Update 9/2: We sent a full team to Chungju and entered 27 events. And the results were nothing short of impressive. Fifteen crews competed in the " A" finals, the best showing in years. And we came away with 8 medals: 2 golds, 2 silvers, and 4 bronzes. Nine crews made it to the "B" finals, a sign of our strength to come.
The National Rowing Foundation (“NRF”) is making a push to cover 35% of the year-long costs of the World Championship team now competing in Korea with a total fundraising goal of $1.3 million, the largest commitment in NRF history. To date the NRF has raised $810,000; it needs to secure another $490,000 to meet its commitment.
As many in the rowing community know, rowing for the national team in the USA is hard work for our athletes and coaches especially given USRowing's limited resources. Costs include compensating of the country's best coaches, athlete and squad development and selection expenses, international regatta costs and travel expenses including entry fees, and importantly direct athlete support. Today 87 athletes are competing in all 27 events in the World Championship in Korea. This international experience, though expensive, is fundamental to building a successful team for Rio in 2016.
And they are doing it all with significantly less than most top international squads. In 2012 the all-in cost to have our 44 US Olympians compete was $3.5 million, or nearly $80,000/athlete. Great Britain with 47 athletes dominated the Games by spending $255,000/athlete, winning 9 medals including 4 golds. If the US is going to be competitive, we need to significantly increase our support in this quadrennial.
If the rowing community can help make this happen, there is the added benefit that as our success increases, so do funds from the USOC - that is, the better the results leading up to Rio, the larger the slice of the USOC pie will go to rowing. So now is the time for your participation and contribution.
Funds can be donated to the full US squad or directed as you like - you can restrict your donation to a specific boat class or team (though not to an individual due to federal regulations) and that money will go to that team.
Make your tax free donation to our national team athletes at the NRF website www.natrowing.org. Or you can send a check made out to the National Rowing Foundation at 67 Mystic Road, North Stonington, CT 06359.
The members of the US team are proud to represent us. Let's help them get it done at the championships as well as back at home when they are training the hardest, where as we all know, medals are really won. Thank you!
Posted as a service to the US national teams and the NRF by row2k
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