WEST WINDSOR, N.J. - Rowing into the last few hundred meters of his single sculls semifinal, Tom Graves looked to be one spot out of advancing to the Wednesday final of the 2015 Senior World Championships Trials II.
Ken Jurkowski (New Fairfield, Conn.) was clearly leading the four boat race on Mercer Lake, West Windsor, N.J. Only two athletes would advance and Community Rowing Inc's Lucas Wilhelm (Miranda, Calif.) was rowing stroke for stroke with Graves (Cincinnati, Ohio).
But then as the finish line approached, Graves dug in and claimed a chance to row for a spot on the United States team that will compete at the 2015 World Rowing Championships, August 29-Sept. 6, 2015, in Aiguebelette, France.
"It definitely was very close and I was just trying to do my best to stay in a qualifying position for the final tomorrow. I definitely pushed it a little bit," Graves said. "There are a lot of good guys in the final and I'll be giving it my all."
Jurkowski won the second of the two semifinals in 7:02.97 and Graves finished second in 7:03. 81. Wilhelm finished third in 7:07.92. Jurkowski and Graves will row in the final against California Rowing Club's Ryan Monaghan (Pittsford, N.Y.) and Potomac Boat Club's Greg Ansolabehere (Bakersfield, Calif.), who advanced from the first semifinal. Monaghan won in 7:11.63. Ansolabehere was second in 7:14.13.
USTC Princeton 2-In the men's pair repechage, two boats advanced to the Wednesday finals. Crossing first in 6:38.25 were the United States Training Center - Princeton crew of Ross James (DeKalb, Ill.) and Rob Munn (Redmond, Wash.), followed by Craftsbury Sculling Center's Parker Washburn (Andover, Mass.) and Andrew Reed (Wayland, Mass.) in 6:39.45.
"We're really excited," Munn said. "When you're a rower, the biggest thing for you is to get into a final of any kind. It's why you race. It's been a fun trip through trials this year and it's one of those times when you're ready to see what you're capable of.
"There's always a lot on the line whenever you're racing for a chance to represent your country. Opportunities like this are what make all the training through the year worth it," he said.
In total, four events are being contested in the event including the men's single sculls, men's double sculls, men's pair and the men's quadruple sculls.
Finals begin Wednesday morning at 7:30 a.m.