BEIJING - The U.S. women's single sculls, men's pair and women's double sculls will race for medals on Saturday during the first day of finals at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park.
In the women's single sculls, Michelle Guerette (Bristol, Conn.) will take on scullers from China, the Czech Republic, Belarus, Bulgaria and Poland in the final. Guerette, a two-time world championships bronze medalist, finished second in her semifinal behind China's Xiuyun Zhang. Belaurs' Ekaterina Karsten, who won the other semifinal, is a two-time Olympic gold medalist (1996, 2000) and the defending Olympic silver medalist in the event, while Bulgaria's Rumyana Neykova won silver in 2000 and bronze in 2004 in the single. The Czech Republic's Mirka Knapkova finished fourth in Athens and is a two-time world championships silver medalist in the single.
The men's pair of Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss (Greenwich, Conn.) will take on Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and Germany in the final. The twins advanced by finishing second in their semifinal. Australia's Duncan Free and Drew Ginn, who won their semifinal on Wednesday, are the two-time defending world champions in the event. Ginn will also be trying to defend the gold medal he won with James Tomkins in Athens. Canada's Scott Frandsen and David Calder won the other semifinal, while New Zealand's George Bridgewater and Nathan Twaddle are the two-time defending world championships silver medalists.
The women's double sculls tandem of Ellen Tomek (Flushing, Mich.) and Megan Kalmoe (St. Croix Falls, Wis.) won its repechage, or second-chance race, to advance to Saturday's final. The duo will take on China, New Zealand, Great Britain, Germany and the Czech Republic. New Zealand's Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell are the defending Olympic champions and world silver medalists, while China's Liang Tian and Qin Li are the defending world champions. Great Britain's Anna Bebington and Elise Laverick finished third at last year's world championships.
The U.S. will also have two crews racing in placement finals on Saturday.
The lightweight women's double sculls tandem of Jen Goldsack (Banstead, United Kingdom) and Renee Hykel (Haverford, Pa.) missed out on a spot in the final by 0.16 seconds and will now race Australia, Japan, Denmark, Great Britain and Cuba in the B final for overall places 7-12.
The lightweight men's four of Tom Paradiso (Blue Bell, Pa.), Will Daly (Vail, Colo.), Patrick Todd (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Mike Altman (Marin County, Calif.) finished sixth in its semifinal and will now race in the B final for places 7-11. The crew will take on Australia, China, Ireland and Italy.
The U.S. will also have the women's quadruple sculls, men's quadruple sculls, women's eight and men's eight crews racing in finals on Sunday. The Olympic rowing competition features 548 rowers competing in 207 crews for 60 nations.