculls and repechages in the lightweight women's single sculls, finals are now set at the second set of 2003 World Championships Trials for non-Olympic-class boats. Winners of the trials earn the right to represent the United States at the 2003 FISA World Championships August 24-31 in Milan, Italy.
In the lightweight men's single sculls, New York Athletic Club/Potomac Boat Club's Andrew Liverman recorded the fastest time of the semifinals. Liverman clocked a 7:04.30 to win the second of two heats by 13.35 seconds. Eric Wilhelm finished second in a time of 7:17.65, followed by Ann Arbor Rowing Club's Brian Tryon and Augusta Rowing Club's Sixto Portilla. In the first heat, Union Boat Club's Aleks Zosuls finished with a time of 7:15.09, 1.53 seconds ahead of Undine Barge Club's Jon D'Alba. Potomac Boat Club's Jeff Anchukaitis finished third, followed by Riverside Boat Club's Sean Wolf. The top two finishers from each semifinal advanced to Friday's first final.
In the lightweight women's single sculls, Union Boat Club's Catharine Infantino and Riverside Boat Club's Heather Moon won the two repechages, or second-chance races, to advance to Friday's first final. Infantino easily won the first repechage, although a timing malfunction prevented an official time from being recorded. Moon clocked a 7:57.82 to win the second repechage, finishing 2.54 seconds ahead of University of Dayton Crew's Trish Miles. Infantino and Moon join heat winners Sarah Howlett of Riverside Boat Club and Julia Nichols of Pocock Rowing Center in the first final.
The best two-out-of-three finals begin Friday morning at 8 a.m. In addition to the two lightweight single sculls, eight more events will be contested including the men's pair with coxswain, lightweight men's pair, lightweight women's pair, lightweight men's quadruple sculls, lightweight women's quadruple sculls, women's four, men's four with coxswain, and lightweight men's eight. Second finals will be held Saturday starting at 8 a.m., with third finals being held Sunday, if necessary.
Eight crews have already been named to the 2003 World Championships Team, while an additional six crews will be named by the national team coaches by August 4.
Lightweight Men's Single Sculls Semifinals (Top Two from Each Heat Advance to Final One) Semi 01 1: Union Boat Club-ZOSULS, 07:15:09; 2: Undine Barge Club-DALBA, 07:16:62; 3: Potomac Boat Club-ANCHUKAITIS, 07:19:44; 4: Riverside Boat Club-WOLF, 07:24:04. Semi 02 1: New York Athletic Club-LIVERMAN, 07:04:30; 2: Unaffiliated-WILHELM, 07:17:65; 3: Ann Arbor Rowing Club-TRYON, 07:20:40; 4: Augusta Rowing Club, Inc.-PORTILLA, 07:35:12.
Lightweight Women's Single Sculls Repechages (Winners from Each Heat Advance to Final One) Repechage 01 1: Union Boat Club-INFANTINO, No Time; 2: Dallas Rowing Club-MOLENAAR, No Time; 3: Occoquan Boat Club-RICE, No Time. Repechage 02 1: Riverside Boat Club-MOON, 07:57:82; 2: University of Dayton Crew-MILES, 08:00:36; 3: Unaffiliated-BURTON, 08:20:31.