CAMDEN, N.J. - The 2009 USRowing Masters National Championships continued on Friday with 63 more national titles being awarded at the Cooper River in Camden, N.J.
In the tightest race of the day, less than 0.6 seconds separated the top three crews in the final of the men's B four with coxswain. Riverfront Recapture's Andrew Fournier, Sandor Becz, Alan Wells, Paul Fitzgerald and Andrew Magee edged out Palm Beach Rowing Association at the line to win the final by 0.12 seconds. The crew crossed the finish line with a time of 3:21.37. Palm Beach finished second in a 3:21.49, with Potomac Boat Club taking bronze in a 3:21.94.
Minneapolis Rowing Club topped Greenwich Crew by 0.24 seconds in the men's club E four with coxswain. The Minneapolis crew of Justin Blum, Bill Thiesse, Jed Gorlin, Reid Howe and Randy Newberg finished with a time of 3:33.51, with Greenwich clocking a 3:33.75. Thiesse, Gorlin, Howe and Newberg came back later in the afternoon to win the men's E four in a time of 3:36.15, finishing a little more than two seconds ahead of Potomac Boat Club.
Minneapolis Rowing Club also won the women's open B double sculls. The duo of Patricia Koehler and Charil Reis clocked a 3:49.38 to finish 2.09 seconds ahead of Rivanna Rowing Club's Hilary Kerner and Cathy Coffman.
Less than two seconds separated the top two finishers in the men's lightweight F single sculls final, with Fort Worth Rowing Club's Jim Trimble winning the race in a 3:57.76. Jacksonville Rowing Club's Bob Schumacher took second in a 3:59.15, while Open Water Rowing Center's Daniel Bort placed third in a 4:00.01.
In the women's lightweight B double sculls, 1.23 seconds separated the top two finishers with Capital Rowing Club's Michelle Fryc and Pamela Besteman winning in a 3:53.06 over Greenwich Crew's Kristen Erickson and Christina DelSavio. Passaic River Rowing Association's Helen Woznack and Denise Cenit finished third another 0.80 seconds behind.
Co-hosted by USRowing, Rutgers Alumni Crew at Camden, Cooper River Rowing Association and the Camden County Parks, the regatta features more than 1,800 entries from 147 clubs competing for national titles in 195 events. The regatta is the largest masters national championships in history.
Racing continues Saturday at 8 a.m. Heat sheets and results are available online at www.racetrak.com.