Five more junior crews earned U.S. Junior National Team bids following Monday evening's second round of finals on Mercer Lake in West Windsor, N.J.
In total, four Para-rowing crews and six junior crews earned spots on U.S. National Teams at the combined trials this week. Contested in a best two-of-three format, the winners of the junior events earned bids to the 2015 World Junior Rowing Championships August 6-9, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In Monday morning's final-only racing, the Para crews were nominated to the team that will compete at the 2015 World Rowing Championships August 29-Sept. 6, in Aiguebelette, France.
In the second final of the junior men's double sculls, the composite crew of Narragansett's Jack Luby (Barrington, R.I.) and Culver Academies' Joe Sterner (St. Charles, Ill.) continued its streak, crossing the finish line more than eight seconds ahead of Riverside Boat Club's Aviv Preminger and Jordi Cabanas for the win in 7:23.13.
Luby and Sterner won Monday morning's first final in a 6:46.20 and recorded the top time of Sunday evening's time trials en route to their win in the second final.
"I'm really excited about our potential, especially since we were among really good competition here," said Sterner. "I feel like Jack and I can get even more efficient and more fluid. We had some doubts going into it, so this win really builds our confidence."
Next up in the junior women's pair, USRowing Junior Women's High Performance Camp's Margaret Dawson (Norfolk, Va.) and Arianna Lee (Folsom, Calif.) won the second final, clocking an 8:38.45.
"When we were coming into the last 250, we could hear our teammates chanting USA, USA," said Dawson. "It's crazy. We seat-raced to get to trials, then had to win trials. Knowing that we are going to Rio now, and having the verification of it, is so nice. Not everybody gets this opportunity."
In the junior men's pair, Oliver Bub (Westport, Conn.) and Lucas Manning (Westport, Conn.) of Saugatuck Rowing Club followed their Monday morning final win with an afternoon win, posting a time of 7:43.28.
"It's pretty crazy; we can't believe it," said Manning. "We are glad to have the opportunity. With 1,000 meters left, we put in a strong push and it was smooth sailing from there."
Also coming off of a win in Sunday evening's time trials and Monday morning's first final was junior women's single sculler Eliza Kallfelz (Jamestown, R.I.) from USRowing Sculling Selection Camp. Kallfelz won her second final Monday evening in a 9:01.87 to earn her spot on the team.
"One of the unique things about my family is that both my parents are really into rowing and are really supportive," said Kallfelz, who won a national championship title in the double sculls with her sister, Emily, at the 2015 USRowing Youth National Championships. "I have incredible coaching support from Xeno Muller, Peter Wilhelm and G-man. My dad has been a really big part of it, too. The support I've had over the last eight months has been awesome."
In the junior men's single sculls, Andrew Morley (Seattle, Wash.), rowing unaffiliated, won the second final in an 8:22.36, just ahead of Seattle Rowing Club's Sam O'Brien. After crossing the finish line, he gave a point to the video camera for his mom back home in Seattle.
"This feels incredible," said Morely. "I've worked the last three summers to make the team and actually coming here to trials and taking it home has been a great experience. The first race was incredibly tough. Sam put up a really good fight. The second race was a heavy headwind and I had to power through."
In the morning session, USRowing Sculling Selection Camp's Elise Beuke (Sequim, Wash.) and Isabella Strickler (Detroit, Mich.) completed the course uncontested in 7:38.94 to earn their spot on the U.S. Junior National Team in the junior women's double sculls.
"It's an honor," said Strickler. "I never thought I would make it this far. I'm just really proud and I can't wait to represent the U.S.A. in Rio and test out the Olympic course.
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