The United States will have 10 crews competing July 12-14 at the 2002 Zurich Rowing World Cup in Lucerne, Switzerland. U.S. boats scheduled to compete include the men and women’s single sculls, men and women’s double sculls, men’s lightweight double sculls, women’s pair, women’s quadruple sculls, men’s eight and two women’s lightweight double sculls.
By virtue of the 2002 National Team Selection Procedures, five of the competing crews have the opportunity to qualify for the 2002 World Championships in Seville, Spain, if they finish in the top six in Lucerne. These boats include the women’s single sculls, women’s double sculls, men’s lightweight double sculls, women’s pair, and the “A” entry of the women’s lightweight double sculls. If a boat does not finish in the top six at Lucerne or declines its world championships’ berth following a top six finish, selection trials will be held in August in Princeton, N.J., to determine the U.S. entry for the world championships in that event.
In the women’s single sculls, Kristin Goodrich earned the opportunity to race for a spot on the world championships’ team by winning the women’s single sculls at the first National Selection Regatta (NSR). Goodrich, who rowed in the women’s double sculls at the 2001 FISA World Championships, will be facing top international competition in the single for the first time in Lucerne.
Princeton Training Center’s Laurel Korholz and Kelly Salchow won the women’s double sculls at National Selection Regatta 2, earning the right to compete in Lucerne for a spot on the national team. Both Korholz and Salchow took 2001 off after competing as members of the women’s quadruple sculls crew that finished fifth at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
In the women’s pair, Princeton Training Center’s Portia Johnson and Megan Dirkmaat won a tight race at NSR 2 to earn their ticket to Lucerne. Dirkmaat raced in the women’s eight at last year’s world championships, while Johnson, a former junior national team and under 23 team member, is trying to make her first world championships’ squad.
Pocock Elite’s Conal Groom and Rollins Alumni Association’s Stephan Arthur-Wong also earned their chance to race for a national team berth at NSR 2. Groom is a national team veteran, having raced at several world championships and the 2000 Olympic Games. Arthur-Wong is attempting to make his first national team.
In the women’s lightweight double sculls, Princeton Training Center’s Mary Obidinski and Pocock Elite’s Stacey Borgman edged out the Pocock Elite/New York Athletic Club duo of Abigail Cromwell and Lisa Schlenker by 0.1 of a second at NSR 2 to earn the right to compete in Lucerne for a spot on the national team. Obidinski and Borgman will race as the “A” entry in Lucerne, while Cromwell and Schlenker also will race in Lucerne as the “B” entry. Despite having two entries in the event, the Obidinski/Borgman boat is the only crew in the event that can earn a spot on the U.S. National Team in Lucerne.
Four additional U.S. crews will be racing in Lucerne but are not eligible to earn spots on the world championships’ team at this time. Steve Tucker won the men’s open weight single sculls at NSR 1 but chose to race in the men’s lightweight single sculls in Lucerne. Tucker, a six-time national team member who finished fourth in the lightweight single at the 2001 World Championships, will have to race at the 2002 World Championships Trials in August to qualify for the world championships in the event.
In the women’s quadruple sculls, Sarah Jones, Carol Skricki, Hilary Gehman, and Laura Rauchfuss are trying to build on their bronze-medal finish from last year’s world championships. In 2001, the quartet became only the third women’s quad in U.S. history to win a medal at the world championships. With the women’s quad being selected by the national team head coach at the end of August, the four national team veterans are looking to build on last year’s speed and maintain their seats in the boat.
The U.S. men’s eight, which also is in the middle of its selection process, will get to test its speed against international competition for the first time this summer. The crew heading to Lucerne includes coxswain Nick Anderson, Jon Watling, Bryan Volpenhein, Eric Mueller, Mike Wherley, Wolf Moser, Joey Hansen, Garrett Klugh, and Ryan Torgerson. The veteran boat includes four 2000 Olympians and a total of 30 national team appearances.
Dana Schmunk and Daniel Beery will represent the U.S. in the men’s double sculls in Lucerne. The duo, which did not win the event at NSR 2 and cannot automatically qualify for the national team in Lucerne, is preparing for the world championships trials in August.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 8, 2002
Contact: Brett Johnson, USRowing Communications Director, (317) 237-564