CHERRY HILL, N.J. – Eight crews earned national team berths after sweeping the best two-out-of-three finals at the second set of 2003 World Championships Trials for non-Olympic-class boats. The eight crews now will represent the United States at the 2003 FISA World Championships August 24-31 in Milan, Italy.
In the first race of the day, Augusta Rowing Club’s A entry of Mike Aller, Tim Larson, Shawn Stephenson, and Stephen Arthur-Wong won the second final of the lightweight men’s quadruple sculls. Aller, Larson and Arthur-Wong will return to worlds for the second year in a row, while Stephenson will be competing at worlds for the first time. The crew clocked a 5:59.54, followed by New York Athletic Club more than three seconds behind. Augusta’s B boat finished third.
The Princeton Training Center crew of coxswain Andy Kelly, Dan Beery and Matt Rich easily won the second final of the men’s pair with coxswain. Beery is a returning silver medalist in this event at the 2002 World Championships. The PTC crew finished in a 6:58.45, followed by the Penn AC crew in a 7:07.85. Vesper Boat Club finished third.
In the lightweight men’s single sculls, New York Athletic Club/Potomac Boat Club’s Andrew Liverman easily won the second final in a 7:02.11. This will be Liverman’s second time on the national team, but first time to compete in the lightweight single sculls. He won a bronze medal in the lightweight eight at last year’s world championships. Liverman will also race the open weight single sculls at the 2003 Pan American Games. In Saturday’s second final, Undine Barge Club’s Jon D’Alba finished second in a time of 7:11.39, more than four seconds ahead of Eric Wilhelm who finished third.
The New York Athletic Club/ Marin Rowing Association duo of Mike Altman and Simon Carcagno easily swept the best two-out-of-three final and will represent the United States for the second year in a row in the lightweight men’s pair. Last year, the duo became the first-ever U.S. lightweight men’s pair to reach the final at the world championships. This year, they will be looking to improve on that performance. On Saturday, Altman and Carcagno clocked a 6:32.59, more than 25 seconds ahead of the second-place Penn AC boat. Georgia Tech Crew finished third.
In the lightweight women’s single sculls Pocock’s Julia Nichols defeated Union Boat Club’s Catharine Infantino to win the second final and earn a spot on her first national team. Nichol’s clocked a 7:46.19, followed by Infantino in a 7:52.17. Riverside’s Sarah Howlett came in third.
The Princeton Training Center crew of Stacey Borgman, Michelle Borkhuis, Mary Obidinski and Maria Picone easily defeated Potomac Boat Club in the lightweight women’s quadruple sculls, sweeping the best two-out-of-three final. Borkhuis was a bronze medalist at last year’s worlds in this event. This year marks Borgman’s fourth and Obidinski’s third national team appearances. Borgman won a silver medal in the lightweight quadruple sculls at the world championships two years ago. The PTC crew clocked a 6:31.83, more than 12 seconds ahead of Potomac. Camp Randall finished third.
Undine’s Meghan Sarbanis and Renee Hykel defeated Riverside and swept the best two-out-of-three final in the lightweight women’s pair. The crew clocked a time of 7:22.84, followed by Riverside in 7:27.45. The Cambridge/Riverside crew placed third. Sarbanis and Hykel are both first-time national team members.
In the men’s four with coxswain, the PTC crew of coxswain Marcus McElhenney, Luke McGee, Jaime Schroeder, Garrett Klugh, and Brian McDonough easily won its second race to sweep the best two-out-of-three final. Klugh was a member of last year’s bronze medalist eight, while McGee is a multiple-time national team member. McElhenney, Schroeder, and McDonough are all first-time senior national team members. The crew finished with a time of 6:01.21, defeating Penn AC who clocked a 6:10.94. Vesper finished third.
These eight crews join the 10 crews that have already been named to the 2003 World Championships Team. An additional six crews will be named by the national team coaches by August 4.
Lightweight Men`s Quadruple Sculls
Final 02 1: Augusta Rowing Club, Inc., 05:59:54; 2: New York Athletic Club-COMP, 06:02:81; 3: Augusta Rowing Club, Inc., 06:09:53.
Men`s Pair with Coxswain
Final 02 1: Princeton Training Center, 06:58:45; 2: Penn A.C. Rowing Association-A, 07:07:85; 3: Vesper Boat Club, 07:11:64.
Lightweight Men`s Single Sculls
Final 02 1: New York Athletic Club-LIVERMAN, 07:02:11; 2: Undine Barge Club-DALBA, 07:11:39; 3: Unaffiliated-WILHELM, 07:15:40.
Lightweight Men`s Pair
Final 02 1: New York Athletic Club-Marin, 06:32:59; 2: Penn A.C. Rowing Association, 06:57:99; 3: Georgia Tech Crew, 07:02:14.
Lightweight Women`s Single Sculls
Final 02 1: Pocock Rowing Center-NICHOLS, 07:46:16; 2: Union Boat Club-INFANTINO, 07:52:17; 3: Riverside Boat Club-HOWLETT, 07:59:01.
Lightweight Women`s Quadruple Sculls
Final 02 1: Princeton Training Center, 06:31:83; 2: Potomac Boat Club-POCOCK, 06:43:88; 3: Camp Randall Rowing Club, 07:11:67.
Lightweight Women`s Pair
Final 02 1: Undine Barge Club, 07:22:84; 2: Riverside Boat Club, 07:27:45; 3: Cambridge BC/Riverside BC, 07:43:22.
Men`s Four with Coxswain
Final 02 1: Princeton Training Center, 06:01:21; 2: Penn A.C. Rowing Association, 06:10:94; 3: Vesper Boat Club, 06:15:08.